Who Three Rivers District Council licenses
Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Croxley Green, Abbots Langley, South Oxhey and Moor Park. It is not TfL: a driver licensed here is on a different rulebook from one working just across the boundary in Northwood.
Three Rivers rules applied — three-year driver licences, a compulsory DBS Update Service subscription, a safeguarding certificate every three years, and a Group 2 medical every three years until 65 (yearly after).
What to renew, and how often
Cycles are Three Rivers District Council’s where Three Rivers District Council publishes them, and the UK statutory duty otherwise. Anything Three Rivers District Council does not publish a cycle for is left off this table rather than guessed at.
| Requirement | Cycle | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
DBS Update Service subscription Keep the annual subscription live and record its renewal date Three Rivers requires every licence holder to register the certificate on the DBS Update Service (£16 a year) within 30 days of issue. At renewal it only accepts an enhanced certificate for 'Other Workforce' and 'Taxi/Private Hire Driver'. | Yearly | DBS certificate number + Update Service renewal date |
Safeguarding & equality training Mandatory for every licensed driver in Three Rivers — send the council a new pass certificate every three years Email each new certificate to [email protected] so it is stored against your record. | Every 3 years | Training certificate + completion date |
Group 2 medical DVLA Group 2 report from your own GP or an approved agency, under three months old — every three years until 65, then every year Drivers over 65, or with certain medical conditions, submit a new medical report every year. Reports are only accepted from your own GP, a GP at a practice with access to your records, or an approved external agency. | Every 3 years | Medical certificate + the accepted next-due date |
Taximeter certificate Meter sealed, set to the current tariff, certificate carried in the vehicle | Yearly | Meter installation/compliance certificate |
Plates, signs & badge on display Plates, door signs, fare chart, complaints info and your badge — visible whenever the car works | Ongoing | Photo proof of displays (retake after any change of car) |
Designated WAV duties If your vehicle is on the council's s167 list, the s165 wheelchair duties apply to every hiring | Ongoing | Your vehicle's entry on the designated list |
Assistance dogs carried Carry assistance dogs at no extra charge — unless you hold a displayed medical exemption | Ongoing | Nothing if you comply; the exemption certificate if you hold one |
Medical exemption certificate If exempt from wheelchair/dog duties: certificate displayed in the vehicle, review date tracked | Council-set date | The exemption notice + its expiry/review date |
Sensible hours, logged Keep logging shifts — your hours record is your protection after any incident | Ongoing | Shift log with start/end times (your logbook) |
Lost property routine Quick search after every hiring; hand items in within 24 hours and keep a note | Ongoing | A dated note per item — what, when, where handed in |
Records an inspector can ask for
- DBS certificate number and issue date
- Update Service subscription and its annual renewal date
- A note of each six-month status check (date + outcome)
- Training certificate or pass record
- Completion date and the refresher due date (three years on in Cambridge)
- The medical certificate itself (council keeps the original)
- Date it was done and the next due date printed on your licence
- Any follow-up the council asked for
- Certificate of compliance and the next test date
- Taximeter installation/compliance certificate
- Photo proof that plates, signs, fare chart and badge are displayed
- Whether your vehicle is on the council's designated WAV list
- Any medical exemption certificate, its display and review date
- A short note of any hiring where a wheelchair or aid couldn't safely be carried
- Shift start/end times and breaks (your logbook does this)
- Lost property notes — what, when, where it was handed in
Contacting Three Rivers District Council
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 01923 776611
Renewals are a PDF form emailed to the licensing team, and the fee is paid by phone to customer services on the number above. Renew at least four weeks before your licence expires, and include your HMRC tax check code.
Common questions
How do I renew my taxi licence with Three Rivers?
Download the renewal form for your licence type (hackney carriage, private hire or dual), email it to [email protected] and call customer services on 01923 776611 to pay. Do it at least four weeks before your licence expires. Include a Group 2 medical report if one is due, your safeguarding pass certificate, right-to-work evidence, a passport-style photo, both sides of your DVLA photocard, your enhanced DBS certificate, proof of your National Insurance number and your HMRC tax check code.
How much does a Three Rivers driver licence cost?
For 2026/27 the council charges £477 to renew a three-year hackney carriage or private hire driver licence, and £597 for a three-year dual licence. A first three-year licence is £518 (£612 dual). A one-year renewal is £178. An enhanced DBS through the council is £52.60, and while your first knowledge test is included in the application fee, attempts two to five cost £21 each.
How often do I need a medical?
You submit a DVLA Group 2 medical report with your first application, then a new one every three years until you are 65. Over 65, or with certain medical conditions, it is every year. The report must be under three months old, and Three Rivers only accepts reports from your own GP, a GP at a practice with access to your records, or an approved external agency.
Do I have to be on the DBS Update Service?
Yes. Three Rivers requires every licence holder to register their DBS certificate on the Update Service, which costs £16 a year, within 30 days of the certificate being issued. At renewal the council only accepts an Update Service certificate if the subscription is paid and the enhanced check was for 'Other Workforce' and 'Taxi/Private Hire Driver'.
Is Three Rivers the same as a London (TfL) licence?
No. Transport for London licenses drivers in all 32 London boroughs, including Hillingdon and Northwood; Three Rivers District Council licenses Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Croxley Green, South Oxhey and Moor Park. They are separate authorities with separate fees, medical rules and renewal systems, so check which one issued your badge before you plan a renewal.
Where these figures come from
Every fee, cycle and rule on this page is taken from Three Rivers District Council’s own published pages, last checked in September 2026:
The other half: tax and expenses
Licensing keeps you on the road; Self Assessment keeps the money straight. Our guide to self-employed taxi driver tax and expenses covers what you can claim, the records HMRC expects, and how the licensing costs on this page are treated. Your licensing authority sets the rules above; HMRC rules are the same wherever you drive.
General information, current for September 2026. Licensing rules are set locally and change — always confirm the detail with Three Rivers District Council before you rely on it.
Never miss a renewal date
Original Drivers tracks every date above on Three Rivers District Council’s cycle and reminds you before each one falls due — by WhatsApp if you like.
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