Taxi and private hire licensing

About private hire and hackney carriage licences

Hackney carriages (taxis) and private hire vehicle offer similar services, but operate in a different way.

Hackney carriage

Hackney carriage is the official term used for a taxi.

Hackney carriages can:

  • carry passengers for hire or reward
  • be hailed by prospective passengers in the street
  • park on a rank to await the approach of passengers

You can only drive a hackney carriage if you have a hackney carriage driver's licence.

Private hire

A private hire vehicle (minicab) is:

  • a motor vehicle built or adapted to seat fewer than nine passengers, which is not a hackney carriage or public service vehicle
  • carries passengers for hire or reward by prior booking

You can only drive a private hire vehicle if you have a private hire driver's licence.

Private hire vehicles can only take bookings through a licenced private hire operator.

Licensing

Address: Causeway House
Bocking End
Braintree
Essex
CM7 9HB

Telephone: 01376 552525

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