Which licences does a taxi business need?
Drivers need a driver licence, every vehicle needs a vehicle licence, and a business that takes private hire bookings needs an operator licence. Taxi-only firms that work from ranks need driver and vehicle licences but no operator licence.[1][2]
What do councils check before licensing a driver?
Whether the applicant is a 'fit and proper person': an enhanced DBS check, driving record, medical, right to work and often a local knowledge test and English test. Applicants usually need to have held a full driving licence for at least 12 months.[2]
How many licences are there?
On 1 April 2026 England had 417,300 taxi and private hire driver licences, 290,000 licensed private hire vehicles and 52,300 licensed taxis, according to the Department for Transport.[3]
All guides in this section
Guides
- Private hire operator licence: requirements, records and feesWho needs one, checks, records councils require, sub-contracting and fees across 11 councils.
- Hackney carriage vs private hire: what is the difference?Hailing, ranks, pre-booking, fares, meters, licences and the law in one table.
- How much does a taxi licence cost in the UK?Driver, vehicle and operator fees from 13 authorities' own pages, plus DBS, tests and other costs.
- Taxi knowledge test: what it covers and how to passWhat councils test, which require it, the Knowledge of London, fees and preparation.
- How long does it take to get a taxi licence?DBS, medical, tests, training and inspections: what takes the time and how to plan.
- Taxi business license: what a taxi company needsOperator, base and booking-service licences compared across six places.
West Midlands
- Taxi and private hire licensing in Wolverhampton52,378 driver licences, more than any council outside London: why, fees, and what it means for operators.
- Taxi and private hire licensing in Birmingham574 taxis and 6,376 PHVs (Apr 2026), how its rules differ, fees.
- Taxi and private hire licensing in Walsall47 taxis and 1,250 PHVs (Apr 2026), how its rules differ, fees.
Yorkshire and The Humber
North West
- Taxi and private hire licensing in Manchester1,068 taxis and 3,072 PHVs (Apr 2026), how its rules differ, fees.
- Taxi and private hire licensing in Rochdale87 taxis and 2,012 PHVs (Apr 2026), how its rules differ, fees.
- Taxi and private hire licensing in Wirral136 taxis and 944 PHVs (Apr 2026), how its rules differ, fees.
East of England
United States
- Taxi and for-hire licensing in New York CityTLC driver license, medallion cabs vs for-hire bases, base requirements and fees.
- How to open a TLC base in New York CityBlack car, livery and luxury limo bases: bond, fees, documents, 10-vehicle minimum.
- How much does a taxi medallion cost?NYC medallion prices month by month in 2026 from TLC's own sales charts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a licence from one council to work in another area?
A private hire journey must be booked through an operator licensed by the same authority as the driver and vehicle, but it can start and end anywhere. Taxis can only ply for hire in the area that licensed them.
How long does a taxi licence last?
In England and Wales driver licences are usually issued for 3 years and operator licences for up to 5 years; vehicle licences are often annual. Renewing needs an HMRC tax check.
Sources
Fees and rules change. Each source is the official page we read, with the date we read it; check it before you apply or pay.
- [1] GOV.UK: Operator licences for private hire vehicles (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [2] GOV.UK: Driver licences for taxis and private hire vehicles (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [3] Department for Transport: Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2026 (published 13 August 2026) (read 2 Nov 2026)