Private hire driver's licences

In order to drive a private hire vehicle, within the District of Easington, you must hold a valid private hire driver's licence. A valid licence must be current and issued by this council.

About this service

Before a first licence will be granted applicants must complete an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check. This check is carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau and may take several weeks to be returned, this time scale should be factored in to your application timetable.

If the check is satisfactory an application will be considered.

Before a licence is granted the you must prove that:

• you are over 21 years of age
• you have held a full driver's licence for at least twelve months prior to the date of the application
• you have passed a police criminality check carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)        

CRB forms and driver application forms are available at the council offices.

What you must do

For us to process your application you must:

• complete an application form and bring it to the Council offices 
• produce your current CRB check
• provide your DVLA Driving Licence (original - not a photocopy) showing your current address
• bring your passport or birth certificate
• supply 2 colour passport type photographs taken within the last month
• pay the licence fee        

What we must do

We are legally obliged to:

• assess your application
• inform you of our decision
• inform you of your right to appeal if refused        

We are obliged to disclose relevant information to other organisations when requested, such as:

• Inland Revenue
• Police
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Customs and Excise
• Child Support Agency        

What happens next?

Please be aware that we normally allow approximately 3 to 5 weeks from receipt of your applications for return of the CRB check.

If there are no problems with the CRB check and you satisfy all the other criteria the licence will be issued.

What are the charges for this service?

The following charges will apply:

• CRB Check £34
• Drivers identity badge £2.75
• Licence fee £36 (if applied for at same time as Hackney Carriage drivers licence a joint fee of £56 would apply)        

Some frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a private hire vehicle and a hackney carriage?

Private hire vehicles must be pre-booked.

Only hackney carriages can be hailed on the street or wait at designated taxi ranks.