Taxi Knowledge Test
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Bristol policy and legislation: questions and answers

37 practice questions for the Bristol City Council taxi and private hire knowledge test, with answers and explanations at the end.

Free from taxiknowledgetest.co.uk. Not an official council document: check your council's current guidance.

Questions

Private hire driver conditions

  1. A passenger asks you for a receipt at the end of a private hire journey. What must it show?

    • A. Your driver badge number and your home postcode
    • B. The name and address of the operator or their business
    • C. The vehicle registration and the time of the booking
    • D. The name of the passenger, their pick-up address and the date

  2. Which route must you take to the passenger's destination?

    • A. Any route you like, as long as the fare stays the same
    • B. The route shown by the operator's booking system, with no changes
    • C. The route with the fewest traffic lights, even if it is longer
    • D. The most expedient route, unless the passenger agrees or asks for another

  3. How must you wear your driver's badge when you are working outside the vehicle?

    • A. Plainly visible on your upper body at all times
    • B. Kept in your pocket, ready to show if someone asks
    • C. Clipped to the sun visor where passengers can see it
    • D. Hanging from the rear-view mirror inside the vehicle

  4. Your private hire licence has expired. Within what time must you return your driver's badges to the Council?

    • A. Within seven days
    • B. Within 14 days
    • C. Within three working days
    • D. Within one calendar month

  5. How close to a hackney carriage rank may a private hire driver park?

    • A. Not at the rank or within 5 metres of it
    • B. Not at the rank or within 50 metres of it
    • C. Not at the rank or within 20 metres of it
    • D. Anywhere next to the rank if the ranks are empty

  6. You have just been arrested. By when must you tell the Council in writing?

    • A. By the next working day
    • B. Within 48 hours of being charged
    • C. Within seven days of the arrest
    • D. Only if you are later convicted

  7. Which of these must you report to the Council by the next working day?

    • A. A passenger leaving you a poor online rating
    • B. A change of mobile phone handset
    • C. Having your vehicle serviced at a garage
    • D. Penalty points added to your DVLA licence

  8. A passenger's luggage will not fit in the boot. What do the conditions say?

    • A. Luggage may go on the roof if it is tied down firmly
    • B. No luggage may be carried on the roof of the vehicle
    • C. Luggage may go on the roof for short journeys only
    • D. Luggage may go on the roof if the passenger agrees

  9. A passenger has left a bag in your vehicle. When should you check the vehicle for lost property?

    • A. At the end of your shift, before you go home
    • B. Once a day, when you clean the vehicle
    • C. Only when a passenger phones to say they lost something
    • D. Straight after each hiring ends, or as soon as you can

  10. There was no fare agreed in advance and the vehicle has a taximeter. What is the most you can charge?

    • A. The meter amount plus a booking fee of your choice
    • B. The amount shown on the taximeter
    • C. The amount shown on your sat-nav estimate
    • D. Whatever the operator's normal fare is for that area

Hackney carriage vehicles

  1. What colour must a Bristol hackney carriage be?

    • A. Black, with the Council crest on the front doors
    • B. Any colour, with a Bristol Blue roof sign
    • C. Bristol Blue, apart from any approved advertising areas
    • D. White, with a blue stripe along each side

  2. When must the TAXI roof sign be lit?

    • A. When the vehicle is plying for hire, and at no other time
    • B. Whenever the engine is running, day or night
    • C. Only after dark or in poor light, whether you are for hire or not
    • D. Whenever a passenger is in the vehicle

  3. A journey starts and ends inside the Bristol district. How must the fare be worked out?

    • A. The taximeter must be used
    • B. You may agree any fare with the passenger
    • C. The operator sets the fare for you
    • D. You use a fixed price for each part of the city

  4. A hackney journey starts in Bristol and ends outside the district. When can you avoid using the meter?

    • A. When the passenger is paying in cash rather than by card
    • B. When the journey is longer than ten miles in total
    • C. When you agreed the fare with the passenger before the journey began
    • D. When you think the meter fare would be too high

