Private hire
Last updated 27 January 2020
1. Taxi driver knowledge test
To become a licensed hackney carriage or private hire driver in Stockport you must pass our online taxi driver knowledge test first. The cost is £70 per test which is payable on booking.
You will need basic computer skills to do the test.
Change or cancel your knowledge test
If you need to cancel, or change the date or type of test, email taxi.licensing@stockport.gov.uk with your test details. You must let us know at least 48 hours before the date you're due to take the test.
Cancellations only: if you cancel 48 hours before your test, you’ll be refunded your test fee. A £10 administration fee will be deducted to cover our costs.
If you cancel or change your appointment with less than 48 hours notice, you will not receive a refund. You'll have to re-book the test and pay the £70 test fee again.
Note: if you already have a hackney carriage drivers licence but want to apply for a new private hire drivers licence, you do not need to take a further test. Email taxi.licensing@stockport.gov.uk to request the date you passed your test which you'll need for your application.
The test
The test is taken under exam conditions in a classroom environment in the Town Hall complex. You'll be given 2 hours to answer randomly generated multiple choice questions on:
- basic skills - effective communication, monetary change for fares
- licensing laws, Stockport's licensing conditions, disability awareness
- road signage and safety
- local routes and points of interest
- safeguarding which requires all applicants to achieve 100%. View our Safeguarding Vulnerable Passengers booklet (PDF 352Kb) for further reading
- hackney carriage only - Hackney Carriage conditions and byelaws (PDF 123Kb)
You can view an example of the test format on the Personnel Checks website.
No reference material is allowed in the test. This includes mobile phones, Satnavs and A-Z maps. Anyone found using reference material will fail the exam and will not be able to re-sit it for 3 months.
Recommended reading before the test
- our taxi licensing web pages
- Greater Manchester Police
- Yell.com - online business directory
- the Highway Code
- disability discrimination
- guide dogs
- Disability Stockport
You must bring with you:
- EEA/UK photocard driving licence showing your current name and address
- utility bill or bank statement, issued within the last 3 months, showing your current name and address
- EEA/UK passport or other proof of right to work in the UK
If you re-sit the test you must bring with you:
- EEA/UK photocard driving licence showing your current name and address
- evidence of your previous test result; a copy of the email sent by Personnel Checks
Book your taxi driver knowledge test
Pass mark
- Overall: 75%
- Mandatory: 100%
- Safeguarding: 100%
After the test
Your results will be emailed to you by Personnel Checks 2 working days after completion of the test.
If you fail, you'll need to re-book the test. The test will cost £70. You cannot re-take the test for at least 4 weeks after your failed test.