Vehicle licences for taxis or private hire vehicles

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Overview

If your vehicle is being used as a taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) you need to get it licensed.

You can be prosecuted if you drive a vehicle as a taxi or PHV without a vehicle licence.

A PHV can only be pre-booked. Taxis can also be hired at a rank or hailed in the street.

Your vehicle must be licensed by the same authority who issued the taxi or PHV driver licence. This is either:

  • your local council if the vehicle will be used outside of London
  • Transport for London (TfL) if the vehicle will be used in London

There is a different process for licences in Northern Ireland and licences in Scotland.