  5. A passenger wants to pay a hackney fare by contactless card. What is the rule?

    • A. You may refuse card payment for fares under £10
    • B. You must accept it and must not add a charge for paying by card
    • C. You may add a small fee to cover the card machine cost
    • D. You may ask them to go to a cash machine first

  6. The Council changes the table of fares. How long do you have to get your meter changed?

    • A. 7 days
    • B. 28 days
    • C. Until the next vehicle test
    • D. 14 days

  7. A new vehicle is licensed as a hackney carriage for the first time, not replacing an old one. What must it be?

    • A. Any diesel taxi that is less than ten years old
    • B. An Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) that can carry a wheelchair user
    • C. A saloon car with four doors and a roof sign
    • D. Any vehicle that has passed its MOT this year

  8. Which of these may be carried as advertising on a Bristol hackney carriage?

    • A. An advert for a political party
    • B. An advert for a nightclub drinks offer
    • C. An advert for an escort agency
    • D. A public health message

  9. Which documents must be on display inside a hackney carriage for passengers to see?

    • A. The Council's current table of fares and any required notices
    • B. Your DBS certificate and your medical report
    • C. The vehicle's insurance schedule and MOT
    • D. Your driving licence and your proof of address

Fit and proper: checks and convictions

  1. Which service must every Bristol driver stay subscribed to while licensed?

    • A. The DVLA vehicle tax reminder service
    • B. The Council's email newsletter
    • C. The DBS Update Service
    • D. A private breakdown recovery service

  2. What standard of medical does Bristol require for drivers?

    • A. DVLA Group 1, as for car drivers
    • B. An eyesight test at an optician only
    • C. DVLA Group 2, as for bus and lorry drivers
    • D. A form you fill in yourself about your health

  3. You are a licensed driver aged 50. How often must you give the Council a medical report?

    • A. Every five years from age 45, then every year from 65
    • B. Every year from age 45
    • C. Every three years from age 50
    • D. Only when you first apply for a licence

  4. You lived abroad for more than six months in a year within the last five years. What must you usually provide?

    • A. A letter from your landlord in that country
    • B. A bank statement from your time there
    • C. A copy of every passport stamp from your time in that country
    • D. A certificate of good character from that country

  5. An applicant has a conviction for theft. In general, how long after the sentence ends before a licence will be granted?

    • A. At least two years
    • B. At least seven years
    • C. At least five years
    • D. At least ten years

  6. An applicant was convicted of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. In general, how long must pass?

    • A. At least twelve months
    • B. At least three years
    • C. At least seven years
    • D. At least five years

  7. An applicant has a conviction for common assault. In general, how long after the sentence before a licence is granted?

    • A. At least three years
    • B. At least ten years
    • C. At least five years
    • D. At least seven years

  8. An applicant has a drink-driving conviction. In general, how long must pass?

    • A. At least two years after the ban ends
    • B. At least three years after the conviction
    • C. At least seven years after the sentence or ban ends
    • D. At least ten years after the conviction

  9. An applicant was convicted of illegally plying for hire four months ago. What is the normal result?

    • A. The application will normally be refused
    • B. A licence for six months only, then a review
    • C. A warning letter and a full licence
    • D. A licence once they pay a higher fee

  10. A driver is cautioned by the police. When must they tell the Council in writing?

    • A. By close of business on the next working day
    • B. Within 14 days, using the online change form
    • C. At their next licence renewal
    • D. Only if a court case follows

Rules, tests and exemptions

  1. A private hire driver wants a hackney carriage licence. Which knowledge test must they pass?

    • A. No test, because they already hold a licence
    • B. The private hire test again, with a higher pass mark
    • C. The knowledge test at the hackney carriage standard
    • D. A short spoken interview with a licensing officer

