What Happens If You Fail the SERU Assessment? Attempts, Re-sits and Next Steps

Not passing SERU first time is frustrating, but it isn't the end of your application — as long as you use your next attempt well.

How many attempts you get

Private hire applicants currently get two attempts at the SERU assessment. If you don't pass within two, TfL cancels your licence application. You'd then have to start again — reapplying and paying the fees a second time — which costs far more than preparing properly for the first attempt.

At the time of writing, TfL charges £40 for a first SERU attempt and £30 for a re-sit. Always confirm current fees with TfL before you book.

Work out why you didn't pass

Before you rebook, be honest about what went wrong:

• Did you run out of time? Often a sign of relying on the handbook too much. See our open-book tips.
• Did one topic catch you out? Safeguarding and equality scenarios trip up people who only memorised definitions.
• Did the sentence-completion or reading questions feel unfamiliar? Practise those formats specifically.

Prepare differently for the re-sit

Don't just repeat the same questions. Go back through each topic in the SERU study guide, then practise under timed conditions until you're comfortably above the 60% pass mark across several different sets. The free SERU practice tests are a good start; SeruPass Pro adds full-length timed mocks and saves every mistake so you can retry them.

Your re-sit is your last attempt before starting over, so book it only when you're consistently passing. Check TfL's SERU guidance for the current process. SeruPass is an independent study app.