Taxi Licensing Fred Perry House Edward Street, Stockport SK1 3XE Saxon Direct Line: 0161 474 3264 Fax: 0161 474 4369 Email: [email protected] HACKNEY CARRIAGE & PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER APPLICATION PACK ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BECOMING A LICENSED HACKNEY CARRIAGE OR PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER IN STOCKPORT CONTENTS Section Heading Page number 1 What do I need to do to get a licence to drive a taxi? 3 2 Do I need a hackney carriage or private hire driver’s licence? 3 3 What do I need to apply for a driver’s licence? 4 4 What other documentation do I need to submit at the time of 6 application? 5 How do I submit my application? 6 6 What happens if I have convictions? 7 7 What further exams and tests do I have to take? 8 8 What happens after successful completion of the driver 8 knowledge exam? 9 How long does it take to process my application? 8 10 Do I get my money back if my application is unsuccessful or if 8 I withdraw my application? Appendix 1 Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Driver Test Guidance 10 Appendix 2 Obsolete Appendix 3 Legislation relating to Hackney Carriage & Private Hire 16 Drivers Appendix 4 Private Hire Driver and Vehicle Conditions 19 Appendix 5 Hackney Carriage Driver Conditions and Bye-laws relating to 26 Hackney Carriage Vehicles h&e706 version 21 - 2 - 1. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET A LICENCE TO DRIVE A TAXI? 1.1 In order to drive either a licensed Hackney Carriage (Black cab style) or Private Hire vehicle, you will need to obtain a licence from the Council. 1.2 This pack explains how you go about obtaining a licence from us and details the application process from start to finish. 2. DO I NEED A HACKNEY CARRIAGE OR PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER’S LICENCE? 2.1 There are 2 main types of licensed vehicle in Stockport: Hackney Carriage Private Hire Vehicle Both the vehicle and driver must be licensed by Stockport Council to drive passengers. 2.2 We also issue Executive Hire driver and vehicle licences which although are very similar to a Private Hire licence, they are often used corporately or for special occasions and are more akin to chauffeur driven style vehicles rather than a Private Hire vehicle. If you wish to apply for this type of licence you should refer to our Executive Hire Driver’s Pack which is available on our website at www.stockport.gov.uk/taxilicensing. 2.3 Hackney Carriage 2.3.1 A Hackney Carriage is also referred to as a ‘taxi’ or ‘public hire vehicle’. 2.3.2 A Stockport Hackney Carriage driver can ply for hire from designated Taxi Ranks in Stockport, be flagged down on the street by customers or take pre-bookings through a licensed Private Hire Operator. It is a criminal offence for a Stockport Hackney Carriage Driver to pick up passengers outside of the borough of Stockport unless it is by prior booking and renders the insurance invalid. 2.3.3 A Hackney Carriage can be licensed to carry up to a maximum of 8 passengers. 2.3.4 Hackney Carriage vehicles licensed by Stockport Council have a white licence plate on the back of the vehicle giving the licence plate number. They also have a ‘Taxi’ roof sign. 2.3.5 All Hackney Carriages licensed by Stockport Council are required to be wheelchair accessible. 2.3.6 Only the holder of a Hackney Carriage driver’s licence can drive a licensed Hackney Carriage vehicle. h&e706 version 21 - 3 - 2.4 Private Hire 2.4.1 A Private Hire driver and vehicle must be pre-booked in advance by passengers through a licensed Private Hire Operator. 2.4.2 Unlike for Hackney Carriages, it is a criminal offence for a Private Hire driver to ply for hire by picking up passengers without prior booking and renders the vehicle insurance invalid. 2.4.3 A Private Hire vehicle can be licensed to carry up to a maximum of 8 passengers. 2.4.4 Private Hire vehicles licensed by Stockport Council have a yellow licence plate on the front and back of the vehicle giving the licence plate number. The vehicle must also display Stockport Council issued notices stating ‘pre-booked journeys only’ on the rear doors just below the window line. 2.4.5 Only the holder of a Private Hire driver’s licence can drive a licensed Private Hire vehicle. 3. WHAT DO I NEED TO APPLY FOR A DRIVER’S LICENCE? 3.1 In order to apply for a Driver’s Licence, the following information must be submitted in its entirety at the time of application. Only complete applications will be accepted for processing. Any incomplete applications will be invalid and will be returned to the applicant. The relevant forms are available to download from our website. 