RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026
- Driver licensing
- Official route/source found
Verified PH requirements: age21+, full licence held two years, enhanced DBS with both barred lists and Update Service monitored six-monthly; initial certificate within three months. Medical from GP with full records initially, at45, five-yearly to65 then annually. Negative drug screen initially and three-yearly. Overseas conduct evidence required for residence abroad since18; right-to-work and NR3S checks apply.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official route/source found
Request the PH vehicle application from licensing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. Supply V5 (or bill of sale on first licensing), MOT/Certificate of Compliance where applicable, and insurance covering private-hire use. The vehicle must pass the nominated examiner's mechanical inspection, arranged through Licensing. Present application, fee and documents on or before test day; after passing, return with test evidence, required operator/private-hire livery and plate bracket fitted. The guidance names Adams Morey, Burrfields Road. An approved fire extinguisher is required. Missing or late test attendance can incur a cancellation charge; the first retest is free, but another failure attracts a further charge.
- Operator licensing
- Official route/source found
Request application from licensing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. Supply company details, criminal-record evidence, planning permission where required, proposed vehicles/drivers and fare table; allow premises inspection. Current web guidance uses obsolete CRB terminology, so confirm present DBS procedure with licensing.
- Licensing fees
- Official route/source found
From1April2026: HC vehicle354GBP; HC driver one/three years185/434GBP. PH vehicle225GBP; PH driver133/349GBP; operator one/five years868/3996GBP. Knowledge/safeguarding34GBP per attempt, English23GBP, drug screening50GBP.
- Taxi tariff
- Official route/source found
Council vehicle supporting-documents page currently links the18July2022 fare chart. Calculator integration is separately reviewing staged distances and fare thresholds; unrestricted whole-route pricing is not approved by this record.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official route/source found
PH applicants take knowledge/safeguarding modules covering licence conditions, disability, child exploitation and safeguarding; oral and written English; practical driving assessment with disability/wheelchair awareness.
Withheld or still needing confirmation
- Hackney driver webpages appear incorrectly duplicated from vehicle guidance; driver summary explicitly PH only.
- Vehicle detailed conditions not verified.
- Fare threshold and six-mile wording require reconciliation for unrestricted calculator.
- The current application page still links the 2021-path guidance. Age/emission changes and current fee amounts have not been independently reconciled; verify before purchase.
- Insurance must cover the actual private-hire activity; do not substitute public-hire-only cover.
- Preserve prior verified fields.