Taxi and private hire application appointment
How to book an appointment and the evidence you will need to provide.
To book your initial appointment, first pay the new driver application fee and email us.
Email: licensing@woking.gov.uk
Once we have payment, we will give you the next available appointment date.
Appointments are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9am to 3pm.
Cancellations
If you need to cancel the appointment please tell us before the date. If you fail to turn up, you will be charged a missed appointment fee.
At the appointment
Please bring these with you to the appointment:
- a completed application form (provided in your application pack)
- a completed Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check form (provided in your application pack)
- a completed DVLA check form (provided in your application pack)
- a valid passport
- a valid driving licence
- a National Insurance number (the card or a payslip)
- 2 identical passport photographs
- a right to work code, if required
Right to work check
The government has issued guidance for licensing authorities to prevent illegal working in the taxi and private hire sector – GOV.UK.
Your right to work in the UK will be checked as part of your licence application. This could include us checking your immigration status with the Home Office. We may also share information with the Home Office.
Confirm ('declare') your immigration status
You must share your immigration status either by:
- using the Home Office online checking service ‘prove your right to work to an employer’ if your status is compatible with the service
- providing a document or documents that are listed as being suitable for this check – these are set out in an employer’s guide to right to work checks (annex A) – GOV.UK
Records kept by us
Where an online check has been carried out, the ‘profile’ page confirming your right to work will be copied and kept by us.
Where a manual check is carried out, you must provide us with the original document(s). These will be copied, kept by us and the original document(s) will be returned to you.
Licence approval and restrictions
Your application will not be considered valid until all the necessary information and any original document(s) have been produced and the relevant fee paid.
If there are restrictions on the length of time you may work in the UK, your licence will not be issued for any longer than this period.
In such circumstances, the check will be repeated each time you apply to renew or extend your licence.
If, during this period, you are disqualified from holding a licence because you have not complied with the UK’s immigration laws, your licence will lapse and you must return it to us.
Failure to return your licence to us is a criminal offence.