GuideLast checked 2 Oct 2026
SERU explained
What the Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding Assessment is, what the handbook covers, and a sensible way to prepare.
SERU stands for Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding Assessment. It is one of the assessments you complete when applying for a London PHV driver licence.
What it is based on
The handbook says the assessment is based on the information in TfL's Private Hire Vehicle Driver's Handbook, and that new applicants and existing drivers should know all of it. So the handbook is your main study material.
What else it does for you
Passing SERU also counts as your English reading and writing evidence for the licence. Your speaking and listening are tested in a separate English assessment. The required level is B1 on the CEFR scale.
What the handbook covers
- London PHV driver licensing
- Licensing requirements for PHVs
- Carrying out private hire journeys
- Staying safe
- Driver behaviour
- Driving and parking in London
- Safer driving
- Being aware of equality and disability
- Safeguarding children and adults at risk
- Ridesharing
What you are not tested on
The handbook says you will not be tested on the meanings of the glossary words, or on information found on the websites it links to. Those are there to help you understand.
Fee and booking
TfL's licence page listed the SERU assessment fee as 40 pounds on 2 Oct 2026. TfL's SERU page also lists a resit at 30 pounds (checked 2 Oct 2026). For the current format and how to book, use TfL's page, because we have not confirmed those details.
A practical way to prepare
- Read the handbook once, all the way through. It is not long, and the later sections build on the earlier ones.
- Collect the numbers. Many rules come with a time limit, for example when to return a revoked licence or report a change of address. Write them in one list. Our reporting guide is a start.
- Learn the "never" rules. Examples are picking up without a booking, stopping on a taxi rank, and driving in a bus lane.
- Practise by section. Use the practice questions, read each explanation, and go back to the handbook for anything you miss.
- Take your time with scenarios. Several handbook topics are about what to do in a situation, such as a passenger who is unwell or a child travelling alone. Think about what protects people first.
Our questions are original and are not the official ones, so use them to find gaps in your knowledge, not to predict what you will be asked.