DBS Checks for DBS Check for Taxi & Private Hire Drivers
What Is a DBS Check for Taxi Drivers?
A DBS check for taxi drivers is a criminal record screening carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service. It shows whether a driver has any criminal convictions, cautions, or other relevant information that a licensing authority or client would need to see before allowing them to carry passengers.
Most local councils require an Enhanced DBS check as part of the taxi or private hire licensing process. An Enhanced check goes further than a Basic check because it includes spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and any locally held police information considered relevant to the role. For drivers who transport children or vulnerable adults as part of their regular work, the check may also include a search of the Children’s Barred List or Adults’ Barred List.
The taxi driver DBS check matters because drivers work unsupervised with members of the public, often in confined and private settings. Parents booking school runs, care providers arranging patient transport, and licensing authorities all expect to see a current Enhanced DBS certificate before a driver is approved to work.
Since January 2026, self-employed taxi and private hire drivers can apply for this check directly through a registered platform like self-employed-dbs.co.uk, rather than relying on a council or operator to process it on their behalf. This is a significant change for drivers who are self-employed and not attached to a licensed operator that handles DBS checks as standard.
Do Self-Employed Taxi and Private Hire Drivers Need a DBS Check?
Yes. Every taxi driver and private hire driver in England and Wales needs a DBS check to hold a licence. Licensing authorities require an Enhanced DBS check before issuing or renewing a hackney carriage or private hire driver licence. This applies whether you are employed by an operator or working as a self-employed private hire driver.
Beyond licensing, a growing number of contracts and platforms now ask for proof of a current DBS check before allowing drivers to take bookings. School transport providers, NHS patient transport services, and corporate clients frequently require drivers to hold an Enhanced DBS certificate, and some require a check that includes the barred lists. If you are a self-employed taxi driver or private hire driver picking up work independently, having a DBS check for taxi drivers already in hand means fewer delays when contracts come up.
The practical position is straightforward: if you drive passengers for a living and you are self-employed, you need a DBS check. Without one, you cannot hold a licence, and an increasing number of clients will not book you.
Get your Enhanced DBS check as a self-employed taxi driver fully online, digital ID verification, e-Bulk submitted today from self-employed-dbs.co.uk.
Before 21 January 2026, self-employed taxi drivers had no direct route to apply for an Enhanced DBS check on their own. The only way to obtain one was through a local licensing authority or a licensed operator acting as the registered body. If you were a self-employed private hire driver not attached to an operator, or if your council’s process was slow, you were stuck waiting.
A Statutory Instrument amending Part V of the Police Act 1997 came into force on 21 January 2026. It allows paid self-employed individuals working in roles that involve contact with children or vulnerable adults to apply for Enhanced DBS checks through a registered platform. For taxi and private hire drivers, this opens a direct route to obtaining and maintaining a current DBS certificate without depending on a third party to process the application.
This matters because many self-employed taxi drivers and private hire drivers work across multiple local authorities, take on ad hoc contracts, or operate independently without an operator handling their compliance. The January 2026 change means you can now apply for your own Enhanced DBS check and hold the certificate yourself, ready to present to any licensing authority, client, or platform that asks for it.
The change applies to paid self-employed workers in England and Wales only. Volunteers are not covered by this route.
What Type of DBS Check Does a Taxi Driver Need?
The standard requirement for a taxi driver DBS check or private hire DBS check is an Enhanced DBS without barred list checks. This is what most licensing authorities require as a minimum for issuing a hackney carriage or private hire driver licence.
If your work goes beyond standard passenger transport, the level of check increases. Drivers who regularly transport children as part of a school contract, or who provide patient transport for vulnerable adults, may need an Enhanced DBS check with a search of the relevant barred list. The table below sets out which check applies to which type of driving work.
| Type of Work | DBS Check Required |
|---|---|
| General taxi or private hire driving | Enhanced DBS |
| School transport contracts | Enhanced DBS + Children’s Barred List |
| Patient or vulnerable adult transport | Enhanced DBS + Adults’ Barred List |
| Mixed contracts involving children and vulnerable adults | Enhanced DBS + Both Barred Lists |
If you are unsure which level applies to your work, the safest approach is to apply for the highest level your regulated activity requires. You can find more detail on check types and eligibility on our self-employed DBS hub page or the dedicated Enhanced DBS check page.
How to Get a DBS Check as a Self-Employed Taxi Driver
Check eligibility
You must be paid and in a qualifying role. Volunteers are not covered.
Register an account
Self-employed applicants cannot submit directly to the DBS.
Complete application
Personal details, 5 years of addresses, and your role information.
Verify your identity
Digitally via biometric passport or EU ID card, or with standard documents.
Receive certificate
Posted directly to you. Show the original to your client or parent.
How Long Does a DBS Check Take for Taxi Drivers?
Most Enhanced DBS checks for taxi and private hire drivers are returned within 14 days. Some are processed faster; others take longer depending on the police forces involved. If you have lived at multiple addresses or if a local police force needs more time to review records, the process can take up to eight weeks in rare cases.
There is no guaranteed fast-track for Enhanced DBS checks. The Disclosure and Barring Service processes applications in the order they are received, and turnaround times depend partly on how quickly local police forces respond to information requests.
To avoid gaps in your licence or missed contracts, apply for your private hire DBS check well in advance of any renewal deadline. You can also subscribe to the DBS Update Service for £16 per year, which keeps your certificate current and allows licensing authorities to check your status instantly without requiring a new application each time. For more on turnaround times and the Update Service, see our DBS FAQs page.
How Much Does a DBS Check Cost for a Taxi Driver?
| Check Type | DBS Fee |
|---|---|
| Enhanced DBS | £49.50 |
| Enhanced + Barred List | £49.50 |
| DBS Update Service | £16/year |
The DBS fee is VAT-exempt. No payment is taken until your application is ready to submit. For a full breakdown of all DBS check costs for self-employed workers, visit our pricing page.
This guide applies to self-employed workers in England and Wales only. Self-employed workers in Scotland should apply through Disclosure Scotland. In Northern Ireland, the equivalent service is AccessNI. This page is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions about your specific circumstances, contact our support team or consult a qualified legal adviser.