Passengers booking a private-hire transfer are getting into a vehicle with a stranger. That is a straightforward fact. The question is what has been done to verify that the stranger is trustworthy, competent, and legally compliant before the car arrives.
This article goes through the verification checks every Fare 1 driver completes before dispatch and the checks they repeat on an annual basis.
Enhanced DBS criminal record check
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is the standard method for assessing criminal record history in England and Wales. There are two levels: standard and enhanced.
We require enhanced DBS checks. The difference matters:
- Standard DBS. Shows unspent convictions only — criminal history that is still legally "live" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.
- Enhanced DBS. Shows spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and warnings. It also includes any information held by local police that is deemed relevant to the role, even if it has not resulted in a charge or conviction.
For roles involving unsupervised access to adults who may be vulnerable — which includes private-hire work — the enhanced level is the appropriate one. We also check the Adults' Barred List where applicable.
What we screen out: convictions or cautions involving violence, dishonesty, sexual offences, or any behaviour that would give reasonable grounds for concern about a passenger's safety.
Council-issued PHV driver licence
Operating as a private-hire driver in the UK requires a licence from a licensing authority — typically the local council. These licences are not automatic; they require:
- Application to and approval by the council
- Criminal record check at council level
- Local knowledge test (varies by council)
- Medical fitness assessment
- Vehicle inspection
We do not simply sight the licence card. We verify it directly with the issuing authority to confirm the licence is current, active, and not subject to any suspension or investigation. A licence card looks the same whether it is active or suspended; council verification catches the difference.
Drivers who move licensing authorities or who have their licence renewed are re-verified with the new or renewing authority before they continue dispatching.
DVLA endorsement and licence review
A clean criminal record and a valid PHV licence do not tell us how the driver behaves behind the wheel. The DVLA record does.
We pull each driver's DVLA record at onboarding and annually. We check:
- Licence status. Held continuously for the minimum required years (typically 3+ years for PHV work).
- Endorsement history. Speeding convictions, careless driving, drink-driving, or any disqualification in the last five years. A driver with 6 or more active points or a recent CD or DR endorsement does not pass.
- Licence category. The driver must hold the categories required for the vehicle types they are dispatched in.
Group 2 medical fitness
Private-hire drivers are subject to the DVLA Group 2 medical standard, which is the same standard applied to lorry and bus drivers. It is more rigorous than the standard Group 1 car driver standard. Key areas:
- Vision. Specific binocular field of vision requirements; standards that ordinary car drivers do not need to meet.
- Cardiovascular health. The Group 2 standard requires the driver to be clear of conditions that would increase the risk of sudden incapacity at the wheel.
- Sleep disorders. Sleep apnoea screening is part of the Group 2 assessment. Untreated sleep apnoea substantially increases the risk of microsleep incidents.
- Diabetes. Insulin-treated drivers require annual GP review under Group 2.
Drivers complete the DVLA D4 medical form, completed by a GP, at hire and annually.
Vehicle: hire-and-reward insurance and MOT
The driver and the vehicle are separate compliance questions. A vetted driver in an uninsured or unroadworthy vehicle is not compliant.
Hire-and-reward insurance. Standard car insurance does not cover paying passengers. It specifically excludes hire-and-reward use. Each Fare 1 vehicle must hold a hire-and-reward policy, and we verify the policy document — not just the driver's statement that it exists.
Current MOT. MOT certifies roadworthiness on the date of inspection. We verify the current MOT certificate and check for any advisories that would merit immediate attention.
Council vehicle plating. In addition to MOT, the vehicle must hold a PHV plate (or equivalent council sticker depending on the authority) confirming it is licensed for private-hire use. This is a separate inspection from MOT.
Annual re-verification
Initial screening is standard practice across licensed operators. Annual re-verification is where we differ from many operators.
Each driver is re-screened on their hire anniversary:
- New DBS check. We use the DBS Update Service, which allows annual checks against the most current record rather than a static point-in-time disclosure.
- Fresh DVLA pull. Endorsements can be added at any time; a check that was clean eighteen months ago may not reflect current status.
- PHV licence re-verification. Licences are typically issued for one or three years; we verify the current status regardless.
- Group 2 medical update.
- MOT and insurance re-verification.
Annual re-verification closes the gap between "passed checks at hire" and "still meets the bar today."
What this means for passengers
When a Fare 1 driver arrives, they have been through this process. Not at some point historically — within the last twelve months. The vehicle is insured, plated, and roadworthy. The driver's criminal record is current, their licence is active, and their medical fitness has been formally assessed.
If you have any question about a specific driver or vehicle, you can contact the dispatch team through the in-app chat before your journey departs.
Book a transfer at book.fare1.co.uk.