Taxi Driver Assessment

Professional, friendly, and recognised by Licensing Authorities
A practical on-road assessment to demonstrate safe driving, professionalism and passenger care.

Key Details

Assessment Duration

60 minutes (45 minutes of driving)

Format

Practical on-road assessment in your own vehicle

Assessor

DVSA Approved ADI and Fleet Accredited assessors

On Passing

BLT Driver Training Certificate, recognised by licensing authorities

Booking

Book and pay online; an assessor contacts you within 2–3 working days to arrange date, time and location

The Taxi Driver Assessment is a practical, on-road assessment designed to assess your ability to drive safely, courteously, and professionally while carrying passengers. The assessment will be 60 minutes, with 45 minutes of driving.

You’ll be assessed on:

Vehicle safety checks
Observation and hazard awareness
Road positioning and speed control
Following the Highway Code
Courtesy and passenger care
Route planning and decision-making

Cost: £89 (Including VAT)
Duration: 60 minutes

You can book and pay securely online. Once payment is received, a booking confirmation is sent to the candidate’s email address and a VAT payment receipt sent to the payee’s email address.

An assessor will contact you within 2–3 working days to arrange your date, time and location.

All assessments are conducted by DVSA Approved ADI and Fleet Accredited assessors.

Before your assessment can begin, you must present to the assessor a valid photo Driving Licence.

Failure to provide will result in your assessment being cancelled, and your fee forfeited.

For the Driving Assessment, you must provide your own vehicle for the assessment. It must be:

Roadworthy, clean and safe
Taxed and insured (for the purpose of the assessment)
Suitable for passenger transport, not a van or convertible

Vehicle requirements:

Not a taxi/private hire vehicle – unless you are a taxi/private hire license holder
Right-hand drive
Have less than 9 passenger seats
Weigh no more than 3.5t
Have 4 wheels
Have head restraints in all seats
Have an unobstructed rear window

Vehicle checks will be carried out by the assessor before the assessment begins. Failure to present a roadworthy vehicle will result in your assessment not going ahead and your payment fee will be forfeited. You will have to rebook and pay again.

Your vehicle must be in a roadworthy condition (able to pass an MOT test) – Check your vehicle is safe to drive – GOV.UK

You can also check whether your vehicle is affected by a safety recall using the UK Government Vehicle Recall Service. Visit https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall

If hiring a vehicle for the assessment, you must declare to the hire company that it is being used for a driving assessment. You must also provide a letter on headed paper from the hire company confirming that they give permission for the vehicle to be used for the purposes of an assessment and is appropriately insured. This must be presented to the assessor before the assessment commences. Failure to do this will result in the assessment not going ahead.

To successfully pass your assessment, you must:

Record no serious or dangerous driving faults, and
Have no more than 9 driving faults in total.

You’ll receive a marking sheet whether you pass or fail.

If you pass, you’ll also receive a BLT Driver Training Certificate, recognised by licensing authorities nationwide.
If you do not pass, the marking sheet will highlight areas for improvement to help you prepare for another attempt (which must be rebooked and paid for).

We are unable to provide training in preparation for a driving assessment. We suggest contacting an Advanced Driving Instructor (ADI) in your local area.

You must provide 7 days notice to cancel or change your assessment
You will need to rebook and pay again if you do not attend, are more than 5 minutes late for your assessment or do not cancel with 7 or more days notice.
If you need to cancel your assessment, you must notify us as soon as possible by emailing taxi@bltdrivertraining.co.uk
Refunds and reschedules are managed according to our official Cancellation Policy in the Terms and Conditions.
- Read the Full Terms and Conditions

If you book your assessment within 7 days of your preferred date, this is considered a short notice booking.

