DBS UPDATE SERVICE: Taxi drivers warned to keep payment details up to date or risk licensing issues

Taxi drivers have been warned to keep their payment details up to date when signing up to a new regular DBS checking service or risk issues with their current taxi licences.

Licensing authorities recently introduced new criminal record checks every 6 months on taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers. It is widely recommended that all drivers sign up to the DBSUS (Disclosure and Barring Service Up Service) to streamline the process. By joining the service, it allows licensing authorities to run checks on individual driver records at regular intervals.

Any cabbies that do not sign up to the DBSUS must apply for a new DBS Check every 6 months. Licensing experts Taxi Plus also warned that licensing authorities can no longer issue temporary licences whilst waiting for these important checks to be completed.

To join the automatic regular DBSUS, drivers must input valid payment details. Once subscribed, the £13 annual fee saves drivers time and money, but they must ensure card details do not expire.

Should the card payment method expire during the course of the cab driver's licensing period, drivers MUST act fast to update with a new payment method.

John Garforth, Institute of Licensing Vice Chairman, told TaxiPoint: “Drivers should be mindful of cards expiring and look out for an email from DBS asking them to update their card. Failure to do so will result in the requirement for a brand-new DBS certificate causing possibly impacting on licences.”

Garforth added: “The fiasco of manual DBS certificates and a flawed update service continues. DBS tell me that it will be late 2023 before the glitch that has caused the issuing of several hundred manual certificates will be fixed. I have been pressing for the update service payments to be switched to direct debits rather than taking from the card. This is promised to be investigated but not until after the manual certificates issue is dealt with.”

Taxi and PHV drivers who have joined the DBSUS do receive a warning email if their card payment method has expired. The email warns if a new payment is not received within two-weeks then the subscription will be cancelled.

As a result, employers and licensing authorities will not be able to make a check against any of the DBS certificates and the subscriber may need to pay again and apply for a new DBS check.