New driver licence

New driver information

If you require a medical exemption certificate for one of the following statutory duties:

• Carrying an assistance dog
• Loading/assisting passengers in a wheelchair

Then please apply for an exemption certificate by completing the application form below and submitting it to the Licensing Team alongside your medical evidence.

TBC Medical Exemption Application Form (pdf, 199KB)

Any driver who does not hold a medical exemption certificate issued by the Council is legally obligated to carry out these duties whenever they are requested.

Criminal and driving convictions

• If you’ve got a criminal conviction or points you should read the Relevance of Convictions policy before applying.

This document clearly lays out our policy with regards to criminal convictions. If you wish to apply for a new licence and have criminal convictions please email licensing@tewkesbury.gov.uk to discuss the process with a Licensing Officer.

National Register of Taxi Licence Revocations, Refusals and Suspensions (NR3S)

Tewkesbury Borough Council has signed up to the National Register of Taxi Licence Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S). From 1 April 2022 officers will use the register to check all new and renewal driver applications to establish whether they have had a licence revoked, suspended or an application refused by another authority.

• National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S) guidance (docx, 17 KB)
• National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S) policy (docx, 72 KB)

Guidance Notes

Before you start the application process, please ensure you read through our Guidance notes for drivers.

These guidance notes outline our application process for new drivers, as well as additional information on each of the required documents.

Our application process is also outlined below.

All applicants who need to undertake an English or knowledge test, or need to apply for a DBS certificate through ourselves, will need to start at Step 1. All other applicants must start at Step 2.

Application Step 1

If you require any of the following:

• English test
• Knowledge test (hackney carriage applicants only)
• To apply for a DBS certificate through us – please note, you will require an enhanced DBS certificate applied for under the position of ‘Other Workforce’ that is registered on the DBS Update Service. We can only accept DBS certificates that have been applied for under the position of ‘Other Workforce’, and certificates applied for under any other position, such as ‘Child and Adult Workforce’, will be rejected.

Then you will need to start the process at Step 1. If you do not require any of the above, please start at Step 2.

To start Step 1, please email licensing@tewkesbury.gov.uk stating whether you wish to become a private hire or hackney carriage driver and that you need to start at Step 1, and with the below

• English Proficiency – Please send through a receipt to take an English test with us. Please note this is required of all applicants regardless of place of birth. English test payments can be made through this link: pay4 – tewkesbury :: Pay For…
• DBS certificate – Please send through an application reference number for a DBS certificate made using the instructions in the guidance notes linked on this page. Please note that when completing your DBS application you must answer the questions in accordance with what is written on the guidance, including stating that you will be working with adults and children (even if you do not believe this to be the case).
• Knowledge test (hackney driver applicants only) – please send through your payment confirmation of the £58 test fee. Payment can be made through our online payment system: pay4 – tewkesbury :: Pay For…

A member of the team will then set up an appointment for you to come into the Tewkesbury Borough Council Offices. At this appointment, you will sit any tests you require and/or have your DBS ID check. You will also be asked to bring in your right to work document and your DVLA licence.

*** Please be aware that we are currently receiving a very high volume of enquiries and applications.  Therefore it is currently taking the team around 4 – 6 weeks to respond to requests for Step 1 appointments, and the current wait time for a Step 1 appointment is approximately 10 – 12 weeks .***

Please note, if all the correct documents are not supplied, your application for this stage will need to be rejected, and appointment re-arranged if necessary.

After your appointment, please look to Step 2 below for your next step. Please note, you will only start this once you have passed any tests required and/or received your DBS certificate and registered it on the DBS Update Service.

Application Step 2

If you are starting at Step 2, please email licensing@tewkesbury.gov.uk stating your intention to become a private hire driver, your intention to start at Step 2 and requesting an appointment. Please provide copies of your English proficiency evidence and enhanced ‘Other Workforce’ DBS certificate registered on the DBS Update Service.

If you are picking up from Step 1, please email licensing@tewkesbury.gov.uk stating your name, that you have already completed Step 1 and wish to arrange your Step 2 appointment.

Once we receive your email, a member of the Team will arrange an appointment with you. At the appointment, you will be required to provide the below:

• Completed Driver application form which should include your DVLA check code and HMRC tax code
• Provide a passport photo – this will need to be a clear photo of yourself against a plain background
• Safeguarding and Equalities Training Certificate – Must be obtained through Tewkesbury Borough Council, Cheltenham Borough Council or Gloucester City Council. Please see our website page on Safeguarding and Equalities Training courses for course dates and booking instructions.
• Completed Driver medical declaration form and DVLA medical examination report
• Proof of your registration to the DBS Online Update Service (you will need your DBS certificate number to do this – please refer to the driver guidance notes) and copy of the DBS Certificate – please note, you will require an enhanced DBS certificate applied for under the position of ‘Other Workforce’ that is registered on the DBS Update Service
• Driving Assessment Certificate – completed through Blue Lamp Trust or Diamond Advanced Motorists
• Certificate of good conduct – For applicants who have lived abroad for more than six months past the age of 18. Please note this includes applicants who were born abroad and then moved to the UK more than six months after they turned 18.
• Pay the application fee online

*** Please be aware that we are currently receiving a very high volume of enquiries and applications.  Therefore it is currently taking the team around 4 – 6 weeks to respond to requests for Step 2 appointments, and the current wait for a Step 2 appointment is approximately 10 – 12 weeks .***

If you did not complete Step 1, you will also need to provide your right to work document and your DVLA licence.

Please note, if all the correct documents are not supplied, your application for this stage will need to be rejected, and appointment re-arranged if necessary.

If your application is complete and does not require a sub-committee (please see below section Determination of the licence) then your application will be logged so it can be reviewed by an officer.

Determination of the licence

If all of the steps above are satisfactory, your licence will be processed and with you within in 20 working days of the Council receiving the full and valid application.
If there are any unsatisfactory steps, for example criminal conviction information that is within policy timescales, the application will be referred to a Licensing sub-committee for determination. The Members can choose to grant or refuse the licence.

Review of a driver licence

If the Licensing Authority has concerns that the driver is not ‘fit and proper’ and causing concerns regarding public safety, they can review the licence.  This can be done immediately and result in suspension or revocation of the licence or by a Licensing sub-committee whereby the licence holder will be invited to answer questions.

Appeals

The applicant/licence holder can appeal to the local magistrates’ court if they are dissatisfied with the decision. The parties can do this by writing to HMCTS Gloucestershire, PO Box 9051, Gloucester, GL1 2XG.