Many drivers who have applied for their Private Hire Driver licence with TfL have been facing delays in receiving their PHV Driver Licence.  This also includes existing drivers who have applied to renew their licence.  We’ve come across drivers who have now waited over a year and still haven’t received their Private Hire Drivers Licence.

We wanted to share some tips from TfL that will hopefully help any drivers who have had their Private Hire Driver licence delays.

Renewal applications for Private Hire Drivers Licence

For drivers who receive their renewal reminder, it is imperative that you complete the renewal as quickly as possible.

TfL have said that they will now process the renewal applications within 10 working days (2 weeks) of receiving them.  So, the quicker you respond to their renewal request, the sooner you will be re-licensed.

For existing Private Hire Drivers who have had their renewals delayed, you will be entitled to “compensation”, which TfL is calling a one-off goodwill payment.  You do not have to apply for this.  TfL will identify the drivers who are entitled and they will receive a total of £500 as a goodwill payment.

The criteria for the TfL Private Hire Renewal application goodwill payment are:

• You must be an existing Taxi or PHV driver, whose renewed licence was issued between 1^st September 2024 and 31^st December 2025.
• The application to renew must have been successful. Meaning you got your license already.
• You experienced a period where you became unlicensed due to the delays by TfL.
• You passed all your mandatory driver assessments before your licence expired.

New Private Hire Applicant Delays

TfL has announced that they will put additional focus on first-time applicants.  They will do this by also processing first-time applicants within 10 working days (2 weeks).

But there are steps you must take to avoid delays to your application.

1. Ensure you provide all the required documents with your application
2. Ensure all the information you give on your application is correct.
3. If TfL asks you any questions regarding your application, you must respond quickly. So, make sure you keep an eye on your emails.
4. Prepare early for your SERU assessment and English Speaking & Listening assessment, and take them at the earliest date offered.
5. Keep your contact details up to date.

From our experience, it is also good to chase up TfL on the status of your application.  After you’ve waited the 10 working days, you can email TfL at drivers@tph.tfl.gov.uk or call them on 0343 222 4000.  Often, we’ve found that if you get through to the correct person, the application process can be completed faster.  Which means if you call and someone doesn’t seem that helpful, try the next day again.

Drivers who have completed everything

We know of many drivers who have passed their SERU assessment and English Speaking & Listening test but are still waiting to receive their license.

TfL has now said that they are processing these in the date order, which means newer applicants will have to wait while older ones get processed first.

For drivers who have completed everything and are just waiting, we would also recommend calling TfL daily on 0343 222 4000 until someone on the other side of the phone takes the initiative and processes your application.