How to apply
By becoming either a Hackney carriage (taxi) or private hire driver you can play a part in delivering safe, reliable and integrated transport to everybody who lives, works or visits Leeds.
If you would like an application pack to become a taxi or private hire vehicle driver please contact the licensing office. You can telephone or email and ask for application forms to be sent to your home address or you can call in person and ask for the necessary application form.
You must submit completed application forms in person along with the appropriate documentation and fee.
Requirements
Age
To be a licensed private hire driver you must be at least 18 years of age and at least 21 years of age to be a Hackney carriage driver. There is no upper age limit, provided you meet the other licensing requirements.
Character
The taxi and private hire licensing section must be satisfied that the drivers it licenses are safe, honest and trustworthy. 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 Criminal Records Bureau. We will also look at your driving licence to see if you have any driving convictions.
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.
It is very important that you read and understand our policy on driving and criminal convictions before you apply. If you have any questions please speak to a licensing officer.
Convictions
When granting a licence, Leeds City Council must make sure that applicants are fit and proper to hold a licence. To do this we have adopted a points criteria system for convictions so that we can make fair and consistent decisions based on facts. Please see Convictions Policy on the right hand side of this page for further details.
Medical fitness
Hackney carriage and private hire drivers are professional drivers carrying passengers for hire and reward. Because of this, if you apply to be licensed, the licensing authority will ask you to prove your medical fitness by having a medical examination with your GP.
Route finding skills for Hackney carriage drivers
All licensed Hackney carriage drivers in Leeds must have an in depth knowledge of the road network and places of interest in the city. You will need to be able to demonstrate a range of route finding skills such as map reading and route selection, which allow you to plan a journey.
Disability awareness
Hackney carriages are an essential form of transport for large numbers of disabled people in Leeds. Hackney carriage drivers in Leeds must attend a disability awareness training course covering a broad range of disability topics, including helping wheelchair users, transporting guide dogs and disability legislation issues. You can find more information by looking at the Disability Discrimination Act
Driving ability
All licensed drivers must hold a full DVLA, Northern Ireland or European Economic Area (EEA) state driving licence. The EEA states are:
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Austria
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Greece
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Netherlands
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Belgium
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Hungary
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Norway
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Bulgaria
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Iceland
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Poland
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Cyprus
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Ireland
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Portugal
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Czech Republic
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Italy
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Romania
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Denmark
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Latvia
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Slovakia
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Estonia
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Liechtenstein
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Slovenia
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Finland
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Lithuania
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Spain
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France
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Luxembourg
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Sweden
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Germany
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Malta
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United Kingdom
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To get a Hackney carriage or private hire driver's licence you will need to have held one of the above licences for at least one year and undergo a further driving examination set by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).
Appointments
We have an appointment system to process new licensing applications.
As these applications can take some time to complete, including the completion of a CRB disclosure form you will be given a half hour slot with a licensing officer to progress your application.
We use an appointment system to make sure that that existing licensed drivers are not inconvenienced by being off the road longer than is necessary and that unnecessary queues do not build up in the licensing office.
Once you have completed your application form please contact the Licensing Office to make an appointment. If you cannot attend your appointment for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible. Preference is given to first time appointees.
Fees and charges
There are various fees associated with hackney carriage and private hire licences.
Fees may only be paid via cash or cheque, supported by a current bankers card. Please make cheques payable to Leeds City Council. Please see the downloadable document on the right hand side of this page for table of fees and charges.
Private hire licensing conditions
When you apply for a licence we will give you a booklet containing conditions relating to all private hire licences. Please see the downloadable documents on the right hand side of this page.
Hackney carriage byelaws
Upon application, all new Hackney carriage applicants are provided with a booklet containing byelaws with respect to Hackney carriages. Please see the downloadable document on the right hand side of this page.