RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
Preston
Preston City Council · Sources checked 9 September 2026
- Driver licensing
- Official route/source found
Current shared application route for hackney-carriage and private-hire drivers.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official route/source found
Current new and renewal vehicle application route.
- Operator licensing
- Official route/source found
Current new and renewal private-hire operator route.
- Licensing fees
- Official route/source found
Driver £129-£176 new and £106-£152 renewal for one to three years. Vehicle £196 new or £151 renewal. Operator grant £137-£686 and renewal £125-£675 by term and fleet size.
- Taxi tariff
- Current council tariff checked
Council scale effective 1 October 2026: tariff 1 (Monday-Saturday 07:00-22:00) starts at £2.20 for 380 yards, then 20p per 145 yards, changing after 2.5 miles to 20p per 130 yards. Tariff 2 (night, Sunday and ordinary bank holidays) starts at £2.80 for 380 yards; the council page omits the distance increment before 2.5 miles, so the calculator withholds this band. Tariff 3 (specified Christmas/New Year periods) starts at £4.40 for 380 yards, then 40p per 145 yards. Waiting on each tariff is 40p per minute or part. Additional passengers and chargeable luggage add 20p each; soiling maximum £50. Distance estimates retain the stated rounding limitations.
Tariff content checked 17 October 2026.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official route/source found
English and maths tests, local knowledge test, BTEC/VRQ Level 2 professional driver qualification, CSE training, enhanced DBS/update service, DVLA check, Group 2 medical and right-to-work evidence are required.