Apply for a private hire driver licence
Find out how to apply for a private hire driver licence.
Before you start
If you're interested in applying for a taxi driver licence, you may want to contact our Customer Services team to check taxi availability in East Renfrewshire on 0141 577 3005 or email customerservices@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
You'll need to take and pass a knowledge test
Eligibility criteria
To apply for a taxi driver licence, you must have a valid, full driving licence.
Fees
| Taxi driver licence | 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 | 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year or temporary | £96 | £100 |
| 2 years | £182 | £189 |
| 3 years | £259 | £269 |
How to apply?
You'll need to 
download a private hire driver licence application form [323.2KB] and provide the following documentation:
- Your full driving licence, which you must have held continuously for the previous year and which shows your current address.
- Your current passport
Once you've completed your application, we recommend you come along to a drop-in at our Barrhead offices at 211 Main Street, Barrhead with your application and documents. We can check everything is correct and let you know if we need any more information to process your application.
Drop-ins run on the first and third Thursday of each month between 8:45am ro 4:30pm.
If you've lived in the UK for less than 5 years before applying you must provide a Certificate of Good Conduct or similar document from the justice authority of the country where you previously lived. The Certificate of Good Conduct must be officially translated (if necessary) and paid for at your own expense. The same applies if you don't live in the UK.
If you're not a UK or EU citizen, evidence of entitlement to work in the UK will also be needed for your application to be processed.
All new licences will run for a period of 1 year from the date of approval unless restrictions are set by the Licensing Committee.
Please email complete applications to celicensing@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk.
What happens next?
We aim to process your application as soon as possible.
Legislation allows for consideration of the application within 3 months and a decision within 6 months.
Please note, copy applications will be sent to Police Scotland who'll carry out a criminal background check. Any unspent convictions not declared by you may be disclosed by the police and may affect your application.
If you haven't heard from us within a reasonable time, phone our Customer Services team on 0141 577 3005 or email customerservices@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk.
