With the introduction of the Public Carriage Office and the new regulations involved in becoming a Private Hire Driver in London there are now a number of procedures which a driver must complete in order to get a Public Carriage Office License.

1. Firstly you need to contact the Public Carriage Office either in person at 15 Penton Street London N1 9PU or by phone on 0845 602 7000 and request a Private Hire Driver application pack.
Upon receiving this pack and studying all information supplied you will then need to complete the Medical, apply for your CRB, complete your Topographical Skill Test and complete the main application.

2. The Medical application can be completed either by your GP or by any Recognised Medical Practitioner. There is normally a charge of anywhere between £50.00 and £140.00 so it is worth looking around.

3. You will need to call the Criminal Records Bureau on 0870 909 0844 and they will ask what sort of check you required. You must request an ENCHANCED check. They will then ask you for the registered body number and this can be found on the forms which you have received from the Public Carriage Office. There are no fees to pay for this as the charge is included in the fees you send to the Public Carriage Office with your final application. The CRB will give you a reference number and you should receive the form in the post to your given address in about a week.

4. The Topographical Skill Test is a test to determine whether a candidate has the necessary skills to use an A-Z map book. This test can be done at Liberty Cars in wembley on 0208 904 1122 and you will need to make an appointment. (Most appointments are within 48 hours of booking) It is a simple test to determine whether a candidate has the skills. It takes about 2 hours to complete and if the candidate is successful a pass certificate is issued straightaway. The cost of the test is £30.00 and training is available if required.

5. You will need to complete the main application once you have completed steps 2,3 and 4 above. You will need to send the application form, the medical form, the form you have received from the CRB, a copy of your Topographical Skill Certificate, one photograph signed on the back by someone who knows you, a copy of your driving license and counterpart (for UK license) and a copy of passport or other proof of your right to work in the UK. You will also need to send a cheque of £298.00 or complete the credit/debit card details or take the application personally to the Public Carriage Office in Penton Street where you can pay in cash.

Once an application is submitted it takes between 10 to 14 weeks to receive your Private Hire License from the Public Carriage Office. Upon receipt of this license you will then need to have your vehicle inspected by SGS and a green sticker will be placed on the front and back screens of your vehicle. You need to book a test with SGS and this test costs £109.00. You can book the test on 0845 378 2345. On the day of your test you will need to take a new MOT ( not more than 14 days old ), your Log-Book or the green slip if you recently purchased the car and your insurance(doesn't have to be private hire insurance). You must ensure your vehicle is clean, scratch, dent and rust free and that all your windows, child locks and seat belts are working properly.If successful your sticker is valid for 1 year and you are exempt from paying congestion charge.

Good Luck and you are now ready to join an office and start earning.