Taxi Knowledge Test
Back to the practice page

SERU driving and parking: questions and answers

34 practice questions for the TfL SERU assessment, with answers and explanations at the end.

Free from taxiknowledgetest.co.uk. Not an official council or TfL document: check the current official guidance.

Questions

Stopping and waiting

  1. Where can a PHV driver stop to pick up a passenger?

    • A. On zig-zag lines
    • B. On a taxi rank
    • C. At a bus stop clearway
    • D. On a double yellow line

  2. PHV drivers must not stop on lines, for example outside a school.

    • A. single yellow
    • B. single red
    • C. zig-zag
    • D. double yellow

  3. You arrive 10 minutes early for a booking, and the road has yellow lines with waiting restrictions. What should you do?

    • A. Do not wait there, or you may get a PCN
    • B. Wait there, as you have a booking
    • C. Wait there, with your hazard lights on
    • D. Wait there, if you stay in the vehicle

  4. Where there are waiting restrictions, you can stop only for as long as the passenger needs to the vehicle.

    • A. get in or out of
    • B. pay for
    • C. look around
    • D. book

  5. Your passenger asks you to wait on a double yellow line while they go into a shop. What is the risk?

    • A. You may get a Penalty Charge Notice
    • B. Your passenger may have to pay a fine
    • C. Your operator may have to pay TfL
    • D. There is no risk, as they asked you to

  6. If you leave your vehicle to help a passenger to a building, note the booking details in case you get a .

    • A. tip
    • B. refund
    • C. new booking
    • D. PCN

  7. A passenger wants to get out while you are stuck in traffic in the middle of the road. What should you do?

    • A. Let them out where you are
    • B. Get close to the kerb first
    • C. Open the door for them there
    • D. Tell them to look both ways

  8. You are parked and waiting for a customer who is a few minutes late. What should you do with the engine?

    • A. Switch it off
    • B. Leave it running for the heating
    • C. Leave it running if you stay in the car
    • D. Rev it now and then to charge the battery

Bus lanes, taxi ranks and charging points

  1. A bus lane is in operation and the traffic beside it is very slow. Can you drive along the bus lane in your PHV?

    • A. No, you can only cross it to pick up or drop off
    • B. Yes, if you have a passenger in the vehicle
    • C. Yes, if you are late for a booked journey
    • D. No, unless the vehicle is fully electric

  2. Outside the hours shown on the sign for a bus lane, can use it.

    • A. anyone
    • B. only taxis
    • C. only buses
    • D. only cyclists

  3. When you enter a bus lane to pick someone up, which road users should you take special care to look out for?

    • A. Lorries and coaches
    • B. Taxis on a taxi rank
    • C. Drivers in the next lane
    • D. Cyclists and motorcyclists

  4. You must not stop at a bus stop clearway, which is marked with a wide line by the kerb.

    • A. white
    • B. yellow
    • C. blue
    • D. green

  5. On a red route, you cannot stop at a bus stop marked with a wide line by the kerb.

    • A. yellow
    • B. white
    • C. blue
    • D. red

  6. A customer asks to be dropped off on a taxi rank outside a station. What should you do?

    • A. Drop them there, if you do it quickly
    • B. Drop them off somewhere else
    • C. Drop them there, if no taxis are waiting
    • D. Drop them there, if you put your hazard lights on

  7. TfL says a PHV on a taxi rank could be seen as illegally .

    • A. loading goods
    • B. using a bus lane
    • C. plying for hire
    • D. charging a battery

  8. Electric taxi charging points are only for charging .

    • A. electric PHVs
    • B. electric vans
    • C. any electric car
    • D. electric taxis

Congestion Charge and ULEZ

  1. The Congestion Charge is a day if you pay on the day or in advance.

    • A. £10.50
    • B. £18
    • C. £15
    • D. £21

  2. On a Saturday, the Congestion Charge applies from .

    • A. 07:00 to 18:00
    • B. 07:00 to 22:00
    • C. 06:00 to 12:00
    • D. 12:00 to 18:00

  3. Your PHV is designated as wheelchair accessible. When do you not have to pay the Congestion Charge?

    • A. At any time while the vehicle is licensed
    • B. Only when a wheelchair user is on board
    • C. When doing a booking for a TfL-licensed operator
    • D. Only when you have paid for ULEZ first

