We are responsible for making sure that the taxi and private hire trade in Leeds is operated in a professional manner and that the correct standards of safety and comfort are satisfied by all licensed drivers, vehicles and operators.
By becoming a driver you can play a part in delivering safe, reliable and integrated transport to everybody who lives, works or visits Leeds.
There are specific requirements that you must meet in order to progress with an application.
You must have passed a driving standards assessment from one of our approved suppliers:
Applications remain valid for a period of 12 months and once further criteria is met, you may be eligible to apply for a 3 year licence. Please refer to our fit and proper person policy.
If you do not pass and complete all of the required tests within this time period, your application will be cancelled. The fee is non-refundable.
If you have previously worked as a private hire or hackney carriage driver, we will check the National Refusal and Revocation Register (NR3) to see if you have had your licence revoked or refused at renewal.
Read our policy on the use of the NR3 for more information.
You will be required to carry out the training specified by the authority in which you are applying and each authority will have different approved providers and/or approved methods for delivering the training and testing procedure. However, it will cover the above requirements to the same standard. Costs at each authority may vary for each aspect of the training.
a module has a test associated with it, there will be, within that test, certain questions that an applicant / existing driver must answer correctly. If an applicant / existing driver fails to answer these questions correctly, then the test will be a classed as a fail, irrespective of whether the pass mark has been achieved or not. All new applicants will be required to complete and pass the training programme. The aspects of the training shown in section 3 of the policy will have to be carried out by all existing drivers prior to the renewal of their application. New drivers must have completed all training within the twelve month period following the submission date of their application.
If the module requires the training material to be given in advance; this will be provided either by the local authority or the training provider when you confirm your booking onto the course. The applicant will be given three attempts to complete and pass the training programme. If the applicant fails three times they will not be allowed to be given the opportunity to book onto the training programme for a period of twelve months.
Once completed (by new applicants or at renewal), there will be a number of the modules which will require refresher training every three years, to ensure that all current drivers remain up to date with current industry legislation and practice, these will be:
There may be occasion for the licensing authority to require an existing licensed driver to complete and pass one or more of the training modules. This may be the result of a substantiated complaint, for example, about the standard of English, the standard of driving, the standard of customer care, attitude of the driver (this list is not exhaustive) or if the licensing authority believes that a driver’s standard of driving or behaviour falls below the standards required.
We firmly believes that safe, suitable and professional trained Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers are an asset to the West Yorkshire and York region as a whole. We wish to set standards on a par or above that of our neighbouring regions to ensure the safety of the travelling public within our region.
Every applicant must have a criminal record check before they can have a licence. This is done by asking you to get an enhanced criminal records check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. We will also look at your driving licence to see if you have any driving convictions. For further information please visit our taxi and private hire licensing DBS check page.
Having a driving or criminal conviction will not necessarily prevent you from becoming licensed. It depends what the conviction was for, the sentence imposed and how long ago it was.
Find more information in our:
If you cannot use the formOnce you have completed your application, you will be contacted to arrange an appointment with a licensing officer to process your application. Missed appointments may result in an administrative fee being applied.
You will need to pay the relevant fee by debit or credit card in person at your appointment.
Find more information in our:
If you are a private hire driver wanting to become a Hackney carriage driver, you will need to find a current Hackney carriage proprietor to sponsor you. Email taxiprivatehire.licensing@leeds.gov.uk to request a Hackney carriage proprietor recommendation form.
The following must be submitted:
In order to proceed with an operator application you must:
Email taxiprivatehire.licensing@leeds.gov.uk to request a Private hire executive operator application form.
Find more information in our:
To appeal a suspension, revocation or refusal decision you must contact the Magistrates Court directly within 21 days of the date on your decision letter.
Please provide your phone number, and if you are a licensed driver or operator, quote your date of birth, your badge or vehicle plate number when contacting us.
Monday to Friday, 9am to midday for drop-in business and 1pm to 3pm by appointment only.
Staff training every third Tuesday of the month until 10am.