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TfL SERU Practice Questions: London Private Hire Drivers

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  • Two A4 PDFs (question bank, and answers and notes) and one self-marking HTML file that opens in any modern web browser and works offline
  • Version 1.0.0, free updates to that version
  • Every source linked, last checked 9 November 2026
Cover pages of the TfL SERU practice questions, with the summary of the assessment

291 original practice questions on the ten sections of TfL’s PHV Driver’s Handbook, for London private hire (minicab) drivers preparing for the SERU assessment, each with the answer, an explanation and the handbook section or law it relies on.

Independent, not governmentChecked 17 sources

This pack is for anyone applying for, or renewing, a London private hire vehicle (PHV, minicab) driver’s licence who has to pass TfL’s Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding (SERU) assessment. It has 291 original questions across the ten sections of TfL’s free PHV Driver’s Handbook (Version 1.0), which TfL says the assessment is based on: licensing, vehicle licensing, private hire journeys, staying safe, driver behaviour, driving and parking in London, safer driving, equality and disability, safeguarding, and ridesharing. Styles include multiple choice, complete the sentence and short reading passages, all in our own words. Each question names the handbook section or the law (the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010, the Highway Code) it relies on.

The test format is as reported by operators; check your booking confirmation. TfL’s public pages do not give the number of questions, the time or the pass mark for the PHV test. The self-marking mock uses 37 questions in 45 minutes with a pass mark of 23 (60 per cent), as reported by operators Uber and Addison Lee in their 2023 driver guides; TfL has not confirmed this. In 2024 TfL said it would trial letting drivers use the handbook during the test (open book), and TfL’s page does not say either way now. The handbook dates from 2021, so 14 extra-practice questions (outside the mock) cover rules that changed since, such as the 2022 Equality Act duties to disabled passengers and assistance dog users, the DBS Update Service and the London-wide ULEZ.

Formats: Two A4 PDFs (question bank, and answers and notes) and one self-marking HTML file that opens in any modern web browser and works offline.

Version 1.0.0, checked 9 November 2026. Updates to this version are free.

What is inside

  • What is inside: the question bank PDF, the answers and notes PDF with the answer key, and the self-marking quiz
  • A page of the answers and notes PDF showing the answer, a one-line explanation and the source for each question
  • The self-marking quiz showing a practice question with the correct answer, the explanation and the source it relies on
  • How it works: download, practise, then check the explanation for every miss

Who makes this, and how it is checked

Made by
Plainfiles, run by TurboKast Ltd (company number SC881077), registered in Scotland. 29 Commercial Street, Dundee, DD1 3DG.
Checked
Against 17 official sources on 9 November 2026. Every source is linked below.
Reviewed
The free guide for this kit was reviewed by Liam Humphreys on .
If a file is faulty
We fix it, replace it or refund you. Terms of sale and refunds.
Who can buy
Buyers in the UK only, for now. Payment is handled by Stripe; you download the files straight after paying.

Written and designed by Plainfiles with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, then checked against the official legislation and guidance listed in the sources. How we write and check our work.

What is included

What it is not

  • These are original practice questions, not the real assessment. TfL has not endorsed or checked them, they are not TfL material, and they contain no questions from TfL’s online guide, any real test, past paper, app or course. Passing these questions does not guarantee a pass.
  • TfL does not publish the number of questions, time or pass mark for the PHV SERU assessment. The mock follows what operators report; check your booking confirmation.
  • It does not cover the English speaking and listening test or the topographical skills assessment, which are separate.
  • It is not legal advice. The law and TfL’s rules change, so check the sources before you rely on an answer.
  • It does not book your assessment or apply for your licence. You do that with TfL.
A man reads a book and makes notes at a kitchen table, a mug and a highlighter beside him.
Illustration. AI-generated image. About our images

Five sample questions from the bank

Copied word for word from the 291 questions in the kit. None of them is one of the 25 free ones. Pick an answer, then open it to see the explanation and the source.

Sample question 1

Section 2: Licensing requirements for PHVs

In exceptional cases a PHV may be exempt from displaying licence discs. What must the driver do then?

  1. Nothing, because the exemption is shown on the number plate
  2. Tell every passenger to check the vehicle on the TfL website before the journey starts
  3. Carry the exemption notice whenever the vehicle is used as a PHV
  4. Display a hand-written sign saying the vehicle is licensed
Show the answer

Answer C. Carry the exemption notice whenever the vehicle is used as a PHV

If a vehicle has an exemption from displaying discs, the driver must carry the exemption notice at all times while the vehicle is being used as a PHV.

Relies on: Handbook Section 2, Licences and licence discs; Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 s.10(3).

Sample question 2

Section 4: Staying safe

You have called 999 for an injured passenger who is now being violent. What does the handbook advise while you wait?

  1. Hold the person down until the police arrive
  2. Lock the person inside your vehicle
  3. Drive away and leave the person alone
  4. Move somewhere safe where you can still see them
Show the answer

Answer D. Move somewhere safe where you can still see them

Keep yourself safe first: stand somewhere out of reach but keep them in sight until help comes.

Relies on: Handbook Section 4, Drugs and alcohol.

Sample question 3

Section 6: Driving and parking in London

How can you identify a parking bay on a red route?

  1. By a flashing amber light
  2. By a “P” on the sign that goes with it
  3. By a taxi symbol painted on the road
  4. By a green line along the kerb
Show the answer

Answer B. By a “P” on the sign that goes with it

Parking bays on red routes have a “P” on their signs. The signs show when parking is allowed, for how long, and how soon you may return to the same section.

Relies on: Handbook Section 6, Red routes.

Sample question 4

Section 8: Being aware of equality and disability

TfL refuses your application for an exemption certificate. What can you do?

  1. Appeal to a magistrates’ court within 28 days
  2. Nothing: TfL’s decision cannot be challenged
  3. Ask your operator to issue the certificate to you instead of TfL
  4. Appeal to the DVLA within 7 days
Show the answer

Answer A. Appeal to a magistrates’ court within 28 days

A person aggrieved by a refusal to issue an exemption certificate may appeal to a magistrates’ court within 28 days beginning with the date of the refusal.

Relies on: Equality Act 2010 s.172(1).

Sample question 5

Section 10: Ridesharing

What should you do as soon as you pick up each ridesharing passenger?

  1. Introduce the passengers to each other by their full names
  2. Ask each passenger for their home address
  3. Ask each passenger to pay you in cash
  4. Confirm that each one booked a rideshare
Show the answer

Answer D. Confirm that each one booked a rideshare

To reduce problems, check with every passenger, as soon as you collect them, that they meant to book a rideshare.

Relies on: Handbook Section 10, Ridesharing.

What £12 adds to the free quiz

The free 25-question quiz is free to use and stays free. The kit gives you:

Sources and checking

Checked against these official sources on 9 November 2026:

Written and designed by Plainfiles with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, then checked against the official legislation and guidance listed in the sources. These kits are independent templates to help you organise your paperwork. They are not legal, tax or financial advice, are not issued or endorsed by any government body, regulator or council, and do not guarantee a licence, rating or any other outcome.

Free guides that go with this kit

Get the TfL SERU Practice Questions

£12

One-off purchase. Instant download. UK buyers only, for now.

Secure checkout by Stripe. You confirm at checkout that you want the download straight away.

Faulty file? We fix it, replace it or refund you. Terms of sale and refunds.