Apply for a re-licence of an existing combined driver's licence (badge)

The purpose of hackney carriage and private hire licensing is to protect the public and promote public safety. Before we can grant a re-licence of a combined driver’s licence, we have a duty to establish that you continue to be a fit and proper person.

All re-licence applications must be completed in full and submitted with all supporting documents, and the relevant fee must be paid before we can accept it. Incomplete applications will be rejected and fees refunded. Therefore, before starting your re-licence application, we strongly advise you take time to read all the information about each step below in conjunction with the West Suffolk Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

Step 1 – Before you apply

Mandatory assessments

Before you submit your application, you need to book and successfully complete the following course:

Professional Taxi and Private Hire Driver Safeguarding Training (refresher): West Suffolk College - Professional Taxi and Private Hire Driver Safeguarding Training

If you cannot find a course with availability before you licence expires, we will accept proof of booking. The course must be taken within 3 months of the expiry date of your licence.

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

If you have an enhanced DBS certificate on which you are currently signed up to the DBS update service, please provide a copy of the certificate.

However, if your subscription to the update service has lapsed, you will need to apply for a new certificate through TaxiPlus. This is an external company, and the process usually takes a few weeks for the certificate to return. Therefore, we advise that you submit your new DBS application as early as possible and continue completing the additional requirements of your driver application while your DBS is being processed.

To be able to sign in and complete the new disclosure application, you first need to register if you have not already done so. You can register by following this link: TaxiPlus - Taxi licensing services

Your ID documents will need to be uploaded at time of application and will be verified during the application process. If you do not have the required ID documents, please contact the licensing team for an alternative process.

Please note – the Disclosure and Barring Service have specified that applications should not be processed if documents don’t match exactly. This includes hyphens in names, therefore before you submit your DBS application, you should check that all your documents meet this criteria. For more guidance, see TaxiPlus - FAQs

If you have any issues or queries contact TaxiPlus:

• Driver support - Live Chat
• Driver Support - How can we help?
• Driver Support phone: 01254 355679

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Update Service

If you are submitting a new enhanced DBS certificate, you must re-subscribe (and maintain a subscription) to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Update Service: GOV.UK - DBS Update Service.

Medical

You will need to continue to meet the requirements of Group 2 Standards of Medical Fitness as stated by the DVLA: GOV.UK - General information: assessing fitness to drive

For reference, here is the current requirement dependant on age:

If you are unsure if your medical is due, please contact the licensing team who will be able to confirm.

If a medical is required at re-licence, this can be completed by any doctor who holds a current licence to practice medicine registered with the General Medical Council who has access to your full medical records, either electronically or on paper, at the time of your examination.

Here is the D4 medical form and declaration which will need to be completed and submitted with your application: West Suffolk Council D4 Medical Form.

Please remember, medicals will not be accepted where the person completing the form does not have access to your full medical history or is not a doctor who holds a current licence to practice medicine registered with the General Medical Council.

Please refer to the West Suffolk Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy if you think you may have a medical exemption.

Certificate of Good Conduct

If you have spent three months or more continuously outside the UK since the age of 18 or since the issue of your last licence, evidence of a criminal record check from the country, or countries, visited covering that time will be required.

You will need to supply a certificate of good conduct which has been authenticated by the relevant embassy and translated to English.

This can sometimes be a lengthy process, so please ensure you request in good time.

Photograph

You will need to submit a new recent passport size colour photograph of yourself with a plain background. We accept photographs taken with a smartphone.

Step 2 – Completing your application

Once you have all the documents you require from the areas covered above in Step 1, you can now complete the final requirements of your full application.

• Hackney carriage and private hire drivers licence application form (Word)
• Hackney carriage and private hire drivers licence application form (PDF)

You will need to complete the Hackney carriage and private hire drivers licence application form in full. Please make sure you answer all the questions and tick all boxes as required, including the declaration. The form must be signed. We accept electronic signatures.

Tax check

You must complete a tax check when applying for re-licence. Here is the link to the website: GOV.UK - Complete a tax check for a taxi, private hire or scrap metal licence

After you complete the tax check you’ll be given a 9-character code. This is your tax check code. You must enter the code on your re-licence application form or submit a screenshot - we will not be able to process your application without it.