  2. Your licence expired eight months ago and you apply again. Do you have to take the knowledge test again?

    • A. Yes, everyone whose licence expires must take it again
    • B. No, if you passed it before and apply within 12 months of expiry
    • C. Only if you apply more than three months after expiry
    • D. Only if you held a private hire licence before

  3. What does Bristol say about CCTV inside a licensed vehicle?

    • A. It may record sound if the passenger agrees by speaking
    • B. It is allowed only in hackney carriages, never in private hire
    • C. It may be fitted without a sign if the camera is small
    • D. It must meet ICO rules, record no audio and have a sign for passengers

  4. Which way may a dash camera face in a licensed vehicle?

    • A. Inward only, towards passengers
    • B. Outward only
    • C. Both inward and outward
    • D. Any way, as long as it records sound

  5. A driver has a severe dog allergy. How can they get an exemption from carrying assistance dogs?

    • A. Tell the operator, who can mark them as exempt
    • B. Put a 'no dogs' sign in the vehicle window
    • C. Ask their GP for a short note and keep it in the glovebox
    • D. Apply in writing on the Council form, with full medical evidence

  6. You have been given an exemption from carrying assistance dogs. What must you do with the exemption badge?

    • A. Display it clearly in any licensed vehicle you drive
    • B. Keep it safe at home in case a licensing officer asks to see it
    • C. Show it only when a passenger with a dog asks
    • D. Give it to your operator to keep on file

  7. What is the usual starting point when a licensed vehicle is found waiting in an unauthorised place for the first time?

    • A. A fixed penalty of £50 and no hearing
    • B. Immediate revocation of the driver's licence
    • C. A one-month suspension after a hearing
    • D. A verbal warning only, with no record kept

  8. You disagree with a Council decision to suspend your licence. Where can you appeal?

    • A. The Crown Court only
    • B. The Council's Licensing Committee chair
    • C. The Magistrates' Court
    • D. The DVLA

