Inside the Knowledge: What it takes to become a licensed London black cab driver in 2025
- Perry Richardson
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Learning to drive a London black cab begins long before the wheel is in your hands. Starting the process in 2025 means more than meeting basic criteria. Drivers must be at least 21, hold a full DVLA licence, and legally be allowed to work in the UK. An enhanced criminal record check follows. A medical must ensure the applicant meets TfL’s health standards. Once past these stages, the candidate attends a pre‑licensing talk covering regulatory and equality obligations, such as the new safety, equality and regulatory understanding assessment (SERU) introduced in October 2025 .
Following eligibility checks, applicants embark on the renowned Knowledge of London. This remains an intense multi‑stage testing process requiring memorising 320 core “runs” within a six‑mile radius of Charing Cross, noting half‑mile points of interest, streets and landmarks. Typical preparation takes two to four years, sometimes longer for those juggling work or family, and many trainees cite it as one of the hardest qualifications they have attempted.
Training and takes place with the help of specialist Knowledge schools. Candidates ride mopeds or motorbikes along complex routes while quizzing peers in classrooms packed with laminated A‑Z maps. Exams begin with a written test before moving on to oral “appearances”. These one‑to‑one sessions test the candidate’s ability to recite the shortest route, naming every street, junction, roundabout and landmark in real time.
Progress follows a strict seven‑stage path: initial self‑assessment, written exam, successive appearances, suburban route exam, and a final pre‑licensing interview. Candidates who complete all central runs can ply for hire across Greater London and receive a green badge.
Exam performance is ruthless. Routes must avoid one‑way streets and early missteps result in a zero score. Only after successfully demonstrating knowledge of suburban and central runs within a six-mile radius of Trafalgar Square does TfL issue the licence.
Successful trainees then obtain a Metropolitan taxi licence and badge and must purchase or rent a vehicle meeting TfL’s Conditions of Fitness. These specify a tight eight‑metre turning circle and wheelchair accessible capabilities. Today, most new cabs are plug‑in hybrids or electric LEVC TX models.
Earning the licence marks the start of a career built on flexibility and deep local knowledge. Licensed black cab drivers, sometimes called “mushers” if they own their cab, benefit from self‑employment and can earn between £40,000 and £50,000 per year. Those working more hours may earn larger sums. The trade remains diverse. In Knowledge schools across London, trainees come from many backgrounds — former firefighters, delivery drivers, women, and individuals from across the world.
Yet the black cab trade faces challenges. Numbers of licensed drivers have fallen sharply over the past decade—from around 25,000 to fewer than 17,000 by early 2025.
Despite pressure to simplify the Knowledge or encourage use of GPS, advocates insist on its value. It remains a meritocratic system: success depends entirely on one’s understanding of London’s streets, not on a smartphone or connections. Many candidates describe the process as demanding, yet profoundly rewarding.
By 2025, becoming a black cab driver requires exceptional memory, endurance, and commitment. It is a professional journey rooted in London’s streets and history. Those who succeed gain more than a licence. They join a tradition dating back to Victorian times, operating vehicles that meet modern environmental requirements. For them, every journey brings new stories, new people, and the reward of mastering one of the world’s most demanding transport qualifications.
