Not always hiring a PCO car is popular among PCO drivers; thus, it is good to know that the process of licensing your vehicle in TfL is such a critical issue. Sometimes you would like to buy a car to use as the PCO car, or sometimes you try to use your own vehicle. In both cases, you are required to offer the PCO licence of the car to join any rideshare platform such as Uber. So, let us guide you in this process!

Content overview

• In which cases I don’t need to license my vehicle?
• Conditions of the first licensing
• How to book the PCO vehicle test?
• Documents to bring on the inspection day
• What will cause me to fail the vehicle licensing?
• The inspection test day

In which cases I don’t need to license my vehicle?

So, you are about to join a PHV operator, and the primary tool of your job is the PCO car. If you decide to have a PCO car rental, there is no need to go for a TfL inspection as the vehicles are already licensed. But, if you choose to buy a car, note two things:

1. If you buy a new vehicle just released from the company, passing the TfL inspections may not be necessary. (check the conditions part to learn more)
2. If you buy an already licensed car (a second-handed PCO car or a rent to buy a PCO car), inspection is unnecessary.

Once you license the vehicle, it is valid for one year, and each year you need to renew the licence by passing the test. So, let’s see the terms and conditions of the licensing.

Conditions of the first licensing

Once you want to participate in the PCO vehicle licensing, you need to make sure the car meets the minimum requirements. These minimum requirements are:

1. Euro 6 fuel type.
2. Ten years or newer model of the vehicle.

Note that if the vehicle is within 18 months old, it needs to be fully emission-free. Hybrid, plug-in or fully electric cars are in this group. It is worth mentioning that this rule is only considered for the first licensing.

How to book the PCO vehicle test?

Whether you are up for a renewal appointment or looking for the first licensing, you need to book the inspection before going to the TfL department. Hence, you need to follow one of the ways below to book the inspection:

• Contact this number to set the date 0343 222 5555
• Check your profile on the official website of TfL.

If you wonder how much it costs to license a car, we should inform you that it typically costs £140 for the first licensing, and it is paid in advance when you want to book the test.

Documents to bring on the inspection day

When the booking is made, you need to be prepared for the inspection day by having the required documents. Please make sure you have all the mentioned documents below to avoid any problem on the test day:

1. Existing PHV vehicle licence (for renewals)
2. V5c DVLA Vehicle Registration Certificate
3. Hire and reward insurance documents
4. MOT certificate issued within the last 14 days *
5. Bill of sale**

*about the MOT test, you need to make sure that the paper is for at most 14 days ago. So, when you check the date, book the inspection test before the MOT certificate passes 14 days after the release date.

** about the bill of sale, you need to take it from the dealer you bought the vehicle from. Even if it is a private seller, you need to prepare the bill of sale on your own.

You also sign a paper on the inspection day, promising that you won’t use it for private hire driving unless the renewal happens when the vehicle licence expires.

What will cause me to fail the vehicle license?

Now, it is the time for the most important part of the inspection test, and that is how not to fail the test! If you are entirely prepared for the test, bring all the required documents, and avoid the following list, this way you will surely pass the test successfully.

Invalid documents

Make sure all the documents you need to bring are up to date. If a record is missing or invalid, you have no chance of passing the test the same day. Also, note the MOT and the Bill of sale tips we mentioned earlier.

The body of the car

Check the body of the car before the inspection day comes. Dents, cosmetic damages and major scratches caused multiple drivers to fail the test. No matter how big or small the dent is, if it is noticeable at first glance, you need to fix it in advance. However, some NSL centres may pass you with noticeable marks; there is still the risk of failure.

Cosmetic damages can be considered as removed body paint, broken bumper, etc. If you also experienced scratches, try to use unique stickers or markers to remove the scratches as much as possible.

Damaged (or torn) tapestry

The holes and tears on seat covers, ceiling covers, mats, etc., can lead to failure too. If there is any tapestry damage, just make sure to fix it in advance.

Others

Any other probable damages in or on the car can bring you a failure. All you need to do is check the car from a buyer’s point of view! You know that you check every detail when you want to buy something. Fortunately, if it passes your test, it will pass the inspection as well.

Last but not least, dashcams need to be accepted by TfL; if not, you won’t be approved. It is safe to remove the dashcam on inspection day and reapply it after licensing.

The Inspection Test Day

Being on time is so essential! On the inspection day, try to arrive at the centre 10 minutes earlier, because if you are late, the test result may be considered a failure. The whole process of the test will take about 20 to 30 minutes, and an inspector will come to drive your car in the test garage and bring it back with passed or failed papers.

Note that if you fail the test, you will have a free retest within 21 days, which needs to be booked. The rebook can be either in the same centre or at any other centre you prefer.

There are 6 NSL centres in London in total that you can pick based on the proximity to your location.

1. Canning Town
2. Heston
3. Enfield
4. Coulsdon
5. Crayford
6. Staples Corner

But it sounds like Crayford is the best NSL centre based on what drivers reported. However, it is totally your choice to pick the centre you want to go to.

Although you can simply avoid all these processes by hiring Uber-ready PCO cars which are already licensed, we hope you have the perfect experience, pass the test successfully and become a distinct PCO driver as soon as possible.