RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
Maidstone
Maidstone Borough Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026
- Driver licensing
- Official route/source found
Maidstone issues separate private-hire, hackney-carriage and dual driver licences. A valid application requires the council form and fee, a full DVLA or qualifying overseas driving licence held for at least one year, a Group 2 medical, a DVLA check code, identity/right-to-work evidence, an enhanced DBS check and the other suitability evidence specified by the council. New drivers must pass the appropriate Maidstone taxi knowledge test before applying, an approved driving assessment (including the wheelchair element where applicable) and the mandatory EQUO test. The knowledge test covers the council policy, Highway Code, customer care, local roads, routes and places of interest, with hackney/dual applicants also tested on byelaws. Applications and renewals are checked against NR3.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official route/source found
Supply V5C and insurance and book the council compliance test. Vehicle licences renew annually; accidents must be reported within72 hours by the proprietor.
- Operator licensing
- Official route/source found
Pre-booked work requires an operator licence, including airport transfers. Licences are offered forone,three orfive years. Home operations may need planning permission.
- Licensing fees
- Official route/source found
Current published annual vehicle HC/PH fees£379/£350. Five-year operator new/renewal£638/£536; three-year£446/£362; one-year£257/£170. The source still quotes outdated DBS Update pricing, so that external fee is not repeated.
- Taxi tariff
- Council fare table found; units need confirmation
Council page shows £3.80/£5.70/£7.60 starting charges for 495 metres, with 20p/30p/40p distance or 20-second waiting increments. Tariffs cover ordinary day, night/Sunday/holiday and stated festive periods. The tariff-three row gives 105 metres alongside 125 yards, which disagree. Calculations remain unavailable pending clarification; no legal commencement date is stated.
Tariff source and content reviewed 17 October 2026.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official route/source found
The council taxi-licence test must be passed before driver approval; pay the application and email the receipt to arrange it. Additional EQUO requirements need full extraction.
Withheld or still needing confirmation
- Complete driver policy and numeric tariff ambiguity require resolution; no automatic fare promotion.
- Use the live council application route for current forms, accepted assessment providers, fees and case-specific supporting evidence.