Taxi licensing

Taxi licenses are also known as Hackney carriages and private hire driver licence.

Hackney carriage licences

A Hackney carriage can ply for hire in the street. They must display Taxi and For Hire signs. They do not need to be pre-booked.

There are 2 types of Hackney carriage licence:

1. Hackney carriage vehicle licence
   This licence is valid for 12 months. The vehicles must be mechanically examined at our Oakwood Hill MOT test centre prior to the issue of the licence and at times specified in the licence conditions.
2. Hackney carriage driver’s licence
   Driver licences for Hackney carriage and private hire driver licences are issued for 3 years. Operator licenses are issued for 5 years. A search at the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is also made.

Guidance to new applicants and existing licence holders

• Public hire licence applications guidance (pdf 849KB)
• Private hire vehicles application guide (pdf 11KB)
• Hackney carriage driver’s licence guidance (pdf 126KB)
• Hackney carriage vehicle licence conditions (pdf 124KB)
• Private hire driver’s licence guidance (pdf 176KB)
• Private hire operator licence conditions (pdf 119KB)
• Private hire vehicle licence conditions (pdf 121KB)