Spelthorne taxi and private-hire licensing

RESEARCHED AUTHORITY

Spelthorne

Spelthorne Borough Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026

Driver licensing

Official route/source found

The council publishes new and renewal application routes and the2024–2029 policy. Medical assessment includes Group2 requirements; diabetic applicants complete the additional declaration. A tax check applies on relevant renewals.

Vehicle licensing

Official route/source found

Current policy effective 4 December 2024 requires annual council Vehicle Inspection Tests and MOTs annually once over one year, increasing to six-monthly above five years. Application/renewal MOTs must be within 14 days; officers assess advisories and normally require their rectification within a month. Since 1 October 2025 new licences require ULEZ compliance (Euro 4 petrol/Euro 6 diesel) and a maximum licensing age of 15 years. Renewals of vehicles licensed when the policy was adopted also have a 15-year limit. From 1 October 2028, new non-wheelchair vehicles must be zero-emission electric with no age limit; new wheelchair vehicles must be ULEZ/electric compliant with a 15-year limit. That future date is not a present electric-only rule. Vehicles require at least four passenger doors. The adoption minutes permit only factory-fitted tinted glass and confirm the previous first-aid-kit/fire-extinguisher mandate was removed.

• Current official vehicle licensing requirements and policy evidence
• Current official vehicle licensing requirements and policy evidence
• Council vehicle conditions or application guidance

Operator licensing

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

Policy effective 4 December 2024 applies fitness checks to every operator director/partner and normally grants five-year licences, shortened to immigration permission where necessary. Operators must demonstrate right to work and use matching council operator/driver/vehicle licences. New applicants need safeguarding, child-exploitation and county-lines training completed within the preceding 12 months; existing operators refresh every three years, initially by 1 October 2025. Existing driver training certificates can be reused. Virtual offices are accepted conditionally where head-office digital records can be supplied without delay. The policy's DBS wording needs clarification: §10.4 first requires basic disclosure from non-driver operators but then mandates Update Service subscriptions and six-monthly status checks for all licence holders, without clearly separating operator-only applicants. These unambiguous training and premises rules are confirmed, but the full DBS application route remains partial.

• Current linked operator application

Licensing fees

Official route/source found

Current page updated20July2026 lists new HC driver one/three years£275/£464 and PH£280/£466; renewal HC£260/£505 and PH£262/£494. Annual HC/PH vehicle£287/£270; operator one/five years£385/£1,082. Exact fee commencement date is not stated.

Taxi tariff

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

The official chart states effective 24 November 2025 but contains conflicting mileage figures. Its detailed pulses are T1 £3.70 for the first 120 yards or 21 seconds, then 20p per additional interval; T2 £5 then 30p for the same intervals. Uncompleted parts are chargeable. T1 covers 06:00–22:00; T2 covers 22:00–06:00 and national public holidays except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, when T3 doubles T1. However printed first-mile figures £6.43/£7/£12.86 and subsequent-mile £2.93/£4/£5.86 do not all match the pulse arithmetic, so calculator use is withheld pending clarification. Extras are 30p each additional passenger, animal or externally carried luggage item; assistance dogs and card payment free; soiling £100. Out-of-borough negotiated fares must be agreed before departure.

• Current public fare guidance
• Official chart effective 24 November 2025

Mandatory qualifications

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

The council confirms licensed drivers undergo enhanced criminal-record checks, medical fitness checks, borough-knowledge, basic English/numeracy tests and a driving assessment. This public-facing source establishes those components but not licence-class differences, training providers, safeguarding/disability modules or refresher intervals. These remain explicit gaps pending review of the operative 2024–2029 policy.