SERU vehicle licensing questions: free practice

What the vehicle licensing chapter covers

Section 2, “Licensing Requirements for PHVs”, covers licence discs, insurance, collisions and vehicle information letters. It also says the vehicle must be kept in good condition, not just clean on the outside.

Five rules to know

• Licence discs are fixed to the front and rear windscreens and must not be damaged, changed or removed, even for private use (p.12).
• If the discs are missing, badly damaged or spoilt, you cannot use the vehicle as a PHV (p.12).
• A PHV licence lasts one year and the vehicle needs another inspection before a new licence is issued (p.12).
• Every PHV needs hire or reward insurance that is valid whenever the vehicle is used as a PHV (p.13).
• Show your insurance details to the police when asked, and give them to a passenger or member of the public after a collision (p.13).

Five sample questions

These are original practice questions written from the public PHV Driver’s Handbook. They are not real SERU questions. Pick an answer before you read the answers section below.

1. You find a long scratch across the licence disc on your PHV's rear windscreen. The scratch makes part of the disc hard to read. What is the position?

• A. You cannot use the vehicle for private hire until the disc is replaced.
• B. You can keep working if the front disc is still perfect.
• C. You can keep working but must tell passengers about it.
• D. You can keep working if you cover the scratch with tape.

2. What type of insurance must every PHV have?

• A. Social, domestic and pleasure insurance for the registered keeper.
• B. Hire or reward insurance, valid whenever the vehicle is used as a PHV.
• C. Third-party insurance that only covers the vehicle at night.
• D. Any insurance that covers the driver's own car at home.

3. A police officer stops you and asks to see details of your insurance for the PHV. What must you do?

• A. Say that your operator will send them within a month.
• B. Refuse, because only TfL can ask for insurance details.
• C. Make the insurance details available to the officer.
• D. Show the officer your driving licence instead.

4. You are in a minor collision with a cyclist in Hackney. The cyclist asks about your insurance. What must you do?

• A. Say they must ask the operator tomorrow.
• B. Give only your name and phone number.
• C. Wait until the police ask you to share it.
• D. Give the insurance details to the cyclist.

5. You own your PHV. A van scrapes it and the damage changes the look of the car. By when must you tell TfL?

• A. Within 72 hours of the collision.
• B. Within 21 days of the collision.
• C. Before the next time you renew your badge.
• D. Within seven days of the repair.

Answers

1. A. A PHV cannot be used for private hire if a disc is badly damaged or its appearance is spoilt. (damaged discs, p.12)
2. B. Every PHV must have hire or reward insurance. (hire or reward insurance, p.13)
3. C. You must make insurance details available to the police when they ask. (insurance and police, p.13)
4. D. If your vehicle is in a collision you must give insurance details to a passenger or member of the public. (collision and insurance details, p.13)
5. A. An owner must tell TfL within 72 hours of a collision that affects the vehicle's safety, performance, appearance or comfort. (reporting collisions, p.13)

Practise the vehicle licensing chapter

These five questions come from our free sample. Section 2 has 15 free questions and more with a pass. See also: SERU study guide.

• Practise this chapter
• Free SERU Mock 1: 37 questions, 45 minutes, with scores
• Passes for the full question bank

Sources

• TfL: PHV Driver's Handbook (PDF)
• TfL: SERU for private hire drivers