RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
Basildon
Basildon Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026
- Driver licensing
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
A dated independent review of Basildon's council application page reports a three-year combined hackney-carriage/private-hire driver licence, a council knowledge test and a Group 2 medical after the test at a clinic approved by the council. It reports medical review every five years up to age 65 and annually from 65, with a shorter interval possible where the examining doctor requires it. The council's current application page was not independently retrievable during this review, so applicants must confirm the current DBS, English, safeguarding, evidence, provider and payment requirements directly with Basildon before booking or paying.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
In its 2026 Department for Transport return, Basildon reported age standards, rear-window light-transmission requirements and daily roadworthiness checks for taxis and private-hire vehicles, and permitted CCTV in both fleets. It reported no DBS requirement for non-driver vehicle owners. Exact limits and the operative application checklist remain withheld because located July 2026 committee material was a recommendation to Cabinet, not proof of final adoption.
- Operator licensing
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
In its 2026 Department for Transport return, Basildon reported 33 private-hire operator licences. It said dispatcher and booker DBS checks are required and that operators must retain 11 of the 12 booking-record fields surveyed; the exception reported was the driver's name, while the driver licence number and vehicle registration must be kept. It answered no for a required policy on employing people with convictions. The return recorded a dedicated taxi and private-hire policy updated in 2026, but the separately located July 2026 committee material only recommended policy changes to Cabinet. This authority-reported return is not a complete application checklist; confirm the operative policy, application process, licence term and fees with the council.
- Licensing fees
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
Secondary evidence only: TaxiTools, checked by its publisher 1 August 2026, reports driver new fees £225/£255/£297 for one/two/three years and renewal £113/£159/£195. Reported vehicles: HC new £390, renewal £375; PH new £340. Its PH £325 row is interpreted as renewal despite an alleged council mislabel, so that interpretation is not confirmed here. Operators reported for 1, 2–10 and 11-plus vehicles: one-year £110/£180/£300, five-year £300/£750/£1,250. TECSI could not independently access the linked council fee page; confirm amounts with licensing before payment.
- Taxi tariff
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
PHTM's September 2026 trade table reports a two-mile tariff-1 fare of £7.60. This is a secondary benchmark only, not an adopted full council fare specification. Initial charge, distance/time pulses, waiting, extras and holiday schedules remain unverified; do not extrapolate this single example into other journey prices.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official route/source found
On 14 July 2026 the Licensing Committee rejected a proposal to remove the topographical element from a separate private-hire driver route, so the existing local-knowledge arrangements were retained at that stage. The wider 2026–31 policy was still moving through adoption, so applicants should confirm the operative test and approved driving-assessment provider with the council.
Withheld or still needing confirmation
- Final adoption and commencement of the wider 2026–31 policy were not established. Current application steps, fees, vehicle and operator rules and fare card remain withheld.
- Secondary source only; current council page could not be independently read. Full application requirements remain to be verified.
- Secondary transcription is not proof of current adopted fees. Official page returned403; vehicle duration and PH renewal label unresolved.
- The DfT return does not provide a complete current operator application checklist, licence term or fee schedule; July 2026 committee recommendations are not presented as adopted policy.
- April2026 notice proposed a variation for11May2026; final operative full card not recovered.
- Secondary benchmark is partial evidence only; calculator remains unavailable from this record.
- Exact age and glazing thresholds, application documents, inspections and fees require an operative council source.