Short notice bookings are non-refundable once confirmed. Read the Full Terms and Conditions

Taxi Driver Assessment Booking & Payment

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Step 1 of 3

Candidate's Details

Name (as shown on driving licence)*

First Last

Date of Birth*

Candidate's Driving Licence Number (as shown on licence)*

Mobile Phone Number*

Email Address*

Enter Email Confirm Email

Name of Local Licensing Authority*

Important Information!
Candidates are to answer 10 questions relating to the Highway Code.
3 Manoeuvres and a compulsory emergency stop

It will be the responsibility of the candidate to provide a suitable vehicle for the test and to demonstrate the following:

A valid MOT test certificate
A valid tax for the vehicle
A valid insurance policy
That it is in a roadworthy condition
That it is internally and externally clean

Important Message:

Private Hire – candidates are required to book a Taxi Assessment, and this will include:

Three districts and two places of local interest in Rutland taken at random and the candidate must be able to take the quickest route between each. When route planning, the candidate will need to consider possible roadworks and that the quickest route may not necessarily be the shortest route geographically.

Hackney Carriage – candidates are required to book a Combination Assessment, and this will include:

Knowledge of the county of Rutland and its environs.
A driving assessment to include 5 routes to specific destinations taken at random (if before attempting a street the candidate informs the assessor that they do not know its location an alternative street might be given on one occasion only).
Use of wheelchair accessibility features including embarking, securing, and disembarking the wheelchair. A wheelchair accessible vehicle is required for this element of the assessment.

Important Information! Portsmouth City Council candidates are only permitted to take 3 attempts at the assessment

Important Information! Please note that Southampton City Council will not licence drivers who have not held a full UK photo card licence, or equivalent, for 2 years or more.

Important Information! Oadby and Wigston Borough Council candidates are only permitted to take 3 attempts at the assessment

Important Information! Bedford Borough Council candidates are only permitted to take 2 attempts at the assessment

Important message:

Private Hire – candidates are required to book a Taxi Assessment and this will include:

• Three districts and two places of local interest in Peterborough taken at random and the candidate must be able to take the quickest route between each. When route planning, the candidate will need to consider possible roadworks and that the quickest route may not necessarily be the shortest route geographically.
Hackney Carriage – candidates are required to book a Combination Assessment and this will include:

You can find the Combination Assessment option under Book Wheelchair Assessment

Important message:

Candidates are required to answer a total of 20 questions relating to:

The Highway Code
Road Signs
Licensing Law
Vehicle Requirements
Driver Requirements
Driver Conduct
Local Knowledge

Candidate's Address

Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City County ZIP / Postal Code Country

Billing Name and Address

If your billing address is not the same as your home address, please amend it now. This address should match the name and registered address of the credit or debit card that you intend to pay with.

Cardholder's Name*

First Last

Cardholder's Email Address*

Enter Email Confirm Email

Cardholder's Address*

Check this box if this information is the same as Candidates Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City County ZIP / Postal Code Country

Important Information

Please read carefully as this forms part of the Terms and Conditions for your Assessment.

For the test to take place you must:

