To become a taxi driver in Cambridge - either private hire or hackney carriage - you must have held a full UK or EC driving licence for at least one year.
Your licence and badge will only be issued when you have passed all the application procedures listed on this page.
Apply
To apply, you need to attend an appointment with us at the customer service centre: telephone 01223 457888 to arrange this.
Please download and complete the relevant application forms and bring them to the meeting:
You will also need to complete and sign the data protection mandate for us to send on your behalf.
For more information read our taxi driver application information document.
Required documents
At the appointment we will require the following documents from you in order to conduct an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check:
- passport
- driving licence - both paper and photocard
- National Insurance number
- evidence of your addresses for the last five years, including two proofs of your current address such as a utility bill or bank statement
- birth certificate
- marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Two passport-sized photographs of yourself (for your ID badge)
All applicants who have not been resident in the United Kingdom for the past five years must provide a Certificate of Good Conduct from either their own embassy or the countries where they have been resident. The certificate must be produced with a translation and bear the official seal of the embassy.
Payment
The customer service centre accepts cash, cheques, debit and credit cards. Card payments can also be made by telephone.
Cheques should be made payable to Cambridge City Council.
Tests
You will need to pass the knowledge test, a medical test and the Driving Standards Agency test.
Knowledge test
The knowledge test must be passed by all private hire and hackney carriage drivers.
At your initial application appointment you will be able to book and pay for a place on a knowledge test.
At your application appointment you will be given a guide containing all the rules and regulations you need to know to pass the knowledge test.
Medical test
You will be required to obtain a medical certificate stating that you meet group 2 medical standards (those applied by the DVLA in relation to bus and lorry drivers).
If you hold a HGV or PSV licence you will be exempt from taking a medical.
If you have any questions about this please contact either us or the DVLA.
Please note there are some specified medical conditions that prohibit us from granting a licence.
You can only get this certificate from the following approved medical practitioners:
Driving test
All new applicants for hackney carriage or private hire driver licences must pass the Driving Standards Agency test.
Telephone 0300 200 1122 or visit www.dsa.gov.uk to arrange an appointment.
For more information read the BusinessLink pages on taxi driver assessment.
Fees
Drivers
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application fee (new applicants) | £40 |
| Criminal Records Bureau check | £44 |
| Knowledge test | £30 |
| DSA driving test | From £76 |
| Licence fee | £50 (each) |
| Renewal fee | £50 (each) |
| Replacement badges | £10 |
| DVLA Data Check | £ 8 |
Vehicles
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Mechanical fitness test | £51 twice yearly (£102 total) |
| Hackney Carriage licence | £195 |
| Private Hire licence | £195 |
| Transponder Permit | £20 |
| Transponder Deposit | £80 |
| Plate deposit | £50 |
| Replacement plate | £10 |
| Re-test | £51 |
| Return test | £19 |
| Change of ownership | £50 |
Operators
There is a standard fee of £75, plus a charge per vehicle.
For fleets of up to 100 vehicles the charge is £20 per vehicle, up to a maximum of £1,200.
For fleets of over 100 vehicles the charge is £15 per vehicle, up to a maximum of £2,250.
