Private Hire

Private hire vehicles can only be driven by licensed private hire drivers.

Restricted private hire driver's CAN drive any licensed private hire vehicle but ONLY for the purpose for which they are licensed. Drivers with the condition 'Home to School Transport Contract Work Only' on their licence can drive a red private hire vehicle but only for school runs.

Private hire drivers CANNOT drive a licensed hackney carriage vehicle without having a hackney carriage driver licence.

Any further advice on this issue please contact a member of the licensing team.

Please note the legislation and case law that endorses these requirments.

( It is interesting to note that a garage mechanic CANNOT drive a private hire vehicle for test purposes on the public highway, unless he holds a private hire driver licence himself. It is otherwise illegal. Ed.)