New Drivers

Sefton Council only accept Enhanced Certificates that have access to the Vulnerable Adults Barred List and Vulnerable Child Barred List.

If you don’t currently have a valid certificate and subscription you can apply via TaxiPlus.

You will need to provide your certificate and we will consider any convictions in line with our published Convictions Policy and any disqualification period(s).

Once you have a valid DBS, it is a condition of licence that all drivers subscribe and maintain subscription to the DBS Update Service here, DBS CRSC (crbonline.gov.uk). This is an annual subscription that needs to be renewed each year. You must register for the Update Service within 28 calendar days of the issue date on your certificate.

You must also retain the original certificate so we can check it on the update service in future.

We check an applicant’s entitlement to drive and their driving history by use of an on-line code generated by the applicant. You can request the DVLA Code by visiting the Government website, or call the DVLA on 0300 790 6802.

All cautions, convictions and pending matters must be disclosed, any omission may lead to a licence being refused. Please see our convictions policy within our Licensing Handbook.

A check will be made on every applicant’s right to live and work in the UK. This can be evidenced by a document check or by obtaining an electronic check code.

To prove your right to work you must provide copies of Document(s) from either List A or List B of the Right to Work Annexe A below which demonstrate that you have the right to work in the UK within the taxi licensing trade. 

Right to work Annexe A

(pdf 127KB)

You can also prove your right to work by providing a check code which can be obtained from the Government website. 

Sefton Council require a satisfactory full vocational (DVLA Group II) Medical examination obtained via applicants own G.P.; a G.P at another practice or any GMC registered doctor provided they have access to the applicant’s full medical records. A medical is required on first licensing, on reaching 45 years of age, 55 years of age, 65 years of age and every three years thereafter. Please download the Sefton medical form here. 

Medical certificates are only valid if less than four months old. Note that we expect you to have satisfied all checks and tests (including a knowledge test pass) in time for your licence to be issued no later than 4 months from the date on which your medical is completed.

It is your responsibility to ensure your licence application is completed in sufficient time. If your medical expires prior to issue of a licence, you will be required to pay for and obtain a new one. Sefton Council will not be responsible for any financial losses you incur because your medical expires before a licence is issued and will not refund lost medical fees.

This check confirms that an applicant is registered and has declared licensing income to HMRC in particular circumstances as follows.

You will be required to produce a tax code if you’re:

• renewing a licence
• applying for the same type of licence you previously held, that ceased to be valid less than a year ago
• applying for the same type of licence you already hold with another licensing authority

For guidance and details on how to obtain a tax code please visit the GOV.UK Complete a tax check webpage.

If you can satisfy the checks above it is now time to submit your application and supporting evidence via our online portal.

You will be required to pay the new £50 application fee, as you submit your application. (effective from 25th November 2024)

Once all the required steps are complete, and you have submitted your application on the portal, we will contact you via the email address you have provided. Please do not try to contact us in the meantime, as this will just hamper our progress in processing applications.

Once your application has been reviewed and we’re satisfied it has been completed correctly, you will be invited to attend an appointment at Bootle One Stop Shop. Your invitation will be sent to the email address provided in your application.

When you attend you will be required to bring with you all the documents you uploaded within your application and these must all be original documents (no copies, images on phones or printouts from the internet). In addition, you will need to provide your original DBS certificate which is subscribed to the update service.

Once all the required checks are satisfied, you will be invited to attend a Knowledge Test (as described above). 

Once you have submitted all the required evidence to be a new Sefton licensed driver you will be asked to sit a Knowledge Test. Applicants whose last licence expired by less than two years do not need to re-take the knowledge test. If you fail your initial test, you may re-take it. 

The test consists of ten questions, and you must answer at least seven correctly to pass the test.

All answers to the questions asked in the knowledge test are in the Licensing Handbook. The handbook will also be available to you, when you take the test.

When sitting the test, questions will be headed with a subject, such as, “Guide Dogs”. Speedy access to the answer can then be found by using the Index. (e.g. the index confirms that information to the Guide Dogs section can be found on page 66 of the handbook).