Transport & Logistics UK-wide

Run a taxi or private hire business: licensing and compliance

If you run a taxi (hackney carriage) or private hire (minicab) business, your vehicles, drivers and — for private hire — your booking operation must be licensed by the local council, which sets its own conditions, fees and vehicle standards. Drivers need an enhanced DBS check and must pass a fit and proper person test. This guide covers the taxi and private hire regime on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide.

Guide summary

You must get separate licences from your local council for each vehicle, driver, and (for private hire) your booking operation. Drivers need an enhanced DBS check and must pass a fit and proper person test. Fees, conditions and vehicle standards vary by council — check yours before you apply.

  • Get a separate licence for each vehicle and each driver
  • Get a private hire operator licence if you take bookings
  • Check your local council’s fees, standards and conditions
  • Drivers must pass an enhanced DBS check and fit and proper test
  • Vehicles need a council compliance test as well as an MOT
  • Older vehicles may need testing twice a year
  • In London, use Transport for London not the borough council
  • Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules
On this page

This guide is for taxi and private hire businesses. Three things are licensed separately: the vehicle, the driver, and — for private hire only — the operator who takes bookings. Licensing is run by the local council, not a national regulator, so conditions, fees and vehicle standards vary from area to area. The universal workplace duties are in Set up and run a safe land transport operation. This guide covers the taxi and private hire licensing regime.

The framework below is for England and Wales outside London. In London, taxis and private hire are licensed by Transport for London (TfL), not a borough council — private hire under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 and hackney carriages under the London cab order regime — so check TfL's requirements if you operate in the capital. Scotland licenses taxis and private hire under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, and Northern Ireland has its own regime — check the position for your area if you operate outside England and Wales.

A. Vehicle licence — hackney carriage or private hire

A hackney carriage can be hailed in the street or wait at a rank. A private hire vehicle (PHV) must be pre-booked. Each is licensed by the council under a different statutory power, and the vehicle must meet the council's standards.

B. Private hire operator licence

If you take bookings for private hire vehicles, you need a private hire operator licence and must keep records of every booking — the vehicle, driver and journey. Hackney carriage work taken off the rank or by street hail does not need an operator licence, but pre-booked work does.

C. Driver checks: enhanced DBS and fit and proper person

Drivers must pass an enhanced DBS check (with the children's and adults' barred lists where the council requires it) and a fit and proper person assessment before the council grants a driver's licence. Most councils require enrolment on the DBS update service for ongoing monitoring.

D. Vehicle inspection and testing

Licensed taxis and PHVs must pass a council compliance test in addition to the MOT, often more frequently for older vehicles. The council sets the standard, so check your authority's testing intervals and emission requirements.

  1. 1

    What to do next

    Confirm the universal duties in the spine guide are in place, check your council's specific conditions, then complete the land transport compliance checklist.

Official sources

Authoritative guidance for taxi and private hire businesses.