Taxis (Hackney Carriages) and Private Hire Hackney Carriage and Private Hire
We issue both hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licenses, however, many people are unaware of the difference between the licence types as the vehicles can look very similar. Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles have different conditions applied to the licence. Where a vehicle is operating outside of its licence conditions and/or relevant legislation this can invalidate the insurance and put the customer at serious risk.
The main differences between them are listed below. Further information is also available in the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2023-2027.
Hackney carriage vehicles
A hackney carriage is more commonly called a ‘taxi’. Taxis are licensed to stand for hire at a taxi rank or can be hailed in the street within the administrative area of the council with which it is licensed. For the purposes of licensing a taxi with us, the relevant licensable area is the whole administrative area of Shropshire Council.
Since 1 April 2021, all taxis licensed by us are required to be wheelchair accessible.
As well as being licensed to stand for hire at a taxi rank or being hailed in the street, a licensed taxi may also undertake pre-booked journeys without having to work through a licensed private hire operator.
Taxis must be insured for public hire or taxi (hackney carriage) use, which permits them to ply for hire by standing at a taxi rank or being hailed in the street, as well as being pre-booked.
A taxi can be licensed for up to eight passenger seats.
In addition to the above, taxis licensed by us:
- Will display external plates at the front and rear of the vehicle, identifying the vehicle as a hackney carriage, showing the licence details on a white background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Will display an internal plate in the front windscreen on the passenger side or on the partition for purpose-built vehicles where a partition is fitted, identifying the vehicle as a hackney carriage, showing the licence details on a white background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Will have a roof sign bearing the word 'TAXI'
- Will be fitted with a meter. This meter must have been calibrated to our table of fares or a lower table of fares. A copy of our table of fares must be displayed within the vehicle, along with the relevant table of fares where the meter is set to a lower tariff
- Will display a wheelchair accessible sign
- Will have a ‘No Smoking’ sign on display
Private hire vehicles
A private hire vehicle can only be used to complete journeys where the booking has been received by a licensed private hire operator. Records of the bookings undertaken by private hire vehicles must be kept by the licensed private hire operator. The operator receiving the booking must be licensed by the same authority which licenses the vehicle and driver dispatched to fulfil the job. However, operators can sub-contract to another operator outside the local authority area.
A private hire vehicle cannot be used to ply for hire, stand on any taxi rank, or be hailed in the street.
A private hire vehicle will be insured for private hire. If a private hire driver accepts a fare off the street without it being pre-booked through the licensed private hire operator, they are liable for prosecution. It's also important to note that any journey in a private hire vehicle that has been ‘flagged down’ is likely to be uninsured.
In addition to the above, private hire vehicles licensed by us:
- Will display external plates at the front and rear of the vehicle, identifying the vehicle as a private hire vehicle, showing the licence details on a yellow background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Will display an internal plate in the front windscreen on the passenger side or on the partition for purpose-built vehicles where a partition is fitted, identifying the vehicle as a private hire vehicle, showing the licence details on a yellow background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Will display door signs on the front driver and passenger doors showing Shropshire Council’s logo, private hire licence number and the maximum number of passengers the vehicle can carry
- Must not have a roof sign
- Don’t require a meter
- Where the vehicle is wheelchair accessible, will display a wheelchair accessible sign
- Will have a ‘No Smoking’ sign on display
Example of our private hire vehicle licence plates:
Executive private hire vehicles
We will consider permitting a vehicle to be licensed as an executive private hire vehicle where:
- The vehicle is in immaculate condition, in a uniform colour, with no visible defects and free from dents, scratches or rust to the external bodywork or internal trim and seating
- Has a high level interior trim and leather seating
- Is large enough to carry at least 3 adult passengers and their luggage
- Has air conditioning or climate control
- Has alloy wheels
- Is maintained to a very high standard
We do not provide a list of specific vehicles that can definitely be considered appropriate to be licensed as executive private hire vehicles, however, vehicles should be classed as a large family vehicle, be of saloon, estate, hatchback or people carrier type.
Where a vehicle has been licensed as an executive private hire vehicle, any bookings taken must be paid for on account. No payment can be made to the driver of the vehicle at time of hiring. The type of work that is considered ‘executive service’ includes, but is not restricted to:
- Exclusive business to business contracts, i.e. to transport employees and clients on business related journeys under a written contract to a company or person.
- Bookings for certain clients (for example politicians and celebrities) who, for security or personal safety reasons, would not want the vehicle to be identifiable as a private hire vehicle.
- Bookings for certain clients who want to hire an executive vehicle at a premium rate, where the applicant can demonstrate that the vehicle is used solely for the purposes of this type of hire.
Where a vehicle has been licensed as an executive private hire vehicle, the vehicle:
- Will display a small external plate at the rear of the vehicle, identifying the vehicle as an executive private hire vehicle, showing the licence details on a gold background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Will display an internal plate in the front windscreen on the passenger side or on the partition for purpose-built vehicles where a partition is fitted, identifying the vehicle as an executive private hire vehicle, showing the licence details on a gold background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Must not display a roof sign
- Must not be fitted with a taxi meter
- Where the vehicle is wheelchair accessible, will display a wheelchair accessible sign
- Will have a ‘No Smoking’ sign on display
Example of our executive private hire vehicle licence plates:
Novelty private hire vehicles
Vehicles that can be considered for a novelty private hire vehicle licence are stretched limousines, vintage vehicles and other novelty vehicles, e.g. fire engines, ice cream vans etc.
Where a vehicle has been licensed as a novelty private hire vehicle, vehicles must only be used for special events, which are defined as the provision of a vehicle or vehicles for events such as but not limited to weddings, proms, anniversaries, birthdays, stag and hen parties and not for ‘normal’ or general-purpose private hire use.
Where a vehicle has been licensed as a novelty private hire vehicle, the vehicle:
- Will display a small external plate at the rear of the vehicle, identifying the vehicle as a novelty private hire vehicle, showing the licence details on a yellow background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Will display an internal plate in the front windscreen on the passenger side or on the partition for purpose-built vehicles where a partition is fitted, identifying the vehicle as a novelty private hire vehicle, showing the licence details on a yellow background with the Shropshire Council logo
- Must not display a roof sign
- Doesn’t require a meter
- Will display a wheelchair accessible sign where the vehicle is wheelchair accessible
- Will have a ‘No Smoking’ sign on display
Example of our novelty private hire vehicle licence plates:
