Can you get a TfL PHV license with penalty points?

Byzahirwali@gmail.com

Yes! You can receive or keep your PHV license even if you have penalty points.
However, it depends on how many penalty points you have received and what is the nature of your offence, which is a part of your “fit and proper” test.

Category 1 Offences: Acceptable and Not Serious

You will get 3 penalty points for these offences. Individually these offences will not hinder you from receiving or keeping your license, as far as they are reported to TfL within 48 hours.

Speeding Offences (SP)

  • SP10: Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits
  • SP20: Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle
  • SP30: Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road
  • SP40: Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit
  • SP50: Exceeding speed limit on a motorway

Traffic Direction and Signs (TS)

  • TS10: Failing to comply with traffic light signals
  • TS20: Failing to comply with double white lines
  • TS30: Failing to comply with “Stop” sign
  • TS40: Failing to comply with direction of a constable/warden
  • TS50: Failing to comply with traffic sign (excluding “stop”, traffic lights or double white lines)

Pedestrian Crossings (PC)

  • PC10: Undefined contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations
  • PC20: Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with moving vehicle
  • PC30: Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with stationary vehicle

Construction and Use (CU) – Vehicle Condition

  • CU10: Using a vehicle with defective brakes
  • CU30: Using a vehicle with defective tyre(s)
  • CU40: Using a vehicle with defective steering
  • CU50: Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of load or passengers 

You will get 6-9 points for this category of offences. These are considered to be serious offences. If you are subject to these offences, TfL will review it strictly and will ask you to provide details about it. These offences could result in earning you a warning or temporary suspension of your license.

Mobile Phones & Distraction

  • CU80: Breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone. (TfL takes this extremely seriously due to the risk to passengers; expect heavy scrutiny).

Careless Driving (CD)

  • CD10: Driving without due care and attention
  • CD20: Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users
  • CD30: Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration

Information Offences (MS)

  • MS90: Failure to give information as to the identity of driver etc. (TfL views this as a major integrity red flag, as it implies the driver was trying to evade a penalty).

Offences under this category are very serious and would result in the revocation of your PHV license or rejection of your application if you are a new applicant. For renewing your license, you have clean record of convictions from 12 months to 10 years based on the requirement of TfL, depending on the offence code.

Drink Driving (DR) & Drug Driving (DG)

  • DR10 – DR70: Various offences for driving, attempting to drive, or being in charge of a vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit or failing to provide a specimen.
  • DG10, DG40, DG60: Driving, attempting to drive, or being in charge of a vehicle with a drug level above the specified limit.
  • DR80, DR90: Driving or being in charge of a vehicle when unfit through drugs.

Dangerous Driving (DD)

  • DD40: Dangerous driving
  • DD60: Manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving a vehicle
  • DD80: Causing death by dangerous driving
  • DD90: Furious driving

Careless Driving Causing Death (CD)

  • CD40 – CD90: Causing death by careless driving (often linked to drink/drugs or unlicensed driving).

Accident Offences (AC)

  • AC10: Failing to stop after an accident
  • AC20: Failing to give particulars or report an accident within 24 hours

Insurance Offences (IN)

  • IN10: Using a vehicle uninsured against third-party risks. (Driving the public without insurance is an immediate dealbreaker).

Disqualified Driving (BA)

  • BA10: Driving while disqualified by order of court
  • BA30: Attempting to drive while disqualified by order of court

Totting Up

  • TT99: Disqualification under “totting-up” procedure. (Accumulating 12 or more points within 3 years. Even if a court grants you leniency to keep your DVLA license due to “hardship,” TfL will still normally revoke your PHV license).

🚦Interpretation of Penalty points for your PHV license

  • 3 points: Not an issue
  • 6 points: It depends on the kind of offense. TfL considers some 6-point offences as major ones
  • 9 points: You can have or get your license, but TfL will give it a serious look and will warn you that getting more points will result in the loss of your license.
  • 12 points: You will not be eligible to have your PHV license in general.

📌Key points to remember: 

  • Minor offences while driving will not stop you from getting a license, though these offences will be recorded in your driver’s record and TFL may give you warning.
  • Major offences: These offences may result in refusing, suspending and revocation of your license. (Driving dangerously, driving while drunk/drug influenced, using mobile phone while driving, driving with no insurance, and some offences that result in 6 or more penalty points.
  • TfL states that all endorsements resulting in penalty points must be reported to TfL by licensed taxi and PHV drivers.
  • If you are subject to 9 or more penalty points, TfL will warn you and more points will result in losing DVLA license and the Taxi/PHV license.
  • If you are subject to 12 points in three years will, you will be not eligible to drive followed by the revocation of your PHV license. If due to exception difficult time, the court permits you to keep your DVLA license, according to TfL, if you have 12 points, your PHV license will be subject to 6 months suspension, unless there is a major mitigation.

📋 Note: This information has been derived from TfL’s current London Taxi and PHV Driver Policy (March 2026).

Similar Posts