How to Become a Licensed Minicab Driver or Chauffeur in London

Posted by Ackerley Cook on November 25th, 2019

The PCO licensed is issued by the public carriage office of London which is a part of TFL (Transport for London). You need not have any special qualification or skills in order to avail a PCO license. However, you have to be at least 21 years old in order to have this license. It is also essential to have a valid UK driving licence for at least 3 years without having any records of traffic violation and to have a valid and unsullied Criminal Record Check (DBS) check. The applicants for the license also need to successfully complete the following tests.

It is equally essential to complete the following tests in order to become a licensed driver of minicab or chauffer. These tests may result in an additional expenditure. For example, a complete DBS Check may cost you around £60. However, it is essential to perform this test in order to prove that you are someone who can be trusted with the safety of the passengers.

Medical Test

It is essential for an applicant to be declared medically fit according to DVLA Group-2 Standards in order to get this license.

A) You have to fill out the TPH/204 form to prove that you are medically fit to drive a minicab or to work as a chauffeur.

B) You may download this form from the official website of Transport for London.

C) You may even have this form as part of the Driver License Application Pack of Transport for London.

D) A GP (General Practitioner) who has access to your past medical history has the authority to fill out this form. However, you need to pass an eye examination and the GP needs to check your blood pressure and ask you some questions regarding your health before declaring you fit for the duty.

E) You may need to fill out an ‘Additional Medical Information’ form if a GP does not have access to your medical records.

Topographical Skills Assessment

You also need to pass the topographical skills assessment in order to get a TFL PCO license. The Topographic skills assessment is performed to check for two types of abilities in drivers.

1) A driver can use an A-Z Guide to locate different places.

2) A driver can correctly plan the routes from one point to another. These routes may vary in distance.

The assessors of Transport for London specify the conditions of the Topographical Skills Assessment.

English Language Test

It is equally essential to pass the English language test in order to ensure that you can communicate with the passengers in English and can understand their requests without any difficulty. Some academic qualifications, such as GCSE, can exempt you from having to take this test.

Living & Working Abroad Form

You may have lived outside the UK for more than three consecutive months over the past three years. In this scenario, you are supposed to submit a ‘Living and Working Abroad’ form along with a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ when submitting the PCO license application.