Taxi and private hire

COVID-19: Changes to Licensing services

Support and guidance for taxi and private hire vehicle businesses

Taxi and private hire licensing

If you want to carry passengers for hire and reward – the reward could be money or not – using a vehicle with eight passenger seats or fewer, you will need a licence. For example, a hotel offering a pick-up or drop-off service will need a licence, even if the passengers don’t pay a fee.

There are two main types of vehicle that we can license for public hire:

Private Hire – with this licence, you can only work from private hire operators base
Hackney Carriage – with this licence you can work from the town’s taxi ranks and be hailed on the street. Hackney carriages can also work through a private hire operator

For private hire or hackney carriage work, both the driver and vehicle must be licensed. A driver of the vehicle may also need an operator’s licence if they are taking private hire bookings directly.

Report an accident involving a taxi

This online form can be submitted by or on behalf of the driver of the vehicle or any other affected party.

Report an accident involving a licensed vehicle

Complain about a taxi

Use this online form to complain about a taxi driver, a taxi vehicle or a taxi operator.

Make a complaint about a taxi

Access to public computers in Cheshire East

There are public access computers in most libraries in Cheshire East and the Crewe and Macclesfield Customer Service Centres.

Department Of Transport - Covid-19 Guidance

Please see the following for information on the current situation regarding the continued working of taxis and private hire vehicles:

Taxis and private hire vehicles can continue to work. But the advice is absolutely clear - people should stay at home if possible. That is the way to save lives and protect our NHS. The public should avoid travel unless absolutely essential. The only reasons to leave our houses are set out in the government guidance.

Clearly if absolutely necessary to travel by taxi or private hire vehicle, best efforts should be used to follow the guidance as far as is practically possible, including washing your hands as soon as you get home.

Critical Worker Status

Taxi and private hire drivers should not generally be considered Critical Workers. Those undertaking Home to School transport or the transport of ‘extremely vulnerable’ people may be considered Critical Workers on a case-by-case basis. Critical Workers should also whenever possible make suitable arrangements for their children to stay at home; requests for children to attend school should be discussed with the school.”