Bradford taxi knowledge test
Based on Business Operator Meeting summary, 17 December 2025 (City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, published 17 December 2025) and 6 other sources. Checked .
Online Driver Modular Training with an assessment and CSE training, plus a video interview; hackney carriage drivers also take a Knowledge Test.
The test at a glance
| Council | City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council |
|---|---|
| Licences | Hackney carriage and private hire |
| Driver Modular Training | £56, online through OpenElms, valid 3 years |
| Re-take of Driver Modular Training | £56 |
| What the £56 covers | All the training, including the District Awareness module and the hackney carriage Knowledge Test, with no extra charge |
| Private hire modules | District Awareness, Customer Service, Personal Safety, Disability Awareness, Licensing Compliance, Vehicle Safety, Road Safety, modular assessment, CSE training and assessment |
| Hackney carriage modules | Customer Service, Personal Safety, Disability Awareness, Licensing Compliance, Vehicle Safety, Road Safety, Wheelchair Safety, modular assessment, Knowledge Test, CSE training and assessment |
| Time to finish the training | Within 30 days of being invited |
| English check | In a Microsoft Teams video interview |
| Wheelchair training | Free: online theory plus an in-person practical assessment |
| Questions and pass mark | Not published |
How to book
- You do not book the training yourself. After your documents are checked, OpenElms emails you a link to the Driver Modular Training and the CSE training.
- Use Google Chrome or Edge and allow pop-ups, or the assessments will not open.
- Book your Driving Standards Assessment directly with one of the council's approved companies, listed on its driving assessment options page.
- Questions about the training: email taxi.testing@bradford.gov.uk.
Bradford Council: how to become a driver
This site isn't the council. Booking and payment happen on the official site.
About the Bradford test
Bradford no longer has a separate knowledge test for new private hire drivers. Instead, every new driver completes Driver Modular Training online, on a platform called OpenElms. It costs £56, and you repeat it every three years. The modules end with an assessment, plus separate child sexual exploitation (CSE) training and assessment.
Private hire drivers used to take a topographical (places) test. From 1 May 2025 that test was removed for new private hire applicants and replaced by a District Awareness module about key visitor attractions and practical places across the district. Hackney carriage drivers still have a Knowledge Test as part of their modules. Your English is checked in a Microsoft Teams video interview with a licensing officer, along with your understanding of the training.
Bradford does not publish how many questions the modular assessment has or its pass mark, so we do not offer a Bradford mock test. Use the core topics below, which match the modules, and our Bradford licensing compliance questions on the council's own conditions and byelaws. Read the council's Driver Modular Training page for the latest details.
Practise for the Bradford test
Steps to a licence in Bradford
- Check you meet the requirements: right to work in the UK, aged 18 or over, a full UK driving licence held for at least 12 months (with Pass Plus if held for under 3 years), basic spoken and written English, and the Driver Suitability Policy.
- Apply online and pay the non-refundable £30 application fee.
- Upload your documents when asked, within 6 months: medical report, badge photo, right to work evidence, driving licence, DVLA check code, Driving Standards Assessment certificate and enhanced DBS certificate.
- Complete the Driver Modular Training and CSE training on OpenElms within 30 days of the invitation.
- Attend a Microsoft Teams interview, where a licensing officer checks your suitability, your English and your understanding of the training.
- Pay the licence fee (£81 for 1 year or £199 for 3 years) within 30 days of approval. You can start work once you have your badge.
Recent changes
- : At the operator meeting, the Council said modular training was being brought back online for drivers whose certificates had lapsed, at £56 for all the training. The hackney carriage Knowledge Test is for new drivers only, not renewals, and drivers should not pay extra for it or for District Awareness. (source)
- : After the Regulatory and Appeals Committee met on 10 April 2025, the topographical knowledge test was removed for new private hire applicants and replaced by a District Awareness module. The same changes removed the statutory declaration from new applications and replaced the private hire windscreen visor with new door decals. (source)
What Bradford doesn't publish
We couldn't confirm these from the council's own pages, so ask the licensing team if they matter to you.
- How many questions the modular training assessment and the CSE assessment have, their pass marks, and how many attempts you get.
- What the hackney carriage Knowledge Test covers (for example places and routes in the district), and its format and pass mark. The Council says only that it is mandatory for new hackney carriage drivers and is not needed at renewal.
- Whether the £56 re-take fee is for the whole training again, or for re-taking a failed assessment only. The Council told operators in December 2025 that the first £56 covers all the training, including the Knowledge Test and District Awareness, but it did not explain the re-take fee.
Bradford taxi test questions people ask
Is there still a Bradford taxi knowledge test?
Not for new private hire drivers. The topographical test was removed from 1 May 2025 and replaced by a District Awareness module in the online training. New hackney carriage drivers still take a Knowledge Test as one of their modules. The Council says it is not needed when you renew.
How much is Bradford's Driver Modular Training?
£56, and a re-take is also £56. The Council says the £56 covers all the training, including District Awareness and the hackney carriage Knowledge Test. The training lasts three years. All drivers must complete it again every three years, and the council emails you when it is due.
How do I book the training?
You do not book it. Once your application has passed the first checks and your documents are verified, OpenElms emails you a link. You then have 30 days to complete it.
How is my English tested?
A licensing officer checks your English during a Microsoft Teams video interview. The interview also covers your suitability and your understanding of the training modules.
Why is there no Bradford mock test here?
Bradford does not publish how many questions the modular assessment has or its pass mark, so a mock test could give you the wrong idea. Practise the core topics that match each module, and our Bradford licensing compliance questions.
Do I need to send my training certificates to the council?
No. Download and keep your certificates for the modular training and the CSE training. The licensing team will ask for them when needed.
Sources
- Business Operator Meeting summary, 17 December 2025, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, date of meeting; file last changed March 2026. Checked 29 October 2026.
- Information for Driver Modular Training, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, undated web page. Checked 29 October 2026.
- How do I become a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Driver?, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, undated web page. Checked 29 October 2026.
- Driver and vehicle fees, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, undated web page. Checked 29 October 2026.
- Agreed changes to conditions, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, undated web page; latest entry May 2025. Checked 29 October 2026.
- Driving assessment options, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, undated web page. Checked 29 October 2026.
- Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licence Standards and Procedures (Conditions Book), City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, new edition June 2015, including policy changes up to March 2019. Checked 29 October 2026.
Councils update their tests and policies, often yearly. If something here no longer matches your council's guidance, the council is right; please tell us so we can fix it.