Tax check codes expire after 120 days, so if you make a licence application for another licence after that time, you’ll need to carry out a new tax check for it.

Proof of right to licence

Driver licences must not be issued to people who are unlawfully present in the UK, who are not permitted to work, or who are permitted to work but are subject to a condition that prohibits them from holding such a licence. Therefore, you will need to supply proof of your right to work in the UK. This can be by providing a document such as a UK passport, or by providing a share code. For full guidance on how to prove your right to work in the UK, please visit: GOV.UK - Prove your right to work to an employer

Full DVLA driving licence

You will need to provide a copy of your full UK DVLA driving licence – both front and back. The licence must be in date and show your current address.

DVLA check code

You must provide a DVLA check code. This is so we can check your driving licence status, vehicle codes and any disqualifications or penalties.

You can get your code from the online here: GOV.UK - View or share your driving licence information. You can either submit the code by downloading and sending the licence summary results sheet with your application or there is a form you can complete at the end of the Hackney carriage and private hire drivers licence application form. If you are completing the form, please write the code clearly making sure upper- and lower-case letters are clear and easy to distinguish.

Fees

A fee is payable for processing your application. This must be paid in advance and proof of payment must be submitted with your combined driver’s licence application.

Current fees: Hackney carriage and private hire fees and charges

Pay online: West Suffolk - Adelanti Smart pay. Choose the relevant option from the drop-down menu.

Please note, incomplete applications will be rejected. The fee will then be refunded, which can take up to five working days.

No partial refunds will be given should your licence be surrendered or revoked before the expiry date.

Step 3 – Submitting your application

Your complete application should be sent on one email to: licensing@westsuffolk.gov.uk. The subject line should state Re-Licence application . Each supporting document should be added as an attachment.

The most common reasons for rejected applications are:

• multiple emails – attaching as PDF or JPEG documents will help with file sizes to send as a single email
• embedded documents (putting documents inside the body of the email)
• embedded links to documents on file sharing sites can cause issues with access for licensing or may be blocked due to our IT security
• multiple pages per supporting document rather than one attachment for each document for example two photos for a driving licence must be combined into one document
• missing documents – follow the checklist on page 5 or 6 if you are a new applicant or re-licensing. If you are not sure or have any issues acquiring a document please contact us before you submit so we can advise and support you
• incomplete application form – double check every box and question has been filled in
• missing payment – if you have paid and do not complete the payment reference section on the application form, a screenshot or just the payment reference in your email is also acceptable.

Please see an example image of how to submit a right first-time application like the screen shot below:

Please see an example image of when a document is embedded into the email and not as attachment (as shown above). We cannot accept documents submitted in this way.

Useful tips on how to submit your email

• Use a computer rather than a mobile phone. This makes it easier to attach documents.
• If you don’t have your own computer or access to one, you can use a computer and email address belonging to someone else or use one at the public library.
• Use the Word version of the application form and complete it electronically if you can - then you do not need to print it and write it out – you can type directly into the form, and we accept electronic signatures or typed signatures.
• Attachments:
  • these must be in PDF or JPEG format (as shown in the screen shot above). You can use apps or programmes to convert pictures from your mobile phone to PDF
  • make sure they are legible, not damaged, or defaced, or blurry, the right way up and clearly labelled (as shown in the screen shot above)
  • only send one email with all the required documents.
• Once you have all your documents ready in PDF or JPEG format, attach them to the email. Make sure you have attached all the documents required on the application form attached to the email before sending it.
• Make sure you have paid and remember to add your payment reference onto the application form or as a screenshot or text in the email.

Step 4 – What happens next

We aim to process a combined driver’s re-licence application within 28 days from receipt of a complete application. Please do not contact us to chase your application’s progress within this window.

Once your application has been processed, we will contact you to arrange an appointment to collect your new badge and licence at our West Suffolk House offices. You will need to bring your old badge and right to work documents for verification. Photocopies are not acceptable.

More information

Please be aware that this webpage is just a quick guide on how to apply for a combined driver’s re-licence and you must refer to the policy to find full details and guidance on the licensing criteria and conditions that must be met: West Suffolk Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.