Transport for London has revealed that just 41 of its currently licensed private hire drivers applied using a non-UK driving licence — a tiny fraction of the capital’s 112,457 licensed drivers.
The figure was disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information request asking how many of TfL’s licensed private hire drivers were operating with a “non-UK driving licence”.
TfL clarified that the 41 drivers applied using a non-UK licence, rather than saying all 41 are currently driving with an overseas licence.
## The caveat: 10,424 records still need manual checks
The headline number comes with an important asterisk. TfL said it was unable to report on a further 10,424 records without manually checking each one, because of an issue with its reporting system.
The authority said it was working to fix the reporting problem. It added that the drivers within the unreported group had met its requirements when they applied for their licences, and that it believed the number of non-UK licences within that subset was likely to be “very low” and broadly proportionate to the 41 identified in the available data.
## What the licence rules actually require
Applicants for a London private hire driver licence must be at least 21 years old and have held a full DVLA, Northern Ireland or eligible EU/EEA state driving licence for at least three years. TfL said it accepts qualifying licences issued by EU and EEA member states, subject to the relevant licensing requirements.
But the driving licence is only one part of the assessment. TfL’s licensing policy also looks at patterns of unsafe or irresponsible driving — including serious traffic offences, repeat motoring convictions, significant penalty points and previous disqualification. Applicants with serious driving histories can have their applications refused on passenger-safety grounds.
## Why this matters
Private hire licensing has been a politically sensitive area for years, with questions regularly raised about driver vetting, passenger safety and the standards applied to the tens of thousands of drivers working through apps and minicab offices across the capital.
The FOI disclosure suggests that overseas-licence applications are rare — but the 10,424 unexamined records mean the full picture is not yet in. Until TfL completes its manual checks and fixes the reporting issue, campaigners and critics are likely to keep pressing for the complete data.
The disclosure also highlights how much of London’s private hire system runs on data that even the regulator cannot fully query at the push of a button — a striking detail for a licensing regime covering more than a hundred thousand drivers.
## Related coverage
The debate over standards in London’s taxi and private hire trade continues — [black cab leaders and Freenow recently demanded a temporary suspension of the taxi age limit amid fears of a cab shortage](https://londonstreets.uk/black-cab-age-limit-suspension-ltda-freenow-tfl/), while [Addison Lee confirmed one of its vehicles was involved in the Highgate crash that killed a 16-year-old girl](https://londonstreets.uk/highgate-crash-addison-lee-driver-arrested-teenager-death/).
