A licence is required before any person can drive either a licensed private hire or hackney carriage vehicle.

Before a licence is granted the applicant must satisfy that:

• they are 21 years old or over
• they are a fit and proper person to hold a licence
• they are medically fit
• they have held a full driver's licence (not a provisional licence) granted to the applicant under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1972 authorising them to drive a motor car for at least twelve months prior to the date of the application
• they must pass an enhanced Disclosure Barring Service Check (DBS) to ensure safety to the public

Once the application form has been completed, Please post / drop off your application pack at:

Stafford Borough Council, Licensing Section, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford, ST16 3AQ

Please ensure the following is supplied:

• the completed application form
• copy of your DVLA Driving Licence including electronic counterpart, showing your current address
• your passport or birth certificate - if you do not have a UK passport or birth certificate, we will accept an alternative document from the approved list along with a sharing code obtained from proving your right to work (gov.uk)
• two colour passport type photographs taken within the last month
• completed DBS form, with identity proofs
• fee (see application pack below)

You will be contacted by an officer to arrange a new driver appointment to be held at council office.

Applications will not be accepted without production of the above.

Application pack

Please see the required information for your application pack:

• Dual Badge Driver Application Form (pdf 375kb)
• Private Hire/Hackney Carriage Drivers Knowledge Test Information Pack (pdf 459kb)
• Private Hire Hackney Carriage Driver Conditions (pdf 123kb)
• Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles and Operators Licence Fees

On production of the completed forms at your appointment at the Civic Centre, your DBS form will be verified and sent to the Disclosure and Barring Service for them to check your records.

Track the progress of your DBS application online (secure.crbonline.gov.uk).

We normally allow approximately up to 6 to 8 weeks for this to be completed and returned. The form will be sent to you and it is your responsibility to bring this to our office within 30 days of receiving it.

You must also sign up to the DBS Update Service within 30 days of the date of your DBS certificate.

Please register your current DBS certificate online (secure.crbonline.gov.uk).

An appointment can be made to sit the required knowledge test, please email ehlicensing@staffordbc.gov.uk or call 01785 619745.

Once each element of the application process has been passed, your dual badge driving licence will be issued to you and you are able to start driving.

Within six months of being issued your driver badge, it is a requirement to complete the Safeguarding Qualification online (bluelamptrust.org.uk).

Any driver who gets 7 DVLA points will be asked to undertake the driving assessment test to continue to drive or be issued a driver’s licence, otherwise they will be referred to the Public Appeals Committee.

It is worth noting if you decide to withdraw your application for whatever reason at any stage, a full refund will not be given and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If you have any questions about the above information, please feel free to contact us.