Renewing your London PHV driver licence

The handbook says your licence normally lasts three years. It is surprisingly quiet about the renewal process itself. This guide sets out what it does say, flags what to check with TfL, and offers a checklist to avoid a gap in your licence.

How long a licence lasts

The handbook says your London PHV driver's licence normally lasts three years. If it is for a shorter period, the letter that comes with the licence explains why. So the first thing to do is read your letter. It also lists any conditions that apply to you. The handbook says it is very important to keep that letter and to comply with those conditions, and warns that otherwise your licence may be revoked.

Your PHV driver's badge displays your name, photograph, licence number and the date your licence period ends. That date is your reminder. Put it in your phone calendar the day you get your licence, and again a few months before the end.

What the handbook says about renewal

• Medical: from age 45, a medical examination each time you apply to renew. From age 65, an assessment every year. If you have a medical condition, extra examinations may be needed. TfL will remind you when one is due and send the form, but you are responsible for getting the doctor to complete it and for returning it. If you do not send everything TfL needs, you might lose your licence. See medical requirements.
• Keeping in contact: TfL needs your correct home address, email address and telephone number. Tell TfL within 21 days if your home address changes, and tell the DVLA too. The address on your PHV licence should match your DVLA licence.
• Replying to letters: as soon as you are licensed, keep in contact and respond to letters, emails and other communications. If a condition on your licence requires you to provide information, TfL may write to remind you.
• Reporting changes: convictions, cautions, arrests and the other items in our reporting guide must be reported immediately. Do not save them for renewal.

What the handbook does not say

These points are not in version 1.0, so we cannot answer them. The TfL licence page, or TfL directly, is where to look:

• How early you can apply to renew, and how long TfL takes.
• Which steps of the first application you repeat at renewal, for example a DBS check or any assessment.
• The renewal fee. Our licence cost calculator shows fees from TfL's page for a new application, as checked 1 Oct 2026. Do not assume renewal costs are the same.
• Whether you can keep working while a renewal is being processed.

That last point is important. The handbook is clear that you must wear your badge whenever you work, that without your badge you cannot continue working as a PHV driver, and that the licence and badge must be returned when they pass the expiry date. So do not assume you can work past the expiry date on your badge unless TfL tells you in writing. Ask before it becomes an issue.

Returning your badge and licence

The handbook says your badge and licence are the property of TfL at all times, including after the expiry date, and you must return them when they expire or when you are no longer licensed. If your licence is revoked, return it within seven days. If you do not, or if it is suspended or revoked with immediate effect, TfL may send an Authorised Officer to take it from you. If you are replacing a lost badge, see lost or stolen badge.

A renewal checklist

1. Six months out: check the expiry date on your badge and note it. Read your licence letter again for conditions.
2. Check your details: home address, email and phone match what TfL has, and the address matches your DVLA licence.
3. Check your age: if you are 45 or over, plan the medical. From 65, plan it every year.
4. Look at TfL's licence page for renewal steps, fees and timings.
5. Tell your operator(s) about your new licence. The handbook says you should give a copy of your licence to any licensed operator you work with, and operators must keep copies of your licence and DVLA licence.
6. Return the old badge and licence when you receive the new ones, if TfL asks.

If a condition or concern arises

If your circumstances have changed in a way you were meant to report, report it now rather than at renewal. If you are unsure, the handbook's advice is to contact TfL for guidance.

General information, not legal advice. Confirm every step with TfL.

Set calendar reminders for your dates with the licence reminder calendar.

Applications can take time. Read licence delays, goodwill payments and early renewal for what TfL has said about renewal timings.