East Cambridgeshire taxi and private-hire licensing

RESEARCHED AUTHORITY

East Cambridgeshire

East Cambridgeshire Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026

Driver licensing

Official route/source found

One- or three-year private-hire/joint licences require driving entitlement held12 months, right to work, enhanced DBS underthree months or appropriate Update record, Group2 medical underfour months and DVLA consent. Good-conduct evidence applies where UK residence has not been continuous forfive years.

• Current driver

Vehicle licensing

Official route/source found

Vehicle licences run for twelve months. New applications require V5, authorised-garage compliance certificate sent directly to the council, appropriate insurance, and Basic DBS unless already a council-licensed driver. Hackneys require a sealed/calibrated meter and installation certificate. V5 should show M1 and the current keeper; a keeper slip with purchase receipt or a new-vehicle purchase/lease receipt can substitute initially. Non-standard/limousine vehicles or those without M1 need Individual Vehicle Approval. Include private-hire plate-exemption documents where applicable. Transfers require the former licensee's written consent, new proprietor insurance and relevant DBS. Replacement vehicles need fresh compliance/insurance and applicable approval/meter documents.

• Current vehicle application guidance

Operator licensing

Official route/source found

Official 2025 current-version policy uploaded January 2026, Part 4, requires application/fee, fitness checks for all company or partnership applicants, in-person right-to-work evidence and proof planning permission is granted or unnecessary. The operating base must be inside the district; an alternative booking location needs a new application, not a licence transfer. Basic DBS must be less than three months old on application and renewed annually; current council-licensed drivers with valid driver DBS are exempt. Applicants with fewer than five UK-resident years also need embassy good-conduct evidence. Enhanced DBS cannot be demanded for operator-only licensing, although existing enhanced/Update Service evidence can be accepted. Public-access booking premises need public liability insurance, and every vehicle needs appropriate motor insurance. Licences are offered for one or five years, subject to shorter personal/immigration limits. Operator, driver and vehicle licences must match the issuing authority.

• Current official operator licensing requirements and policy evidence
• Council operator application checklist

Licensing fees

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

The 19 November 2025 committee resolved to implement driver/operator fees immediately and adjust payments from 1 April 2025. One-year joint HC/PH or standard PH driver new/renewal £160/£120, excluding stated DVLA/DBS checks; restricted SEND driver one/three years £90/£270. Operator one-year fees for 1, 2–5, 6–10, 11+ vehicles are £126/£156/£186/£216; five-year equivalents £627/£737/£847/£957. Reduced vehicle fees were separately subject to consultation; its final outcome is not verified here, so those proposed amounts are not quoted as payable.

• 19 November 2025 fee decision reproduced in February 2026 pack
• Approved driver/operator fee report
• Vehicle fee consultation and unchanged operator bands

Taxi tariff

Official route/source found

The official card records a council resolution on 19 November 2025 and effect from 3 December 2025. Tariffs 1/2/3 begin at £4.20/£6.20/£8.00 for the first 960 yards, then 25p/25p/35p for each started 160 yards. Day rate is 07:00–21:00 Monday–Saturday; tariff 2 covers nights, Sundays and bank holidays; tariff 3 covers the printed Christmas and New Year windows. Waiting is printed as a combined distance/time meter increment, so no unsourced standalone waiting formula is inferred.

• Taxi fares 2025 web card

Mandatory qualifications

Official route/source found

Enhanced driving assessment normally within12 months and local knowledge are listed. Private-hire-only applicants have six months after grant to provide the driving-assessment and knowledge documents; joint applicants need them before validation.

• Current driver