Key facts
How does a taxi meter work?
It adds up a fare from a starting charge, distance travelled and time (especially waiting time), switching between rates by time of day, day of week or other tariff rules. An app meter does the same with the phone's GPS and the fleet's tariff loaded into it.
What does the law say about taximeters in private hire vehicles?
Outside London, section 71 of the 1976 Act does not require a private hire vehicle to have a taximeter, but if one is fitted the vehicle may only be used for hire if the council has tested and approved it. In London, section 11 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 says no licensed private hire vehicle may be fitted with a taximeter, defined as a device that calculates the fare from distance or time since the journey began.[1][2]
Can I use a meter app instead of a hardware meter?
Ask your licensing authority before you rely on one, and in London ask TfL whether your set-up counts as a taximeter under the 1998 Act. For taxis, councils set their own meter rules and charges: Leeds City Council, for example, charges £10 to check and seal a meter.[2][3]
What does the TaxiDex driver app's meter do?
Fare, distance and time count live on the fleet's own tariff, in the fleet's currency and units, and the fleet decides whether the meter is on at all. For a street pickup the driver can start the meter without a booking, and the job is recorded as cash by default; each completed job shows the total, the driver's share and the fleet's commission, with a PDF receipt.
The app can also pair with a Bluetooth taximeter dongle and read the fare aloud during a trip. See the driver app and fares and tariffs.
Frequently asked questions
Is a taxi meter app legal?
It depends where and for what work. Outside London a private hire vehicle may only use a taximeter the council has tested and approved; London private hire vehicles must not be fitted with a taximeter; taxi meter rules are set by each licensing authority. Ask yours before relying on an app.
Does a meter app work without internet?
GPS works without mobile data, but syncing the job to dispatch needs a connection; check how your app handles signal loss before relying on it.
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] legislation.gov.uk: Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, section 71 (taximeters) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [2] legislation.gov.uk: Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, section 11 (prohibition of taximeters) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [3] Leeds City Council: Taxi and private hire licensing costs (meter check and seal) (read 2 Nov 2026)