Taxi Licensing

Taxis (Hackney Carriages), and Private Hire Vehicles together with their drivers and Private Hire Operators are licensed by local authorities. See the latest Taxi Newsletter in the Documents section on the right. This contains relevant information for both new applicants and existing drivers.

Licensing provides a visible assurance to the public that the vehicle has been checked for safety and that the driver has been checked medically, and is a fit and proper person to hold a licence. Drivers take a driving test and have a criminal records check undertaken on them before their licence is issued.

Disabled Access

The majority of taxis and private hire vehicles are 'wheelchair friendly' in that the average saloon car can accommodate a wheelchair in the boot. However, for a list of companies that can supply 'wheelchair accessible' vehicles please see the document on the right of this page.

Hackney Carriage/Private Hire

Both driver and vehicle licenses are issued by the department. Our major concerns are the safety of the public and the provision of an effective and accountable taxi service.

Broxtowe Borough Council licenses two types of vehicles:

Hackney Carriages & Private Hire Vehicles.

You may refer to them both as Taxis but legally they are not the same thing. All Broxtowe Taxis have a plate attached to the front and rear of the vehicle telling you if it is a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle

Hackney Carriage

Can be hailed from the street
Can operate from taxi ranks
Do not need to be pre-booked
Must have a meter and a fare table displayed

Private Hire

Cannot be hailed in the street
Cannot use taxi ranks
Must be pre-booked
Ask for an estimate of the fare

If you get into a Private Hire car without pre-booking it (ie if you stop it or find it in the street) you may not be covered by insurance. Private Hire drivers call this flying and they know they are breaking the law. If you are involved in an accident you will experience difficulty in claiming for any damages or injuries sustained.

What To Look For From Your Driver

All drivers licensed by Broxtowe Borough Council are issued with a badge displaying their photograph and licence number which they must wear. If the driver does not have a badge DO NOT get into the car.

Current Hackney Carriage Fares

Please view the current fare table by clicking the link on the right.

Changes to Legislation

Changes on private hire and taxi licensing have been introduced by Broxtowe Borough Council as a result of a change in national legislation by the Government.

Since 28 January 2008 Limousines, airport travel, chauffeur services, novelty vehicles, executive hire, park and ride and other operators must now be licensed by the Council.

Vehicle operators not already licensed and working in the above fields must now contact the Council as soon as possible. Businesses and drivers working whilst not properly licensed could face prosecution, with significant fines and costs. Vehicles previously exempted from being licensed under seven-day contracts now come under the new laws and must be licensed by the Council for the area they operate in.

New licensing laws mean the Council can carry out safety checks on vehicles and their drivers to ensure public safety. People hiring vehicles will be safer in the knowledge that businesses are licensed and drivers have been Criminal Records Bureau vetted by the Council.

Further information can obtained by contacting the enforcement officers in the Licensing Section.