Hackney carriage or private hire quick guide

This guide is intended to supplement the council's taxi licensing policy which can be found on our Taxi licensing page.

The Borough Council is responsible for licensing all hire vehicles which operate within the district, which are provided with a driver and operate with less than nine passenger seats.

There are two types of vehicle:

• public hire vehicles (hackney carriages)
• vehicles which are only available by prior booking arrangement (private hire vehicles)

Although the description 'taxi' should only be applied to a hackney carriage any hire vehicle is usually known as a 'taxi' by the public.

Private Hire vehicles may only undertake journeys in response to advance bookings. The Council is also responsible for granting private hire Operators' licences for the premises at which these bookings are made.

Once a vehicle has been licensed as a taxi or private hire it can only be driven by a licensed driver. The Borough Council is responsible for the licensing of the drivers of both classes of vehicle.

As provided for in Section 75(2) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 the Licensing requirements do not apply:

• where a vehicle is used for bringing passengers into the District where the contract for hire was made outside the District, providing the vehicle is not made available for hire within the District
• to a vehicle used in connection with funerals or wholly or mainly by a person who is a funeral director, for the purpose of funerals
• when the vehicle is being used in connection with a wedding ceremony