RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
Reigate and Banstead
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026
- Driver licensing
- Official route/source found
Private-hire applicants provide right-to-work evidence, DVLA licence, enhanced DBS/Update details, photograph, residency declaration and Group2 medical. Overseas residence of six continuous months since16 requires authenticated criminal-record evidence. New drivers must maintain DBS Update registration for six-monthly checks.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official route/source found
Council approved the vehicle-policy changes on 25 September 2025. Zero-emission vehicles are exempt from the under-7 first-licensing restriction, subject to other requirements. The former three-inspections-per-year rule at age 7 was removed at renewal/immediately. Vehicles need 4–8 passenger places with manufacturer-fitted three-point belts; category A/B/S write-offs are refused, while category N may qualify after proper repair. Only approved CCTV installations are permitted from 1 April 2026 and are inspected annually. Mandatory HC CCTV and latest London ULEZ compliance for all applications/renewals start 1 April 2027, not yet. HC card-payment facilities are required without payment-method surcharges.
- Operator licensing
- Official route/source found
New operators apply online with payment, planning consent or confirmation none is required, commercial occupancy evidence, public liability cover where customers can enter, and lists of locally licensed vehicles and drivers. The council requires criminal-record disclosure under six months old for named individuals/directors/partners; existing drivers on the Update Service can arrange a council check. Right-to-work evidence applies to individuals/partnerships, and tax-check information is requested. Applicants must pass an in-person safety/suitability test demonstrating booking arrangements, records, safeguarding and disability awareness; electronic booking systems must be demonstrated rather than screenshots. The page offers one- or five-year licences.
- Licensing fees
- Official route/source found
1April2026–31March2027 listed totals: three-year driver new£317/renewal£297; annual vehicles underthree£231/overthree£277. Vehicles overseven are renewal-only. HC/PH knowledge tests£74/£51. The explanatory component sums on the council page do not match driver totals; retain this warning.
- Taxi tariff
- Official route/source found
The current passenger page links the14April2025 fare card. Ordinary Monday–Saturday07:00–22:00 begins£5.50 for the firstmile, then20p per additional106 yards or35 seconds waiting, including incomplete increments. Higher bands apply; full band review remains outstanding.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official route/source found
An approved virtual-classroom safeguarding certificate is required. Full knowledge-test and hackney-carriage-specific requirements remain to be extracted.
Withheld or still needing confirmation
- Operator fees/conditions and complete vehicle specifications not extracted.
- Fee explanatory sums inconsistent; do not silently reconcile.
- Calculator review found a tariff conflict: literal 20p per started106 yards gives £8.90 at2 miles, but page2 prints £8.80; night likewise £10.80 versus £10.60. Automatic calculation remains held pending reconciliation.
- Preserve previously verified fields.
- The application page retains a Disclosure Scotland link; this enrichment does not endorse that outdated application route. Current fee and full ongoing conditions remain to be checked.
- Council's older vehicle hub and 2024 PDF omit adopted ZEV exemption and inspection amendments; use the adopted timetable, not blanket under-7 or three-inspection claims.
- Full replacement annual/interim schedule and current application fees not reconciled in this enrichment.
- Preserve prior verified fields.