AdminIf you drive, or plan to drive, a private hire vehicle in London, you may already have a TfL-issued PCO licence. You may also have completed your DBS check, medical, topographical assessment and other PCO licence requirements.
However, from 1 October 2026, your PCO licence is no longer enough on its own for every driving arrangement.
Private hire operators, online matching services and certain subcontracting businesses must now carry out their own right-to-work check before engaging you. This applies even when you already hold a valid TfL private hire driver licence.
The change may sound worrying, but the practical step for most drivers is simple: provide the correct proof of your right to work using the approved process.
What changed on 1 October 2026?
The Home Office right-to-work rules now apply more widely to private hire working arrangements.
An operator may need to check your right to work if you are engaged as:
- An employee
- A worker
- An individual subcontractor
- A self-employed driver working directly for the operator
- A driver onboarded through an online matching service or platform
This means operators and relevant platforms must establish a statutory defence before allowing you to provide services.
The rules also cover some subcontracting arrangements. If a driver is supplied through another business, responsibility may still move through the contractual chain if the correct check has not been completed.
Operators that fail to establish the required defence can face civil penalties of up to £60,000 per worker.
Does my PCO licence prove that I can work?
No.
Your PCO licence confirms that you meet TfL’s licensing requirements to drive a private hire vehicle in London. Those requirements include matters such as identity, DBS checks, medical fitness, licensing history, and relevant assessments.
A right-to-work check is separate. It confirms that you are legally allowed to work in the UK.
This distinction is important if you are applying for an Uber driver licence London opportunity, joining a private hire operator, or working through more than one app.
What do you need to give your operator?
The correct evidence depends on your nationality and immigration status.
If you use an online immigration status
For many drivers, the correct method is to provide a share code through the Home Office online right-to-work service.
Your operator should use the official service to check your status and confirm:
- Your identity
- Whether you have permission to work
- Any restrictions on the type or amount of work
- The date your permission expires, if it is time-limited
A screenshot of your immigration status may not be enough. The operator normally needs to complete the check through the prescribed online process.
You should give the operator the share code and the personal details needed to match the record. Only provide this information through a secure channel approved by the operator.
If you are a British or Irish citizen
British and Irish citizens will commonly prove their right to work through an original acceptable document, such as a valid passport or another document from the approved list.
The operator should:
- Check the original document in your presence, or use the approved digital process where applicable.
- Confirm that the document belongs to you.
- Check that the photograph and personal details match.
- Record the date of the check.
- Make and retain a clear copy for the required period.
You should not be asked to hand over your original passport permanently. The operator should inspect it and return it to you.
Your right-to-work document checklist
Before you begin work with an operator or platform, prepare the following:
Online check checklist
- Home Office share code
- Your date of birth
- The name that matches your immigration record
- Any relevant immigration documents or Home Office correspondence
- Details of restrictions or expiry dates
- A secure way to send the information
Manual document checklist
- Your original passport or another accepted document
- Any supporting document required for your status
- A clear photograph or copy, if requested as part of the compliance check
- Your current contact details
- Information about any time-limited permission to work
Keep your own records
It is sensible to keep a private record of:
- The date you provided your share code or documents
- The operator or platform that completed the check
- Any expiry date or follow-up check date
- Emails confirming that the check was completed
Do not store sensitive documents in an unsecured phone gallery or send them to unknown people. If an operator uses WhatsApp or another messaging service, ask how your information will be stored and who can access it.
Why might you be asked more than once?
You may need to complete more than one check if you work with multiple operators or platforms.
For example, you could drive:
- Through one private hire operator during the week
- For a second operator at weekends
- Through an online matching service
- As a subcontractor for another licensed business
Each organisation may have its own legal responsibility for checking the drivers it engages. One operator cannot always rely on a check completed by another operator.
You may also be asked to complete a follow-up check if your permission to work has an expiry date.
This does not necessarily mean there is a problem with your status. It may simply mean that a different organisation has to meet its own compliance duties.
Insider Tip: Keep your share code process and documents ready before you start onboarding. A valid PCO licence may show that you are licensed to drive, but it does not remove the operator’s separate right-to-work responsibility.
