PHV Topographical Skills

Who must take the TfL topographical assessment?

Applicants for a London PHV driver licence must normally satisfy the topographical requirement by passing this assessment unless TfL accepts a current concession. It is part of the PHV driver application rather than a general driving test.

Why does TfL require it?

Section 13(3) of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 requires applicants to show an appropriate level of knowledge of London or parts of London and general topographical skills. TfL's March 2026 policy identifies this assessment as the normal route to satisfying that requirement.

Is it the same as the taxi Knowledge of London?

No. The Knowledge of London requires taxi applicants to develop significant retained route knowledge and pass a separate examination process. The PHV assessment tests public map-reading and route-planning skills on a digital map.

What are the seven current sections?

Route Planning essentials; planning a route between two locations; understanding map symbols; finding places of interest; finding specific streets; identifying road numbers; and compass points and directions.

What are Route Planning essentials?

The current guide describes true-or-false questions based on a route-planning scenario. It does not publish their number or a separate mark allocation.

What are the three route-planning questions?

One short route, one short route affected by a road closure and one long route. Candidates use a digital map to plan the most direct route from a green start marker to a red end marker.

How can a plotted route lose marks?

TfL publicly lists four risks: not starting or ending in the right place, planning the route in reverse, not following the most direct route, and following a route or making a turn prohibited by the map symbols.

How are routes marked?

A skilled Topographical Assessor marks the routes, then a different assessor performs a quality-assurance check. The points available for each route question are shown in the assessment rather than itemised in the public guide.

What happens in the other map sections?

Candidates view an onscreen map image and select the appropriate answer or answers. Some questions require one answer and some require two. A map reference page explaining symbols may be provided when needed.

What is the current scoring structure?

The assessment is scored out of 100. The three route-planning questions carry 66 marks and the remaining questions share 34 marks. The pass mark is 60% or above.

How many total questions are there and how long is it?

The current TfL page, April 2026 guidelines and March 2026 driver policy do not publish a total question count or duration. This guide therefore records both as unpublished.

Why does this guide not say 31 questions or two hours?

Those figures appeared in older TfL material about an earlier format. The current 2026 public sources omit both figures and publish a revised seven-section structure, so the historical numbers are not presented as current.

Do I need to practise atlas indexes and grid references?

The old 2019 guidance explicitly named atlas indexes and grid references, but the current April 2026 guide does not. Current preparation should follow the seven published digital-map sections. General systematic map search remains useful, but an atlas-index section is not claimed here.

Which map product or edition is used?

The current public guide says candidates use an onscreen digital map and may receive a map reference page. It does not name a map supplier, dataset or edition, so this guide does not assume one or reproduce proprietary map artwork.

How many attempts are allowed?

TfL's March 2026 policy says applicants are normally allowed three attempts. After a third failure the application will normally be refused; a person who wants to try again must make a new application, with no defined waiting period stated for that reason.

What happens after repeated non-attendance?

The current policy says three failures to attend without reasonable justification normally result in refusal of the application.

Who may receive a concession?

The current policy names applicants who passed a TfL topographical assessment in a previous application, licensed All London or Suburban taxi drivers, and professional London tourist guides such as a Blue Badge Driver Guide. Other cases may be considered individually.

Does a vocational qualification create an exemption?

Not under the former general concession. TfL removed the relevant-vocational-qualification concession for applications received on or after 1 February 2020. TfL retains case-by-case discretion, but a qualification should not be assumed to create an automatic concession.

When and where is the assessment held?

The current webpage lists TfL driver assessment centres at Pier Walk and West Kensington. The March 2026 policy says the topographical assessment is scheduled for the same day as the PHV applicant's speaking-and-listening test and SERU assessment. The candidate's appointment communication controls.

Are reasonable adjustments available?

Yes. TfL says adjustments are tailored to the individual. Candidates should raise the need when booking and be ready to provide a brief outline of the condition and documented evidence from a relevant professional.

Are the planned 601 items an official assessment count?

No. The 601 total is a future Pass Harbor authoring allocation across the seven public skill sections. It is not a TfL question count, mark allocation or full-mock specification, and no question bank has been created here.