London taxi and private hire tests
Based on Apply for a private hire driver licence (Transport for London, undated) and one other source. Checked .
TfL licenses every London driver and runs its own tests, so London has several tests rather than one knowledge test.
Transport for London (TfL) licenses all of London's taxi and private hire drivers. A new private hire applicant must pass three assessments: SERU (safety, equality and regulatory understanding), a topographical assessment and an English speaking and listening test. A taxi driver learns the Knowledge of London instead.
We have practice for SERU and the topographical assessment, and for the points-of-interest part of the Knowledge. We don't have practice for the speaking and listening test. We are not TfL, and booking and payment happen with TfL.
Choose your test
SERU313 A computer-based TfL assessment on the PHV Driver's Handbook, with multiple-choice questions and sentences to complete. It costs £40.
Topics: driver licensing, vehicle licensing, journeys, staying safe, driver behaviour, driving and parking, safer driving, equality and disability, safeguarding, ridesharing, reading comprehension
Topographical test151 A computer-based TfL assessment with a digital map: three routes worth 66 marks and multiple-choice questions worth 34. The pass mark is 60%. It…
Topics: route planning, map symbols, places of interest, streets, road numbers, compass points
Knowledge of London180 Seven stages over three to four years. Stage 2 is a written multiple-choice exam with 5 questions on Blue Book runs and 25 on points, and the pass…
Topics: landmarks and theatres, hotels and clubs, hospitals and public buildings, stations and transport, parks, markets and museums, embassies and institutions
Not in London? Choose your council.
London test questions people ask
Which tests do I need for a London private hire licence?
SERU, the topographical assessment and an English speaking and listening test, all with TfL. You also need an enhanced DBS check, a Group 2 medical and the right to live and work in the UK. See TfL's application page.
Is a TfL licence different from a council licence?
Yes. TfL is the licensing authority for London, so its tests and rules apply to London licences. A council licence has that council's own test.
Sources
- Apply for a private hire driver licence, Transport for London, undated. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Learn the Knowledge of London, Transport for London, undated. Checked 1 November 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.