West Berkshire dual and private hire driver licence

Apply for a dual driver or a private hire driver's licence

We issue either a single dual licence for drivers, which allows them to drive either a hackney carriage or a private hire vehicle, or a private hire driver’s licence to drive only private hire vehicles.

Applicants must have held a valid driving licence for a minimum period of 12 months. Before a driver licence can be issued the following checks will be carried out to determine if you are a 'fit and proper' person to be issued with a licence:

group 2 medical - with your GP or with Occupational Health
two character references
practical driving assessment
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
West Berkshire Council Knowledge Test
proof of eligibility to work in the UK
safeguarding training - see below
disability training - see below

An authenticated certificate of good conduct should be obtained by applicants who have not been resident in the United Kingdom for the previous five years. You must obtain this from your appropriate embassy and this must be provided in English, from the age of 16 years old. Further details of how to obtain this certificate may be found here.

IMPORTANT CHANGES WHEN APPLYING FOR YOUR DBS (Disclosure and Barring Certificate)

We have enlisted the company Taxiplus to complete the DBS online checks on behalf of PPP. Taxiplus will be paid directly by you when you apply online. Please ensure that you also register for the updating service, you will be reminded to do so by Taxiplus as this is now a requirement.

Please use the link below, you will need your passport, driving licence and a method of payment at the time of application.

www.taxiplus.co.uk

Please select the Council you are licensed with or applying to.

Any queries please contact Taxiplus. You can access the ‘Driver Help’ section of their website which has a few useful tabs – you can also live chat with Taxiplus Driver Support. The chat can be found here: https://www.taxiplus.co.uk/im-a-driver. Here is a link to one of the most helpful guides, ‘ID Guidance’ https://www.taxiplus.co.uk/oidv-guide.

Identity

Three forms of identity (ID), (one has to be photo ID), must be brought in with your completed driver application form. Required documentation detailed below:

• DVLA driving licence – full driving licence – card or paper version
• your driving licence information which has replaced the counterpart driving licence (this must be printed out from here)
• proof of address (such as a bank statement or a utility bill less than three months old)
• proof of eligibility to work in the UK – passport or UK birth certificate
• one photograph or
• certificate of good conduct from your embassy (if necessary).

Documents

Note all documents must be presented in person and no copies of documents will be accepted. Once you have submitted your application we will advise how to book the disability and safeguarding training. Please call 01635 519184 to arrange an appointment to bring in your documents.