What if your immigration status changes?
Tell every relevant operator promptly if your right to work changes.
This could include:
- A visa or permission expiring
- A new application being submitted
- A change in the conditions attached to your permission
- A successful application for a different status
- A Home Office decision affecting your right to work
Do not continue working on the assumption that an old document remains valid.
If you have made an application before your previous permission expired, you may have additional evidence available through the Home Office checking process. Speak to the operator and provide the updated information they request.
The important point is to be open and accurate. Do not alter documents, use another person’s share code, or provide an old document as if it were current.
What if the operator asks for too much?
An operator is allowed to complete a right-to-work check, but the process should be relevant and proportionate.
Be cautious if someone asks you to:
- Send your passport to an unknown address
- Pay a separate fee simply to complete the check
- Provide unrelated personal information
- Share your documents with a person who cannot explain their role
- Use an unofficial website instead of the approved checking method
- Provide documents that do not relate to your right to work
- Continue sending documents repeatedly without explaining why
Ask the operator:
- What type of check are you completing?
- Which documents or share code do you need?
- How will my information be stored?
- When will the check be completed?
- Will I need a follow-up check?
A legitimate operator should be able to explain the process clearly.
What if the operator has not asked for a check?
Do not assume that no request means no check is needed.
The operator may be updating its onboarding system, or it may not yet understand the new rules. Contact them before accepting work and ask whether they have completed your right-to-work check under the rules that apply from 1 October 2026.
You can say:
“I hold a valid TfL private hire driver licence. Please confirm what right-to-work check you need from me before I start driving and whether you require a share code or original documents.”
This creates a clear record and helps avoid delays when you are ready to begin.
The operator remains responsible for its own compliance. You should not be expected to solve the operator’s legal process, but providing accurate evidence quickly will help your onboarding run smoothly.
Keep your licensing and training documents organised
Right-to-work evidence is only one part of becoming a London private hire driver.
You may also need to manage:
- Your TfL registration
- DBS documentation
- Medical forms and appointments
- Topographical assessment preparation
- SERU requirements
- Application updates and follow-ups
If you are still working through your TfL PCO application, PCO GO can help you organise the wider process. Our PCO licence application support includes document checking, TfL application assistance, DBS guidance and medical appointment support.
If you need help with the map assessment, our topographical training in London provides one-to-one preparation, route planning practice and exam techniques. Sessions are designed to help you feel more confident before your PCO test.
You can also learn more about the SERU assessment and preparation if that requirement applies to your application or renewal.
Five steps to take today
- Confirm how your immigration status is proven.
Check whether you need a share code or original documents. - Contact every operator or platform you work with.
Ask what process they use for their driver checks. - Provide accurate information securely.
Do not use an old share code or send documents to an unknown person. - Record the date and result of each check.
Note any follow-up date or expiry date. - Tell operators about changes promptly.
If your status changes, provide updated evidence before continuing work.
The new rules may create extra administration, but they do not automatically prevent you from working. For most drivers, the key is simply understanding that a PCO licence and a right-to-work check are separate requirements.
If you would like help with the wider licensing process, contact the PCO GO team for practical guidance.
FAQs
Do I need a right-to-work check if I already have a TfL PCO licence?
Yes. From 1 October 2026, an operator or relevant platform may need to complete its own check, even if TfL has already checked your eligibility to hold a private hire driver licence.
Do I have to provide a share code?
If your right to work is recorded digitally, a share code may be the correct evidence. British and Irish citizens may commonly use original acceptable documents instead.
Will every operator ask me for the same documents?
Not necessarily. Each operator or platform may have its own responsibility to complete a compliance check. You may be asked more than once when working with multiple businesses.
Can an operator keep my passport?
An operator should inspect your original document and make a copy where required. You should not normally be asked to surrender your passport permanently.
What happens if my right to work expires?
Tell the operator immediately and provide updated evidence. Do not rely on an expired document or continue working without confirming your current position.
Can I start driving before the operator checks me?
You should wait until the operator confirms that the required check has been completed. Ask the operator for clear confirmation before accepting bookings or providing services.