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Plying for hire and pre-booking for the Birmingham private hire test

Why a private hire driver may only carry passengers who pre-booked through their licensed operator, and what happens if they do not.

Below are 6 free practice questions on this topic. The full Birmingham bank has 17 questions on it. Each answer shows where the rule comes from, so you can read the official wording.

Practise this topic

Plying for hire and pre-booking: 6 free questions

  • 6 questions, one at a time. You see the answer and an explanation after each one.
  • No time limit. Take your time.

Topic practice is for learning. It does not follow the format of the official test.

Keyboard: press 1–4 or A–D to choose, Enter to check.

Key rules on this topic (answers to the questions above)

  • Section 45 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 makes it an offence to ply for hire with a carriage that is not licensed as a hackney carriage. Private hire work must be pre-booked through an operator.
  • Birmingham's legal information says a driver may only collect passengers when the job has been pre-booked through an operator licensed by Birmingham City Council and passed to them by that operator.
  • The legal information says before collecting a passenger you should already know their name, the pick-up time and location, the destination and, if pre-arranged, the agreed fare.
  • The legal information says if you are approached in the street you must refuse and advise the person to contact their licensed operator.
  • The legal information says transporting an unbooked passenger is likely to negate insurance cover, leading to prosecution for both plying for hire and no insurance.
  • Condition 15 says you must not accept a return booking directly from a passenger.

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Sources

We checked these official sources on . Rules can change, so always confirm with the council before you book.