Criminal convictions and cautions
When applying for a licence to drive a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle you must tell us if you have any criminal convictions or cautions (including 'spent' convictions).
All offences means:
- criminal convictions such as offences relating to dishonesty, indecency or violence
- all motoring convictions
- official cautions either by the police or other regulatory body
- any offences relating to your work as a hackney carriage and/or private hire driver (if you have held a licence in the past)
Under no circumstances should you leave out details of convictions that you consider irrelevant. It is for us to decide if convictions are relevant or not. The information you give will be treated in confidence and will only be taken into account in relation to your application.
We are allowed by law to check with the police to see if you have a criminal record and if so, its content. This information will be kept in strict confidence while the licensing process takes its course. We won't keep it any longer that necessary.
Disclosing a criminal record or other information will not debar you from gaining a licence unless we consider a conviction renders you unsuitable.
In making this decision we consider:
- the nature of the offence
- your age when it was committed
- any other relevant factors
To discuss what effect a conviction might have on your application email taxi.licensing@northtyneside.gov.uk or call 0191 6432165 for confidential advice. If in doubt, please consult a solicitor