You will be sent a renewal email at least one to three months before your licence expiry date, detailing what type of renewal you need and what documents are required. Please check your email junk folder. If you have not had this email, please contact 0151 443 2300 for more information.
If your email address has changed, please notify us by completing the change of details online form
If you paid for your licence but were issued a shorter term due to requiring a further check mid licence (medical, expiry of DVLA licence etc) please read the renewal reminder email sent to you to advise what documents are required form the list below.
- British or Irish passport or UK or Irish birth certificate or proof of your right to work and reside in the United Kingdom. You can obtain a Home Office Right to Work Share code via the Gov.uk website
- Front of your current DVLA photocard licence. This must be a colour image. If you only have a paper licence, then that should be uploaded instead.
- HMRC tax code. It is a legal requirement all renewal applicants must provide a tax check code when requested in the online application. Further guidance can be found on the Gov.uk website. Please note that any check code is valid for 120 days only.
- A satisfactory current Group ll DVLA standard medical. All private hire drivers must provide a Group II medical certificate when they are applying to renew a licence if they have reached the ages of 45, 50, 55 or 60. From age 65 an annual medical certificate is required. You can download the questionnaire here. Current Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) or Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers may not need a further medical but will have their licence issued to the DVLA date of issue or expiry. Please see the DVLA Medical guidance for Group II licence rules.
You may only obtain the Group ll standard medical from either a General Practitioner (GP) at your registered surgery or another practitioner with full electronic access to your medical records before completing the assessment. Medical questionnaires completed by any other GP without access to your records will be rejected.
Please ensure all documents requested in your reminder email are available and ready to upload before starting your application. Name and address on all documents must match and be spelt in the same way. Any missing documents or incorrect information will delay the processing of your application.
Please ensure all documents requested in your reminder email are available and ready to upload before starting your application. Name and address on all documents must match and be spelt in the same way. Any missing documents or incorrect information will delay the processing of your application.
Extend a provisional private hire licence
After submitting your application
Providing further documents
If you need to provide further evidence in support of your application, please submit using the Upload Evidence Facility
Essential Skills Assessment
The ESA is currently suspended but new private hire driver applicants can apply for a licence pending resumption of the ESA. When the ESA is resumed then any licensee who has been issued will be required to attend by appointment and undertake the assessment prior to any renewal.
DVLA check
By applying for a driver licence, you are consenting to an online DVLA record check to be undertaken by the Council at no extra cost to you prior to the grant of your licence.
National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S) check
By applying for a driver licence, you are consenting to a check of the NR3S register, prior to the grant of your licence. See FAQs for further information
Receiving your new licence and badges
Once your application including all required documents is processed, a new licence document will be issued as a pdf via email. Your declared private hire operator, if they accept via email, will also receive a copy of the licence. The email will contain instructions for collecting your badges.
If you have not been contacted within 48 hours of your licence expiring, please contact 0151 443 2300.
When will the process take longer?
Supporting evidence as requested in your email must be provided during the application process. If your application is incomplete or incorrect, it will take longer to process.
- Name and address on all documents must match and be spelt in the same way. If there are any discrepancies with the names on the documents, then the application will not be able to be processed further until the correct documents have been received.
- If your DBS certificate or DVLA licence check reveals convictions for offences that are not clear of our guidelines.
- If your NR3 check shows previous refusal, revocation, or suspension.
Further information
If you need to notify us of a change such as name, address or email, please complete the change of details online form