What is the taxi knowledge test?

Every council sets its own test

In England outside London, drivers are licensed by their district or unitary council. At 1 April 2026 there were 263 licensing authorities in England. Each one decides what its test looks like, who runs it, what it costs and what the pass mark is.

That is why the tests differ so much. Wolverhampton has a one-day course and a 28-question written test. Nottingham has a 45-minute electronic test with a shortest-route section. Leeds has a set of separate module tests. Bristol has a 100-question test with different pass marks for hackney carriage and private hire drivers.

Many councils also test hackney carriage drivers harder on local places and routes than private hire drivers. See hackney carriage or private hire for why.

London, Scotland and Northern Ireland

London is licensed by Transport for London (TfL). London taxi (black cab) drivers must pass the Knowledge of London: a written exam and then one-to-one oral "appearances" on routes, which TfL says usually takes three to four years. London private hire drivers take a topographical skills assessment (map reading and route planning), a speaking and listening assessment, and the SERU (Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding) assessment. We do not cover London yet.

In Scotland, councils license taxi and private hire car drivers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Section 13(5) lets a council test applicants on the area, its roads and other matters, so each council sets its own test there too.

Northern Ireland has one taxi driver theory test for the whole country, with a multiple-choice part and a hazard perception part. nidirect says you need 80 out of 100 on the multiple-choice part, with at least 18 in each of its four topic areas, and 50 out of 75 on hazard perception. nidirect publishes free taxi theory test practice papers.

What most tests cover

The details change from council to council, but most tests in England draw on the same subjects. We have a practice topic for each one:

• Safeguarding: spotting and reporting child sexual exploitation, county lines and other abuse. Almost every council requires safeguarding training, and many test it.
• Equality and disability: the Equality Act 2010, assistance dogs, wheelchair users and helping disabled passengers.
• Licensing law: plying for hire, pre-booking, the triple lock, your licence and badge, and reporting changes to the council.
• Customer care and safety: dealing with passengers, complaints, difficult situations and your own safety.
• The Highway Code: road signs, rules and safe driving. Not every council includes it.
• Numeracy and fares: reading a fare table and working out fares and change, mostly for hackney carriage drivers.
• Your council's own rules: its licence conditions, byelaws and policy. Many councils also test local places and routes, especially for hackney carriage drivers.

Formats and pass marks

Most tests are multiple choice, on paper or on a computer, in person and under exam conditions. Some councils add maps to mark, route questions or a spoken part. Pass marks we have seen on council pages range from 75% (Wolverhampton; Bristol private hire) to 90% (Bristol hackney carriage). Leeds needs 80% in its regulatory framework, professional standards, safeguarding and equalities tests.

Some councils have key or mandatory questions. In Wolverhampton, 8 of the 28 questions are key questions. In Leeds, getting a mandatory question wrong fails that test even if your score is over 80%.

Many councils do not publish the number of questions or the pass mark. Our taxi knowledge test by council page lists what each council does publish, and marks anything we could not confirm.

What else councils ask for

The knowledge test is only one part of getting a licence. Much of the rest comes from the DfT's Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards (July 2020). Councils must have regard to these standards, which is why most councils now ask for similar things. Expect most of these:

• An enhanced DBS check with a barred list check. The standards recommend the DBS Update Service so the council can check every 6 months.
• A medical to the DVLA Group 2 standard (the standard for lorry and bus drivers), which DfT best practice guidance recommends.
• Safeguarding training. The standards say councils should require it. DfT statistics show 97% of licensing authorities required training on child sexual abuse and exploitation at 1 April 2026.
• An English assessment. The standards say councils' tests should cover both spoken and written English. Leeds, for example, asks for ESOL Entry 3 in speaking, listening and reading.
• A driving assessment or training on driver behaviour, which DfT guidance recommends.
• Disability awareness training or assessment, which DfT guidance recommends.
• Proof of your right to work and, usually, at least 12 months holding a full driving licence (section 51 of the 1976 Act).

How to prepare

• Find your council's test page. Note the format, pass mark, fee, how to book and any key questions.
• Read your council's licensing policy and licence conditions. Many questions come straight from these. Hackney carriage drivers should also read the byelaws and the table of fares.
• Practise the core topics here, starting with safeguarding, equality and disability, and licensing law.
• Practise your council's local topics and mock test, if we have one. Find your council on our taxi knowledge test by council page.
• Learn local places and routes with a map if your test has them. Practise from the council's own list where it publishes one.
• Work on your English if it is not your first language. Most tests are in English only, and you will need to read safeguarding and licensing documents.

National standards are coming

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (Royal Assent 29 April 2026) lets the Secretary of State set national standards that every council in England must apply when it grants, renews, suspends or revokes a licence. As of 29 October 2026, legislation.gov.uk shows these sections as prospective, not yet in force. They start on a date set by regulations, and we have not found any.

Trade press reports that the government's response to the Commons Transport Committee, published on 20 October 2026, says it will consult on national standards before the end of 2026, covering things like safeguarding and driver competence, and will consider English language requirements. We could not open the response itself to confirm this.

For now, nothing has changed: your council's own test and rules apply. We will update this page when national standards are published.