3.2 Application Form (ref h&e701) 3.2.1 The application form asks for the applicant’s personal details and previous licensing history. 3.2.2 The application form provides a checklist of all the documents you are required to produce in order to process the application. 3.2.3 You must sign the declarations and consents. 3.3 The Application Fee 3.3.1 Details of the current fees are on our website www.stockport.gov.uk/taxilicensing 3.3.2 The licence fee is exclusive of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application fee which is payable direct to Personnel Checks. The DBS requirement is explained in paragraph 3.8. 3.3.3 The application fee is non-refundable. 3.4 Medical Report of fitness to drive a licensed vehicle (ref h&e703) 3.4.1 In order to drive a licensed vehicle, the applicant must be able to pass a medical examination. This is because there is a risk and level of responsibility involved in driving the general public on a day-to-day basis. h&e706 version 21 - 4 - There are also physical demands such as lifting heavy objects like luggage or wheelchairs. 3.4.2 Certain medical conditions may prevent you from driving professionally and it is important that the Council is informed. 3.4.3 The applicant’s own GP or one who has access to your full medical history and records must complete this form. There is usually a fee payable for this service, determined by the Medical Practice. 3.4.4 The medical is valid for 28 days from the date of issue and so we recommend that this is the last document that you obtain before attending surgery to submit your application. 3.5 Applicant Declaration Form (ref h&e719) 3.5.1 This is a declaration detailing any convictions held by you. 3.5.2 Stockport Council expects you to obey this undertaking strictly. All convictions, including any which you may consider as ‘spent’, motoring convictions, restorative justice or other criminal disposal that you have been subject to and offences committed outside of the UK, must be declared. 3.5.3 Before completing this form, you should read the Stockport Council Guidelines Relating to the Relevance of Convictions, detailed in Appendix 2 of this pack. 3.6 Data Protection Mandate (ref h&e712) 3.6.1 By completing and signing this form, you give permission for Stockport Council to request your current endorsement and licence category information from the DVLA via the external company Intelligent Data Systems. 3.7 A DVSA test certificate issued within the last 6 months 3.7.1 You will need to sit a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) practical test and receive a certificate showing successful completion of the practical taxi and private hire test (the private hire assessment). You do not require the wheelchair assessment. 3.7.2 You can book your test online https://www.gov.uk/book-driving-test. If you have any queries regarding this element, you must contact the DVSA and not the Licensing Team. The DVSA test may be undertaken at any of the DVSA test centres. 3.8 Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate 3.8.1 Stockport Council is empowered in law to check for the existence and content of any criminal record held in the name of an applicant in order to establish whether an applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a licence. h&e706 version 21 - 5 - 3.8.2 In order to obtain this information you must make an application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to obtain a certificate of your criminal history. 3.8.3 Stockport Council now work in partnership with a company called Personnel Checks who will assist you in the DBS process. Their contact details are on our website at www.stockport.gov.uk/taxilicensing. 3.8.4 There is a fee of £44 for the DBS application that is payable directly to Personnel Checks. They will advise you how to make this payment. 3.8.5 Personnel Checks will advise you as to what supporting documentation you are required to submit in order to satisfy the identity checking requirements of the DBS check. You have three options to get scanned copies of your original documents to Personnel Checks: a) Take the documents into a Taxi Licensing Surgery drop in session at Fred Perry House, where scanned copies will be taken and forwarded to Personnel Checks free of charge; b) Take the documents directly to Personnel Checks office in Accrington (there will be an admin charge of £25 by Personnel Checks for this); c) Take the documents to a Post Office, who will charge a fee of £8 to make certified copies which you can then post/email to Personnel Checks.