PCO SERU Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (21–30)

✓ Correct answer: A. Obtain and submit a new valid medical certificate before his licence is issued

A valid medical certificate must be in place at the time TfL issues a licence. Because Khalid's certificate has now expired, he must obtain and submit a new one before his licence can be granted. Why the other options are incorrect: • Wait until the licence is issued and provide an updated certificate afterwards: Medical fitness must be confirmed at the point of licence issue, not updated after the fact. • Continue on the basis of the original certificate, which was valid when submitted: Operating a private hire vehicle without a valid licence and a current medical certificate would breach licensing conditions. • Inform TfL of the expiry within 28 days: The 28-day rule for submitting documents does not govern medical certificate validity; the certificate must be valid at the time of issue. • Take no action, as the original certificate is sufficient for the application: An expired medical certificate does not satisfy TfL's medical fitness requirement.

✓ Correct answer: A. A trip arranged in advance through a TfL-licensed private hire operator

PHV drivers are only permitted to undertake journeys that have been pre-booked via a TfL-licensed operator. Why the other options are incorrect: • A street hail accepted directly from the roadside: Accepting street hails is not permitted for private hire vehicle drivers. • An immediate on-the-spot hire by someone approaching the vehicle: Immediate unbooked hires are not lawful for PHV drivers. • A fare calculated using a meter fitted in the vehicle: Private hire vehicles are not authorised to use meters for fare calculation. • Picking up a passenger without any prior booking: Picking up passengers without a prior booking is a breach of PHV licence conditions.

✓ Correct answer: C. 10 years

When first being licensed as a PHV in London, a vehicle must be no more than 10 years old. Why the other options are incorrect: • 5 years: 5 years is well within the limit but is not the maximum permitted age. • 8 years: 8 years falls below the permitted ceiling and is not the set maximum. • 12 years: A vehicle aged 12 years exceeds the maximum age TfL will accept for first licensing. • No limit: TfL enforces a strict 10-year cap; there is no provision for unlimited vehicle age.

✓ Correct answer: A. Five penalty points from a speeding offence

Up to six penalty points on a licence does not trigger automatic refusal; five points from a speeding offence falls within the acceptable threshold. Why the other options are incorrect: • A conviction for drink-driving: A drink-driving conviction results in the application being automatically refused. • A conviction for dangerous driving: A dangerous driving conviction leads to automatic refusal of the application. • Having accumulated seven penalty points: Seven penalty points exceeds the six-point limit and triggers automatic refusal. • Driving without valid insurance: Driving without insurance is a serious offence that results in automatic refusal.

✓ Correct answer: B. DVLA Group 2 medical standard

PHV licence applicants must meet the DVLA Group 2 medical standard — the same level of fitness demanded of lorry and bus drivers. Why the other options are incorrect: • DVLA Group 1 medical standard: The Group 1 standard applies to ordinary car drivers and does not satisfy the higher PHV requirement. • Driver self-declaration only: A driver's self-declaration alone is insufficient to meet TfL's medical fitness requirements. • Home Office medical check: The Home Office plays no role in conducting medical assessments for PHV licence applications. • No medical requirement: TfL imposes a defined medical standard; applicants cannot proceed without satisfying it.

✓ Correct answer: C. 28 days

From the date of refusal, an applicant has 28 days in which to challenge TfL's decision on appeal. Why the other options are incorrect: • 14 days: The appeal window extends well beyond 14 days. • 21 days: TfL does not operate a 21-day appeal period. • 30 days: 30 days is close but does not match the correct 28-day period. • 60 days: A 60-day appeal period does not apply to PHV licence refusals.

✓ Correct answer: A. Yes, because she notified TfL within the 14-day deadline

PHV drivers must notify TfL of any name change within 14 days. Gina informed TfL within 10 days, so she has satisfied the requirement. Why the other options are incorrect: • No, because she was required to notify TfL immediately upon the name change: The rules require notification within 14 days, not immediately; Gina's notification falls within the permitted window. • No, because she should have surrendered her badge pending the update: Surrendering the badge is not required when a name change is reported within the 14-day period. • No, because a fee is charged for late name-change notifications: No fee is levied for name-change notifications made within the deadline. • No, because her licence will now be cancelled: Notifications submitted within the 14-day window do not lead to cancellation of the licence.

✓ Correct answer: A. A taxi sign mounted on the roof

Private hire vehicles are not permitted to carry a roof-mounted taxi sign, as these are exclusive to licensed London taxis. Why the other options are incorrect: • A sticker identifying the licensed operator: Licensed operator stickers are a required display and are fully within the regulations. • Licence plates displayed in the windscreen: Licence plates must be displayed in both the front and rear windscreens. • The driver's badge worn visibly: Driver badges are required to be worn visibly on outer clothing, not merely kept inside the vehicle. • A wheelchair access ramp: Wheelchair access ramps are permitted on PHVs designated for accessible transport.

✓ Correct answer: A. Grant his application, as he satisfies both the minimum licence-holding period and the penalty point threshold

To qualify, applicants must have held a full UK driving licence for at least one year and carry no more than six penalty points. Tom meets both of these conditions, so TfL will grant his application. Why the other options are incorrect: • Refuse his application because he has penalty points on his record: Accumulating up to six penalty points does not trigger automatic rejection. • Postpone the decision until his penalty points have been removed: TfL does not postpone decisions simply because an applicant holds fewer than seven penalty points. • Make approval subject to the completion of a further training course: No additional training is required of applicants who carry four penalty points. • Issue him a one-year provisional licence: TfL does not issue provisional licences on the basis of licence duration and a below-threshold points total.

✓ Correct answer: A. She has breached her licence conditions by failing to report the loss within the required seven days

PHV drivers must report the loss of their badge within seven days. Sophie notified TfL after 10 days, which means she is in breach of her licence conditions. Why the other options are incorrect: • There is no consequence, as carrying a driver badge is not mandatory: Displaying a driver badge is mandatory, and failing to report its loss within the prescribed period is a breach of conditions. • Her badge will be renewed automatically: Badges are not renewed automatically; the driver must request a replacement. • TfL will issue a replacement badge free of charge: A replacement badge incurs a charge and must be requested promptly after the loss is reported. • Her licence will be suspended immediately: While persistent or serious breaches can lead to suspension, the immediate consequence of late reporting is a breach of licence conditions, not suspension.