"Licensed and DBS-checked" means a driver has been vetted by the council before being allowed to carry paying passengers, and keeps being checked while licensed. It covers criminal records and barred lists, medical fitness, driving standards, safeguarding training and English. The vehicle and the company that takes your booking are licensed separately. Most licensed drivers and firms never give passengers cause for concern; the value of the system is that the checks happen whether or not anyone asks. Here is what each part involves, based on national standards and Buckinghamshire Council's own requirements, and how to check the car in front of you.
- Private hire involves three separate council licences: the operator who takes your booking, the vehicle and the driver.
- Drivers need an enhanced DBS check with both barred lists, kept live on the Update Service; Buckinghamshire checks it at least every six months.
- Since 2022, councils in England must record and search refusals, suspensions and revocations on a national database, so a driver refused in one area cannot quietly start again elsewhere.
What does "licensed" mean for a private hire taxi?
Private hire in England runs on three licences, all issued by the local council under Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976:
- The operator licence covers the business that takes and dispatches bookings. Operators must keep records of every booking and of the drivers and vehicles they use.
- The vehicle licence confirms the car is suitable, safe, comfortable and insured for hire. In Buckinghamshire that involves a compliance test at a council-approved station.
- The driver licence is granted only to someone the council considers a "fit and proper" person.
It is an offence to operate or drive a private hire vehicle without the right licence. In Buckinghamshire, the operator, driver and vehicle must all be licensed by the same council.
What checks does a driver go through before being licensed?
Buckinghamshire Council's driver licence requirements are a good example of the current standard. Applicants need:
- an enhanced DBS certificate with checks against both the adult and children's barred lists;
- registration on the DBS Update Service;
- a certificate of good conduct from any country where they spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years as an adult;
- a safeguarding and equality, diversity and inclusion training certificate from a council-approved course;
- a DVLA Group 2 medical, the professional standard also used for bus and lorry drivers;
- a pass in the council's English language test and a driving assessment with an approved assessor;
- evidence of the right to work in the UK.
From 1 September 2026 the council's updated policy also requires at least 12 months' driving experience on a full GB licence and a minimum age of 21, with limited exceptions.
What is an enhanced DBS check, and how often is it repeated?
The Disclosure and Barring Service provides criminal record checks at different levels. An enhanced check is the most thorough: it includes spent and unspent convictions and cautions (subject to filtering rules) and can include relevant information held by local police. Adding the barred lists checks whether someone is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
A certificate is a snapshot, which is why the ongoing part matters. The DfT's Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards recommend that licensed drivers stay registered with the DBS Update Service so councils can check for new information every six months. Buckinghamshire's licensing policy makes this a requirement and states that checks happen at least every six months, and that failing to keep the subscription could lead to suspension.
What changed with the 2022 safeguarding law?
A gap in the old system was that a driver refused or revoked by one council could apply to another. The Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Act 2022 closed much of it. Councils in England must now record refusals, suspensions and revocations on the National Register (NR3S), search it when deciding applications, and report concerns about drivers licensed elsewhere to the council that licensed them. The statutory standards note that related records must be kept for 11 years.
Does DBS-checked mean the car is insured?
No, insurance is a separate requirement. A licensed private hire vehicle must carry insurance that covers carrying passengers for hire or reward, which ordinary car insurance does not. Buckinghamshire Council's passenger guidance warns that a private hire car that has not been pre-booked may not be insured, and the driver would be breaking the law. That is why the booking itself is part of your safety.
How can you check a taxi is licensed before you get in?
In Buckinghamshire, the council's guide to telling taxis and private hire vehicles apart gives the signs:
- Private hire: yellow licence plate on the back, a window card and signs on both front doors, showing the licence number and expiry.
- Hackney carriage: blue and white plate and window card, and a roof sign.
- Executive private hire: may have a smaller gold plate and no door signs.
- Every licensed driver must wear a visible photographic ID badge.
Then do the simple things: only get into a private hire car you booked, check the driver knows your name and destination before you say it, and share the journey details with someone if you are travelling alone at night. Our explainer on private hire vs hackney carriages covers the legal difference in more depth.
What should you do if something feels wrong?
If you are in danger, call 999. For anything else, such as dangerous driving, behaviour that made you feel unsafe, overcharging or a poorly kept vehicle, note the plate number, the driver's badge number, and the time and place, and report it through the council's taxi and private hire complaint form. Tell the operator too; licensed operators must keep a record of complaints.
How does this apply to GX Executive And Taxi?
We are a licensed private hire operator, our vehicles are insured for private hire, and every driver is licensed and DBS-checked. Our operator licence details are available on request, as our terms state. If you are arranging a school run or travel for an elderly relative, ask us anything about how drivers are vetted before you book; a firm that is proud of its standards will answer readily. See our local taxi service for everyday journeys, with local pages for Beaconsfield and Chalfont St Peter.