Bring your photocard driver's licence with you; this must be presented before the Assessment. A photocopy or picture of your Driving Licence on your phone will not be accepted.
If you have the older style paper licence, then you will need to bring an acceptable form of photo identification such as a passport.
Eyesight must conform to current legislation. You must be able to read a vehicle number plate from 20 metres. If you require glasses/contact lenses to read a number plate you must wear them for the assessment.
You must provide a vehicle for the Assessment.
The vehicle must be in a roadworthy condition and comply with current road legislation i.e., taxed, MOT (if required), appropriately insured, meet current DVLA rules for number plates and fit for purpose i.e., for carrying passengers. The Assessor will complete an online check prior to the assessment.
The vehicle must be right hand drive, have no more than 8 passenger seats, weigh no more than 3.5t, have 4 wheels, have head restraints on both front seats and have an unobstructed rear window. It must be able to do at least 62 mph and have an mph speedometer. A van or a convertible car is not classed as a suitable vehicle for a Taxi Assessment.
The tyres must be free from damage, and all tread depths must meet or be above the legal limit (you cannot use a space saver tyre).
No illuminated warning lights should remain on the dashboard e.g., Air Bag, EML - these are examples and not an exhaustive list.
The Assessor may refuse to conduct, or may abandon, the assessment should they have any reasonable doubts about the legal compliance or safety of the vehicle.
We do not allow recording of assessments. If you do have cameras fitted for insurance purposes these are acceptable if the audio both inside and outside is disabled, and the cameras are outward facing only.
Interior of the car should be clean and free of all types of litter, clutter, and smoke. You cannot smoke on the assessment or have been smoking in the vehicle prior to the assessment. The examiner will not be expected to conduct a test sat in a dirty seat and will be at liberty to terminate the test should the car environment be unsatisfactory.
Be punctual. If you are more than 5 minutes late, your assessment will not be able to go ahead, and you will forfeit your payment.
Appropriate footwear should be worn, for example, no flip flops, sandals, or high heels.
Candidates are NOT PERMITTED to take the driving assessment in a Private Hire or Hackney plated vehicle except under the following 2 circumstances:
1. the candidate has been referred to take the assessment by a Local Authority
2. the candidate wants to change/be licensed to another Authority
In both instances the candidate's Taxi Badge and Plate must be issued by the same authority and that the vehicle's use complies with the relevant local authority rules. The candidate MUST show their Private Hire or Hackney badge to the Assessor along with their Driving Licence at the start of the assessment.
If you are hiring a vehicle you will need to declare to the hire company that it is being used for the purpose of a driving assessment. You will need to evidence to the Assessor that the hire vehicle has the appropriate insurance cover in place. The hire company will need to provide you with confirmation, on company headed paper, that the hire vehicle is appropriately insured for the purpose of a driving assessment. Failure to do this will result in the assessment not going ahead and you will forfeit your payment.

The Taxi Assessment

Please allow 1 hour for the assessment. You will be asked 2 maintenance related questions (show me / tell me) and be expected to drive for approximately 45 minutes on a variety of road types and be asked to perform 2 reversing manoeuvres with the possibility of an emergency stop. You will be asked to drive independently of directions for a 10-minute period following road signs and directions to a particular destination.

There will be a 10 to 15 minute debrief at which point you will be advised of the result.

In line with the DVSA a maximum of 9 driving faults are allowed. If you exceed 9 driving faults or commit any serious or dangerous faults, this will result in a failure.

The decision of the Assessor is final.

Please note that if you take your assessment in an automatic vehicle, you may not be licenced by your authority to drive a manual Private Hire/Hackney vehicle. Please check with the Local Authority who you are applying to if they have a policy in place.

Occasionally a Senior Assessor may sit in during an assessment for quality control purposes.

Useful Links:

Cancellation/Refund Policy

You may change or cancel the assessment date by giving 7 days' notice by email. If you do not give the required notice, you will not receive a refund and a re-booking will attract the full fee.

If you require any further clarification or advice, then please visit our website, or contact the office on 0330 441 6847.

We wish you luck with the assessment.

Code of Conduct
Terms and Conditions

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Taxi Driver Assessment*

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Support

Preparing for Your Assessment

To give yourself the best chance of success, we strongly recommend that you take a driving lesson or assessment drive with an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) before booking your assessment.

You can also review these official resources to help you prepare:

For more preparation tips, see our Taxi Driver Support.

'Show Me, Tell Me’ Vehicle Safety Questions

(GOV.UK)

The Highway Code

(GOV.UK)

Driving Eyesight Rules

(GOV.UK)

How To Become A Licensed Taxi or Private Hire Driver

PDF Guide

Why Choose BLT Driver Training?

Nationwide coverage — wherever you are in the UK

Recognised by licensing authorities across the UK

Trainers are DVSA ADI & Fleet Accredited

Tailored delivery: in-person, virtual or online

Transparent, consistent processes and reporting

Every booking supports the Blue Lamp Trust’s charity work.

Taxi Driver Assessment

Key Details

Taxi Driver Assessment Booking & Payment

Candidate's Details

Candidate's Address

Billing Name and Address

Important Information

The Taxi Assessment

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Support

Preparing for Your Assessment

Why Choose BLT Driver Training?

Need Help?

For preparation guidance, tips and answers to common questions, visit our support page or contact us.

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