In-car training one-on-one

Once you have booked and paid for a taxi test, wheelchair assessment or training session, your details will be forwarded to your nominated local examiner who will aim to be in touch within 5 working days (Monday-Friday) of the booking being made. Your examiner will agree a convenient date, time, and place to meet at local level and normally within 5-10 working days.

• Your original current and valid driving licence
• If you have the old style (non-photocard) licence, then you must also bring a valid passport and address confirmation
• A suitable vehicle that is roadworthy and legal 

Your NI number for checking your driving licence details on the day of your test online at www.gov.uk

Unfortunately, this is not possible as examiners require booking confirmation before arranging a date and time.

For cancellations received up to 7 days prior to the test a full refund will be given, no other refunds will be made after this time, including tests that have not been arranged within 6 months, after the payment has been taken.

To request a refund please contact us

Before the test or assessment starts

• Your driving licence must be checked and validated in person. If a licence cannot be validated using this service your test will be cancelled and the fee lost.
• We will ask you to read a vehicle number plate from 20 metres away. If you require the use of glasses or contact lenses to read the number plate, then you must also wear these. If you cannot reach this requirement your test will be cancelled, and the fee lost.
• Your vehicle must be presented in a good state of repair, with all lights working, compliant tyres and no warning lights on the dash. If your vehicle does not reach these requirements your test will be cancelled, and the fee lost.
• If you have a wheelchair assessment you must provide a suitable accessible vehicle for the purposes of the assessment and you will only be assessed on safely loading, securing, and unloading a wheelchair from your vehicle.

Practical driving test

During the test, the assessor will ask you to:

• stop at the side of the road as if you were picking up or dropping off passengers
• carry out 2 reversing exercises, one where you will be asked to turn the vehicle around to face in the opposite direction (taxi manoeuvre)
• drive for approximately 10 minutes independently following road signs or directions
• A possible emergency stop 

You will pass the taxi driver test if you make 9 or fewer driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults. The wheelchair assessment is a simple pass or fail, based on the overall practical assessment. Please note some taxi tests are observed by quality assurance staff. On completion of your test, you can take a photograph of the top copy of your test report and for successful applicants you will receive an original pass certification issued by the examiner at the end of the test.

Your vehicle should be either a vehicle owned by you, or a vehicle you are using with permission of the owner (i.e., a hire vehicle). Manual or automatic vehicles are both acceptable. Accessible vehicles must be provided for the wheelchair assessment.

As well as your driving licence being checked and verified, your examiner will also check online or via an official app if your vehicle has a current MOT certificate and if this is not valid your test will be cancelled and the fee lost.

Your vehicle must:

• be insured for the purposes of a driving test/assessment
• be a car with front and rear seats (vans are not acceptable)
• not be displaying trade plates or L plates
• be taxed
• have a current, valid MOT (if over 3 years old)
• be roadworthy
• be free of any tyre damage and all tread depths must be above the legal limit (you cannot use a space saver tyre on the assessment)
• have no warning lights showing
• have all its exterior lights in full working order
• be smoke free – you cannot smoke on the assessment or have been smoking in the vehicle prior to the assessment
• have 4 wheels and a maximum authorised mass of no more than 3,500kg
• have a passenger seat belt and head restraint for the assessor
• the vehicle must be suitable for the type of assessment being taken (i.e., if you are taking a wheelchair assessment, you must bring a vehicle appropriate for safely carrying a wheelchair using passenger)
• be clean and tidy with no health and safety critical risks (i.e., carrying loads on the back seat, defective seatbelts, damaged exterior, lose trim etc)
• not use a camera unless it is for insurance purposes and is external facing and does not record audio inside the vehicle.

If your vehicle does not meet any of the above criteria, your test/assessment will not go ahead, and you will lose your fee.

Once your test is completed, your details will be emailed to head office and you will receive a test result within 48-72 hours (Monday-Friday) once you have submitted your driving license number. If you are successful you will receive an email copy of our test report and a Diamond certification.

Certificates and test reports are kept digitally for 6 months at Diamond head office.

Once your test is completed, your details will be emailed to head office and you will receive a test result within 24 hours (Monday-Friday). If you are not successful, you will receive the test report together with an explanation of the faults.

Certificates and test reports are kept digitally for 6 months at Diamond head office.

You can amend or request a full refund of your test up to 7 days before the original test date.

To amed your booking please contact us

One of our Diamond examiners will contact you within 5 working days (Monday-Friday) to discuss your training needs. You cannot be trained and tested by the same person. Training sessions are undertaken in a trainer’s vehicle, and you must comply with the schools’ terms and conditions for training to take place.