  4. You drive a fully electric car as a PHV and it is on Auto Pay. How much is the daily Congestion Charge?

    • A. Nothing
    • B. £13.50
    • C. £18
    • D. £21

  5. A diesel PHV must be at least Euro to avoid paying the ULEZ charge.

    • A. 3
    • B. 4
    • C. 6
    • D. 5

  6. Which Euro standard must a petrol PHV meet to avoid paying the ULEZ charge?

    • A. Euro 2
    • B. Euro 3
    • C. Euro 4
    • D. Euro 6

  7. Your PHV does not meet the ULEZ standards. How much is the daily charge to drive in the zone?

    • A. £10
    • B. £12.50
    • C. £18
    • D. £21

  8. The ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except .

    • A. Sundays
    • B. bank holidays
    • C. New Year's Day
    • D. Christmas Day

  9. Where does the ULEZ apply today?

    • A. All London boroughs and the City of London
    • B. Only inside the Congestion Charge zone
    • C. Only on the red routes in central London
    • D. All London roads and also the whole M25

  10. Your PHV is designated as wheelchair accessible but does not meet ULEZ standards. When is it exempt from the ULEZ charge?

    • A. At all times, for as long as it is licensed
    • B. Only when you carry a wheelchair user
    • C. Only when doing a booking for a TfL-licensed operator
    • D. Only on Sundays and bank holidays

Red routes and PCNs

  1. On a red route, you can pick up or drop off on single or double red lines, but you must not for a passenger.

    • A. stop
    • B. wait
    • C. look
    • D. open a door

  2. What does TfL say you must display to pick up and drop off on most red routes?

    • A. Your driving licence
    • B. Your operator's phone number
    • C. A printed copy of the booking
    • D. Your PHV licence

  3. Can you park a PHV on a double red line while you wait for your next booking?

    • A. No, parking on double red lines is never allowed
    • B. Yes, if you are displaying your licence
    • C. Yes, at any time between 22:00 and 06:00
    • D. Yes, if you stay for less than 10 minutes

  4. A passenger wants to use a cashpoint on a red route at 23:00. You can stop and wait, but for no longer than minutes.

    • A. 2
    • B. 10
    • C. 5
    • D. 20

  5. How can you tell that a part of a red route is a parking bay?

    • A. A B on the signs beside it
    • B. A P on the signs beside it
    • C. A wide red line by the kerb
    • D. A zig-zag line along the kerb

  6. You return to your car to find no ticket on the windscreen. Could you still get a PCN for how you parked?

    • A. No, it must be on the windscreen
    • B. No, unless you saw an officer there
    • C. Yes, it can be sent to the registered keeper
    • D. Yes, but only if a passenger reports you

  7. You can get a PCN for a moving traffic offence, such as blocking a yellow junction.

    • A. cross
    • B. box
    • C. line
    • D. light

  8. Which of these can lead to a PCN for a moving traffic offence?

    • A. Making an illegal U-turn
    • B. Using your indicators late
    • C. Stopping at a red traffic light
    • D. Driving under the speed limit

