Taxi and private hire licensing

Any hackney carriages (taxis) or private hire vehicles that wish to operate in Harborough district must be licensed by us. Separate licences will be required for vehicles, drivers and operating companies.

The purpose of licensing is to ensure the safety of the public, by checking that the drivers are fit and proper, and that the vehicles they drive are safe, suitable and reliable.

Potentially, any vehicle and driver that can be hired to carry up to eight passengers for reward will be required to be licensed, subject to a small number of exemptions. The majority of chauffeur driven hire cars, executive hire vehicles, stretch limousines, and small school transport vehicles are required to be licensed, in addition to vehicles used for more general taxi work.

What is the difference between a hackney carriage and a private hire vehicle?

Legally, hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are treated as two separate entities, and the way in which they can operate is very different. We are required to set the standards and conditions that apply to each type of vehicle, which are generally used to give each a different appearance. Both types of vehicles must display plates; issued by us on the back of the vehicle. Yellow plates are issued to hackney carriages, and green plates to private hire vehicles.

Drivers of both types of vehicle must also wear their licence badge; while working. In Harborough district. Green badges are issued to drivers eligible to driver private hire vehicles only and yellow and green combined badges are issued to dual drivers who can drive both hackney carriage vehicles and private hire vehicles.