Apply for a hackney carriage (taxi) licence or private hire licence
Important Notice: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
What to do if you’re self-employed and getting less work or no work.
Please see the guidance issued by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Advice for hackney carriage proprietors
Birmingham City Council will only licence purpose built hackney carriage vehicles, van derived vehicles should be meeting the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval or the GB Low Volume Type Approval.
Read more about the hackney carriage standards and evidence which will be required before submitting your application.
Advice for private hire vehicle proprietors
New and replacement private hire vehicles must be younger than eight years (from date of first registration) when the application is submitted for licensing. A vehicle older than eight years will not be licensed. The age of imported vehicles will be assessed from date of first registration in the country of origin if that is earlier than the date of first registration in the UK.
New driver applications
All information relating to how to apply for a hackney carriage or private hire licence is available in the guidance document. Please read all the information in the document before contacting the office to arrange a knowledge test.
Knowledge test
Please call us on 0121 303 8442 to make an appointment to take the knowledge test. This will take place at our offices at Phoenix House, Garretts Green, Birmingham.
Knowledge training course for private hire applicants
Our Trading Standards team have developed an "Access to Knowledge" training course to help private hire applicants prepare for the knowledge test.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Application and Payment
You will need to complete a convictions disclosures check (DBS) and/or prove previous good character by other means as detailed in the driver guidance above.
Application forms
Once you have passed the knowledge test, please download the application form you need, complete it, and make an appointment to bring it with the other documents listed in the driver guidance.