Your badge. It’s not just a piece of plastic you pin to your shirt or a plate on your car. It’s your livelihood. It’s the school uniforms, the mortgage payment, the food on the table. It’s your independence and your business, all rolled into one.
And it’s incredibly fragile.
The problem is that the world of taxi and private hire licensing is a legal maze, built on a foundation of myths, "bloke down the pub" advice, and dangerous misunderstandings. Most drivers only find out the truth after they've received that terrifying, formal letter from the council.
We are TMC Solicitors. We are not general-practice lawyers. We are a dedicated team of taxi licensing experts. This is our entire world. And our job is to protect your livelihood by debunking the myths that could see you taken off the road.
Before you ever step into a hearing, you need to understand the real rules of the game. Let's bust the five most dangerous myths, right now.
Myth 1: "The police took no action, so the council can't touch me."
This is, without a doubt, the most common and most dangerous myth.
Here's the scenario: A customer makes an allegation. Maybe it's a dispute over a fare, a claim of bad driving, or something more serious. The police get involved. They investigate, they interview you, and they decide there's "insufficient evidence to proceed." They close the case. You breathe a massive sigh of relief. You're in the clear.
The Harsh Reality: You are not in the clear. Your relief is, unfortunately, premature.
The council's licensing committee operates on a completely different legal standard than the police.
- The Policemust prove a criminal case "beyond a reasonable doubt." This is a very high bar.
- The Counciloperates on the "balance of probabilities." This is a much, much lower bar. They only need to believe that it's "more likely than not" that something happened.
But in reality, it's even vaguer. The council's only legal test is to decide if you are a "fit and proper person" to hold a licence. Their primary, overriding duty is not to you; it's to public safety.
This means a council licensing officer can stand up at your hearing and say, "The police may have dropped the criminal case, but the allegation itself gives us serious concerns about this driver's 'fit and proper' status."
They can, and they will, take action—including full revocation—based on the exact same evidence the police threw out. We've seen it happen dozens of times. A team of taxi licensing experts knows how to challenge this. We know how to argue that the council cannot simply second-guess a police investigation and that their "concerns" must be based on tangible evidence, not just on the existence of a complaint.
Myth 2: "It's just 3 points. It only matters if I hit 12 and the DVLA bans me."
Wrong again. This is a classic, critical error.
The Scenario: You get caught speeding. It's a fair cop. You take the 3 points and the fine. You now have 6 points on your DVLA licence. You're not worried; you're a long way from the 12-point "totting up" ban.
The Harsh Reality: The DVLA's 12-point system has almost nothing to do with your taxi licence.
Your local council has its own, separate policy on convictions and points. Most drivers have never read this document. We have. And in many cases, it is far stricter than the DVLA.
- Many council policies state that if a driver accumulates 6, 7, or 9 points, this will automatically trigger a review of their licence.
- Some policies state that anyconviction for a "major" offence (like using a mobile phone, which is 6 points) will lead to an immediate suspension or revocation, regardless of your total.
- They can, and do, revoke your badge for "totting up" to 9 points, even while the DVLA is perfectly happy for you to continue driving your personal car.
As your taxi licensing experts, our first question is, "Which council are you with?" We will then immediately pull up their specific licensing policy. We build your entire defence around their rulebook, arguing mitigating circumstances and why your particular case warrants a departure from their standard policy.
Myth 3: "I'll just go to the hearing myself. It's just a chat, and I can explain what happened."
This is a brave, but deeply misguided, assumption.
The Scenario: You get the letter inviting you to a "sub-committee hearing." It sounds quite informal. You're an honest person, you're good with people. You'll just go along, be polite, tell your side of the story, and they'll see sense.
The Harsh Reality: A licensing hearing is not a chat. It is a quasi-legal tribunal. It is a formal, intimidating, and rule-bound process where you are, from the moment you walk in, at a massive disadvantage.
Here's what the room actually looks like:
- The Panel:Three local councillors who are not lawyers, but who are terrified of being the ones who let a "dangerous" driver keep his badge (and ending up on the front page of the local paper).
- The Council's Lawyer:A solicitor or barrister for the council, advising the panel on the law.
- The Licensing Officer:This is your prosecutor. They are a professional. They will have a 20-page bundle of evidence, and they will stand up and make a formal, structured case for why you are not a 'fit and proper' person.
Then, it's your turn. Alone. Flustered. Your livelihood on the line.
You are bringing a "chat" to a legal fight. You will lose.
When you hire taxi licensing experts like TMC Solicitors, you are evening the odds. We are your professional voice. We will have our own 30-page evidence bundle. We will make our own legal arguments. We will cross-examine the licensing officer on their evidence. And we will present your case calmly, professionally, and persuasively.
Myth 4: "A customer complaint is just 'my word against theirs.' They can't prove it."
The Scenario: A customer, who you know was drunk or trying to evade a fare, makes a complaint against you. It's all lies. You're furious. You tell the council, "It's my word against theirs. They have no proof. They can't do anything."
The Harsh reality: They can, and they will. As we covered in Myth 1, the council's standard is not "beyond a reasonable doubt." It's "balance of probabilities."
And in the "he said, she said" scenario, who do you think the panel is programmed to believe? The "vulnerable member of the public"? Or the professional driver?
Their legal duty to "public safety" means they are biased to believe the complaint.
Your only defence is not just to "deny it." You must actively disprove it and undermine the complainant's credibility. This is what our taxi licensing experts do.
- Did you have a dashcam? (We'll get the footage.)
- Did you have a CCTV system in the car? (We'll get the footage.)
- Were there other passengers? (We'll try to get witness statements.)
- Did you log the call with your operator? (We'll get the logs.)
- Does the complainant have a history of making false complaints? (We'll ask the council to check.)
We go on the offensive, gathering the hard evidence you need to move the case from "your word against theirs" to "your evidence against their allegation."
Myth 5: "The council revoked my licence. It's over. I have to find a new job."
The Scenario: You went to the hearing alone, and the worst happened. The panel revoked your badge. You're devastated. You think this is the end of the road.
The Harsh Reality: It is not. This is not the end. You have one final, powerful card to play: an Appeal to the Magistrates' Court.
When you appeal, your case is taken out of the hands of the council panel and put in front of a brand new, independent District Judge or a bench of Magistrates. They will hear the entire case from scratch.
This is your second chance. But it is, in every sense, a full-blown court case. The council will be represented by their top lawyers. You must have your own.
This is the ultimate, high-stakes environment where you need true taxi licensing experts. TMC Solicitors are experienced court advocates. We live in this world. We will prepare the court bundles, the witness statements, and the legal arguments, and we will stand up in that courtroom and fight for your livelihood.
Your badge is your life. Don't gamble it on a myth. If you've received that letter, your first and only call should be to a specialist. Contact TMC Solicitors for a clear, honest, and expert assessment of your case.