Hackney carriage and private hire policy

What is the hackney carriage and private hire licensing policy?

In line with the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976, as the Licensing Authority, we've adopted a policy setting out how we administrate the licensing of the hackney carriage and private hire trade. The policy outlines how:

• we process applications;
• enforce the above legislation, and;
• how decisions are made.

See Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy to read the policy.

Disclosure and Barring Services Update

All drivers must sign up to the DBS Update Service. This allows the Licensing Team to conduct DBS checks when necessary. As a norm, these checks will be carried out every 6 months.

You are responsible for subscribing to this service with the DBS and then keeping it active. It costs £13.00 per year and you can register in one of two ways:

• If you are in the process of getting your enhanced DBS check, you can register with your DBS application reference number (called the ‘form ref’). This must be done within 28 days of the DBS application.
• If you have already completed an enhanced DBS check and you have your certificate, you can register with your certificate number. This must be done within 30 days of the certificate being issued.

The Licensing Team have produced extended guidance on DBS checks and the Update Service and this can be found here:  Hackney carriage and private hire - Drivers

Additional information on the Update Service can be found directly on the DBS website.

You must keep your DBS certificate safe and secure while you hold a licence. Failing to provide it to us when requested, or failing to keep your subscription to the Update Service active, may result in your licence being suspended.

National Register of Taxi Licence Revocations and Refusals (NR3)

NR3 has a simple objective of providing a mechanism for licensing authorities to record details of where a taxi or PHV drivers licence has been revoked, or an application for one refused.

The licensing authority provides information to the National Register of Taxi Licence Refusals and Revocations (NR3), a mechanism for licensing authorities to share details of individuals who have had a hackney carriage or Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence revoked, or an application for one refused. This is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the licensing authority – that is, assessing whether an individual is a fit and proper person to hold a hackney carriage or PHV licence.

Therefore:

• Where a hackney carriage / PHV licence is revoked, or an application for one refused, the authority will automatically record this decision on NR3
• All applications for a new licence or licence renewal will automatically be checked on NR3. If a search of NR3 indicates a match with an applicant, the authority will seek further information about the entry on the register from the authority which recorded it. Any information received as a result of an NR3 search will only be used in respect of the specific license application and will not be retained beyond the determination of that application.

The information recorded on NR3 itself will be limited to:

• name
• date of birth
• address and contact details
• national insurance number
• driving licence number
• decision taken
• date of decision
• date decision effective

Information will be retained on NR3 for a period of 11 years.

This is a mandatory part of applying for or being granted, a hackney carriage / PHV driver licence. 

Information will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Any searches, provision or receipt of information of or under NR3 are necessary to the authority’s statutory licensing functions of ensuring that all drivers are fit and proper to hold the applicable licence. It is not intended that any NR3 data will be transferred out of the United Kingdom.

You can find further information and guidance on operating as a licenced driver in our Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers Handbook.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the above documents, please contact us.