Oxford taxi and private-hire licensing

RESEARCHED AUTHORITY

Oxford

Oxford Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026

Driver licensing

Official route/source found

The council advises applying at least two months before renewal expiry with current DVLA, right-to-work and photograph evidence, plus the checks specified in the application pack.

• Renewal guide

Vehicle licensing

Official route/source found

New HC/PH vehicle applications require an Oxford Direct Services Certificate of Compliance no more than 28 days old, motor insurance naming only Oxford-licensed drivers, and V5 pages or a new-keeper slip/purchase receipt. Check age, emissions and seating eligibility with the council before purchase. An imported vehicle's V5 CO2 entry of zero is not accepted as proof of low emissions. Private-hire plate exemption requires advance council approval before testing and is intended for chauffeur account work, not standard private hire. Once the application is valid, an officer arranges plate collection and the paper licence is emailed.

• New taxi vehicle application guide

Operator licensing

Official route/source found

Oxford issues operator licences for up to five years. Applicants must establish planning permission or confirmation that none is required for their operating address, and check the trading name is not already used or significantly similar to another licensed operator. The application requires the council local knowledge/safeguarding test pass, county safeguarding/disability-awareness training certificate, company HMRC check code, each business partner's right-to-work evidence and Basic DBS issued within 28 calendar days before submission. Applications and payment are submitted online; incomplete applications require correction before issue. The council page lists £87 for its knowledge/safeguarding test; this is not the operator licence fee.

• New private hire operator application

Licensing fees

Official route/source found

Oxford formally agreed its 2026/27 taxi-licensing schedule. The appendix sets the base licence charges at £405 for a three-year hackney/combined driver licence and £360 for three-year private hire, with one-year charges of £135 and £120. Hackney vehicle licensing is £472 (£354 ULEV); private-hire is £309, £190 for fully electric and £112 for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Private-hire operator charges are £577/£1,154 for one year or £2,886/£5,772 for five years, split at three vehicles. The schedule also lists mandatory safeguarding/disability training £55 and knowledge/safeguarding test £87. The current driver application page displays higher bundled application totals because it includes council checks, badge and administration; provider-paid DBS, medical and practical-assessment costs remain additional.

• Council decision agreeing taxi licensing fees for 2026/27
• Appendix 1: General Purposes Licensing fees and charges 2026/27
• Current driver fee page

Taxi tariff

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

Official page: operative 22 February 2024. T1 £2.80 first 53.6m, 10p/started 47.3m until 1609m, then 80.4m until 6432m, then 48.7m; waiting 10p/started 18s. T2 £3 first 46m, 10p/46m until 2208m, then 80.5m until 6432m, then 48.7m; same waiting. T3 £3 first 64.3m, 15p/64.3m until 1608m, then 80.4m until 6432m, then 73.1m; waiting 10p/12s. T1 weekdays 06–22, Saturday 06–18; T2 printed nights 22–02 (Saturday 18–02) and public holidays; T3 daily 02–06 and festive windows 24Dec20–27Dec06 /31Dec20–2Jan06. Sunday daytime is not assigned clearly. Extra-charge sections conflict: passengers 20p/30p, bicycles £1/£2, soiling £50/£70. These cannot be silently reconciled; verify before quoting extras.

• Current maximum fares operative 22 February 2024

Mandatory qualifications

Official route/source found

Safeguarding and disability training renews every three years. New driver applicants must pass the driving-standard assessment before applying; Oxford Direct Services is the named local provider.

• Renewal guide
• Driving assessment