Answers

  1. D. On a double yellow line. You can pick up or drop off on yellow lines, for only as long as it takes. You must not stop on zig-zag lines, taxi ranks or bus stop clearways.
  2. C. zig-zag. Zig-zag lines are found at places like pedestrian crossings and schools. You must not stop on them, even to pick someone up.
  3. A. Do not wait there, or you may get a PCN. You can stop only to pick up or drop off. Arriving early does not give you the right to wait where there are restrictions.
  4. A. get in or out of. This includes time to help passengers who need assistance, such as time to secure a wheelchair safely.
  5. A. You may get a Penalty Charge Notice. Stopping and waiting for a passenger at a shop is not picking up or dropping off, so you may get a PCN.
  6. D. PCN. There is no general permission to leave your vehicle. It is for the council that issued the PCN to decide if it will accept your evidence and cancel it.
  7. B. Get close to the kerb first. Being stopped in traffic doesn't make it safe. A passenger should never get out in the middle of the road.
  8. A. Switch it off. An engine left running when you are waiting pollutes the air and can be illegal on a public road. TfL says to switch off if you wait more than a couple of minutes.
  9. A. No, you can only cross it to pick up or drop off. PHVs are not allowed to drive in bus lanes. You can enter one to reach the kerb to pick up or drop off, but must leave it straight away.
  10. A. anyone. The Handbook only says PHVs must not drive in bus lanes. TfL's current bus lane page adds that anyone can use one outside its hours. Times can change along a road, so check the signs.
  11. D. Cyclists and motorcyclists. Cyclists and motorcyclists can use bus lanes. Also watch for pedestrians and for bus passengers who may cross the road.
  12. B. yellow. A wide yellow line by the kerb marks a bus stop clearway. Do not stop there.
  13. D. red. A wide red line at a bus stop means you must not stop there, even to pick someone up or drop them off.
  14. B. Drop them off somewhere else. PHVs must not pick up or drop off on a taxi rank, and must not park or wait there.
  15. C. plying for hire. TfL's Driver Policy says a PHV has no reason to park or wait on any taxi rank. The driver gets at least a warning and repeat offences can cost the licence.
  16. D. electric taxis. They cannot be used to charge PHVs. Parking, waiting or charging on one can lead to a fine and licensing action.
  17. B. £18. The 2021 Handbook gives no amount. TfL's current charge is £18 on the day or in advance, or £21 if paid by midnight on the third day after travel.
  18. D. 12:00 to 18:00. The Handbook sends you to TfL's website for times. TfL's current times are 07:00 to 18:00 on Monday to Friday, and 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays.
  19. C. When doing a booking for a TfL-licensed operator. The exemption only applies when carrying out a booking for a London licensed operator. TfL confirms this on its current page, as the Handbook does.
  20. B. £13.50. This is newer than the 2021 Handbook. The 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount ended on 25 December 2025. From 2 January 2026, electric cars on Auto Pay get 25% off.
  21. C. 6. Diesel PHVs must be Euro 6, and petrol PHVs must be Euro 4. TfL's current page gives the same standards.
  22. C. Euro 4. Petrol PHVs must be Euro 4. The standard can usually be worked out from the date of first registration on the V5C.
  23. B. £12.50. The Handbook sends you to TfL's website for details. TfL's current ULEZ page gives a daily charge of £12.50.
  24. D. Christmas Day. This is the current TfL rule. The ULEZ now covers all London boroughs and the City of London.
  25. A. All London boroughs and the City of London. This is newer than the 2021 Handbook. The ULEZ expanded to all London boroughs in August 2023. The M25 is not in the zone.
  26. C. Only when doing a booking for a TfL-licensed operator. The Handbook says these PHVs are exempt, without limits. TfL now allows only a time-limited grace period, and only during a private hire booking. TfL's pages give different end dates, so check with TfL.
  27. B. wait. You can stop briefly to pick up or drop off, but not wait where restrictions apply, even if you are early or the passenger is late.
  28. D. Your PHV licence. TfL's red route page says displaying your PHV licence tells police and CCTV operators you can do this, and helps you avoid a penalty charge.
  29. A. No, parking on double red lines is never allowed. You can stop on red lines only to pick up or drop off. TfL's parking page says parking on double red lines is never allowed.
  30. C. 5. This is the only exception. It applies from 22:00 to 06:00, for up to 5 minutes, and never where stopping would be unsafe or not allowed.
  31. B. A P on the signs beside it. PHVs can park or wait in these bays, as long as they follow the time limits and rules on the signs.
  32. C. Yes, it can be sent to the registered keeper. If a camera catches the vehicle breaking the law, the PCN can go to the registered keeper. It does not have to be on the windscreen to be valid.
  33. B. box. Other examples are driving in a bus lane and banned turns or movements, such as an illegal U-turn.
  34. A. Making an illegal U-turn. PCNs can be given for moving traffic offences such as banned turns, as well as for parking offences.

Sources

  • Private Hire Vehicle Driver's Handbook, version 1.0, Transport for London, published 30 September 2021. Checked 1 November 2026. https://content.tfl.gov.uk/phv-driver-handbook-v1.pdf
  • London taxi and PHV driver policy, version 6.0, Transport for London, published 1 September 2026. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/taxi-and-private-hire-driver-policy.pdf
  • PHVs and the Congestion Charge, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/phvs-and-the-congestion-charge
  • Congestion Charge, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge
  • Ultra Low Emission Zone, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone
  • ULEZ: where and when, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-where-and-when
  • ULEZ discounts and exemptions, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/discounts-and-exemptions
  • Emissions standards for PHVs, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/emissions-standards-for-phvs
  • Bus lanes, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/rules-of-red-routes/bus-lanes
  • Red routes: exemptions, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/exemptions
  • Red lines and no stopping, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/rules-of-red-routes/red-lines-and-no-stopping
  • Red routes: parking, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/rules-of-red-routes/parking
  • Existing licensee, Transport for London, Undated web page.. Checked 1 November 2026. https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/existing-licensee