Taxi and Private Hire licensing

All hackney carriage (taxi) and private hire (minicab) drivers and vehicles operating in Spelthorne must be licensed. Application forms, guidance and information on the terms and issues involved can be found here.

About taxi licensing

Although the public can use both vehicles there is a difference in the way they are operated and licensed.

Hackney Carriages (or 'taxis')
- can be hired on the street or at taxi ranks.
- do not need to be pre-booked over the phone, although this is possible.
- display a roof sign that says 'Taxi'.
- have a square WHITE licence plate with the Spelthorne logo on the rear bumper of the vehicle with the details of the vehicle.
Public hire motor insurance is required before a licence is issued.

Private Hire Vehicles (sometimes referred to as 'mini cabs')
- MUST be pre-booked through a licensed Private Hire Operator before they can be used.
- are not permitted to have a roof sign.
- MUST display a WHITE rectangular licence plate with the Spelthorne logo on the rear bumper with full details of the vehicle.
Private hire insurance motor insurance is required before a licence is issued.

Information for applicants

Click on the link below for application forms and guidance on how you can apply for a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle, driver or operator's licence, related services, together with their fees and charges

Taxi and private hire application pack (Pdf 332kb)

Information for members of the public

Below are details of checks that are made on drivers and their vehicles and how to ensure drivers and vehicles are licensed.

Taxi and private hire drivers can only be issued with the relevant licence if they are found to be ‘fit and proper people to be issued with a licence’.   All drivers have to obtain an enhanced Criminal Record Bureau check before they can be licensed. To do this all applicants must produce two forms of photographic ID, including their driving licence. They also have to have a medical to HGV and PSV standard with their GP, take a geographic knowledge test of locations in the borough and a separate test on licence conditions, i.e. their responsibilities as a taxi/private hire driver and rules regarding their vehicle.

Below are links for the licence conditions and requirements documents

Private Hire Licence - Conditions of licence (Word 168kb)
Private Hire Licence application requirements (Word 162kb)
Hackney Carriage Licence application requirements (Word 163kb)
Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence - Conditions of licence (Word 160kb)

When licensed, all vehicles must display a licence plate issued by the Council, a square plate for hackney carriages (taxi) or a rectangular plate for private hire. There should also be a double-sided laminated badge in the front windscreen showing details of the vehicle.   The driver should display his own ID badge bearing his photograph and licence number and expiry date of the licence.

Taxis

Taxis operate on a meter tariff controlled by the Council.   Details of the current tariff and taxi rank locations are available.

For any journeys starting and finishing inside the borough, the meter must be used. For any journeys starting or finishing outside of the borough, the metered fare applies unless the fare has been agreed before the journey starts.

If you have any questions or comments on taxi or private hire matters please feel free to contact the Council's licensing section on 01784 444202 or 446439 or by e-mail at environmental.health.commercial@spelthorne.gov.uk

Further information on taxi restriction policies can be found at www.oft.gov.uk