Answers

  1. B. The name and address of the operator or their business. Condition 10 says you must give a written receipt on request, showing the name and address of the operator and/or their business.
  2. D. The most expedient route, unless the passenger agrees or asks for another. Condition 9: proceed by the most expedient route, unless otherwise agreed with or requested by the passenger.
  3. A. Plainly visible on your upper body at all times. Condition 12: wear the badge so it is plainly and distinctly visible on the upper torso when outside the vehicle, and display the second badge inside the vehicle.
  4. C. Within three working days. Condition 13: badges stay the Council's property and must be returned within three working days of expiry, suspension, revocation or disqualification.
  5. C. Not at the rank or within 20 metres of it. Condition 15: do not park at or within 20 metres of a hackney carriage rank. You may stop near one only to set down a passenger.
  6. A. By the next working day. Condition 20: tell the Council in writing by the next working day if you are arrested or interviewed about any offence.
  7. D. Penalty points added to your DVLA licence. Condition 20.5 lists penalty points on your DVLA licence among the things you must report in writing by the next working day.
  8. B. No luggage may be carried on the roof of the vehicle. Condition 6: you must make sure no luggage is carried on the roof of the licensed vehicle.
  9. D. Straight after each hiring ends, or as soon as you can. Condition 11: inspect the vehicle for property immediately after a hiring ends, or as soon as practicable. Report a suspicious package to the police at once.
  10. B. The amount shown on the taximeter. Condition 8: do not charge more than the fare agreed with the operator, or, with no agreement and a taximeter fitted, the amount shown on the meter.
  11. C. Bristol Blue, apart from any approved advertising areas. Hackney carriages must have an all-over livery of Bristol Blue (BS 381C (108)), except where approved advertising is displayed.
  12. A. When the vehicle is plying for hire, and at no other time. Appendix D, condition 8.4: the roof sign must be illuminated at all times when plying for hire, and not at any other time.
  13. A. The taximeter must be used. Appendix D, condition 8.6.4: the meter must be used for all journeys that start and end in the controlled district.
  14. C. When you agreed the fare with the passenger before the journey began. Condition 8.6.4: for journeys that end outside the district, use the meter unless the fare was agreed with the passenger before the journey started.
  15. B. You must accept it and must not add a charge for paying by card. Every hackney carriage must have a working card payment device, show a sign that contactless is accepted, and pass on no extra cost for card payment.
  16. D. 14 days. Appendix D, condition 11.4: meters must be changed to the current Council tariff within 14 days of any change.
  17. B. An Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) that can carry a wheelchair user. New hackney carriages that are not replacing one must be ULEVs, and new licences need a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible vehicle with ECWVTA.
  18. D. A public health message. The advertising policy bans adverts for alcohol, gambling, politics, escort agencies and similar, and encourages public health, tourism and events messages.
  19. A. The Council's current table of fares and any required notices. Appendix D, condition 8.5: the current tariff of fares and any customer information notices set by the Council must be readily visible to passengers.
  20. C. The DBS Update Service. Applicants and drivers must have an enhanced DBS certificate and keep a subscription to the DBS Update Service the whole time they are licensed.
  21. C. DVLA Group 2, as for bus and lorry drivers. The medical is a Group 2 medical as specified by the DVLA for PCV/HGV drivers, done by your own GP practice.
  22. A. Every five years from age 45, then every year from 65. Existing drivers supply a medical report every five years from the age of 45, and every year from 65.
  23. D. A certificate of good character from that country. Applicants who lived abroad in the five years before applying must generally provide a certificate of good character from each country, translated if needed.
  24. B. At least seven years. The guidelines say a licence will not generally be granted until at least seven years after any sentence for an offence of dishonesty.
  25. D. At least five years. A licence will not be granted until at least five years after the conviction or the end of any sentence or ban, whichever is later.
  26. B. At least ten years. Offences of violence, including common assault, generally mean no licence until at least ten years after the sentence is completed.
  27. C. At least seven years after the sentence or ban ends. For drink or drug driving, a licence will generally not be granted until at least seven years after any sentence or driving ban has ended.
  28. A. The application will normally be refused. An applicant convicted of an offence under the taxi Acts in the six months before applying, or more than once in two years, will normally be refused.
  29. A. By close of business on the next working day. Licence holders must notify the Council in writing by close of business on the following working day of any caution, conviction, arrest, charge or out-of-court disposal.
  30. C. The knowledge test at the hackney carriage standard. Current private hire drivers applying for a hackney carriage licence must pass the knowledge test at the hackney carriage standard.
  31. B. No, if you passed it before and apply within 12 months of expiry. For applications made less than 12 months after the old licence expired, you need not retake the Gold Standard or knowledge test if you completed them before.
  32. D. It must meet ICO rules, record no audio and have a sign for passengers. CCTV may only be used if all Information Commissioner's Office requirements are met, with no audio recording and a sign readily visible to passengers.
  33. B. Outward only. Dash cameras must follow ICO requirements, record no audio, and be outward facing only.
  34. D. Apply in writing on the Council form, with full medical evidence. An exemption needs a written application on the Council's form with medical evidence such as allergy test results. A simple statement from a doctor is not enough.
  35. A. Display it clearly in any licensed vehicle you drive. The exemption badge must be clearly displayed at all times in any hackney carriage or private hire vehicle the exempt driver drives.
  36. C. A one-month suspension after a hearing. The nuisance and obstruction policy gives a guideline of one month's suspension for a first, isolated incident, decided at a hearing.
  37. C. The Magistrates' Court. The policy says there is a right of appeal to the Magistrates' Court against any decision to suspend.

Sources

  • Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2021-2026 (includes licence conditions), Bristol City Council, Policy came into force 27 July 2021; PDF last modified 25 June 2025. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.bristol.gov.uk/files/documents/536-hackney-carriage-and-private-hire-licensing-policy
  • Taxi and private hire driver tests and certificates, Bristol City Council, Undated. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.bristol.gov.uk/business/licences-and-permits/taxis-and-private-hire-licensing/taxi-driver-tests-and-certificates