Thurrock taxi and private-hire licensing

RESEARCHED AUTHORITY

Thurrock

Thurrock Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026

Driver licensing

Official route/source found

Hold a full DVLA licence for one year, provide right-to-work, enhanced DBS and Update registration, applicable tax checks and Group 2 fitness. Overseas residence of six continuous months since age ten requires criminal-record evidence. A restricted private-hire licence permits school contracts only.

• Council licensing guidance

Vehicle licensing

Official route/source found

The final policy effective 1 December 2025 requires application, V5C, ownership or permitted leasing evidence, MOT, approved-garage test sheet, insurance and a basic DBS unless already a Thurrock-licensed driver. Petrol vehicles require Euro 4 and diesel Euro 6; vehicles licensed on 1 December 2025 have a transition until 1 December 2027. Private-hire classic vehicles and limousines have explicit emissions exemptions. Hackneys normally must be wheelchair accessible, with a defined pre-February-2014 proprietor replacement exception that ends on transfer. Hackney wheelchair loading is side-door only. Hackney inspections are initial, annually through age three, six-monthly over three through six, and four-monthly thereafter. Existing wheelchair hackneys must be replaced by wheelchair vehicles. Private-hire third-row access may be accepted with advance passenger warning; this exception is not applied to hackneys. Licence duration is twelve months.

• Taxi and PHV vehicle policies by licensing area (TAXI0108)
• Current adopted taxi policy: vehicle standards

Operator licensing

Official route/source found

Apply or renew online with the completed form, Basic DBS unless already a council-licensed driver, and fee. Renewals and same-type applications to another authority require an HMRC tax-check code. A base outside Thurrock needs the relevant council's operator licence; controlled vehicles and drivers must share the operator's licensing authority. Published annual/five-year fees, effective 1 April 2025, are: one vehicle £90/£410; 2–5 £295/£1,405; 6–10 £615/£2,905; 11–20 £910/£4,305; 21+ £1,130/£5,355. The current hub links the policy running 1 December 2025–30 November 2030.

• Current published fees effective 1 April 2025
• Operator application
• Operator base and current policy

Licensing fees

Official route/source found

Thurrock's current fee page says its taxi-licensing charges are valid from 1 April 2025. New combined hackney/private-hire driver licences are £215 for one year or £510 for three; renewals £175/£470. New private-hire-only driver licences are £160/£335 and renewals £120/£295. Annual hackney and private-hire vehicle licences are £323 and £359, reduced to £273 and £309 for wheelchair-accessible vehicles; compliance testing is £47. Five-year operator charges range from £410 for one vehicle to £5,355 for 21 or more, with one-year alternatives. DBS is £64, an additional knowledge test £28, and replacement charges are listed separately. No later-dated replacement schedule was found on the live page checked 13 September 2026.

Taxi tariff

Official route/source found

Effective 26 August 2022. All six bands initially cover 114.95m, alternatively a time allowance or combination. Ordinary ≤4 passengers: £3.20/48s, then20p per159.3m/48s to9.65km, thereafter30p per178.75m/48s. Ordinary >4 or night/Sunday/public-holiday ≤4: £4.80/36s, then30p per170m/36s, thereafter40p per186m/36s. Higher-period >4: £7.20/24s, then40p per176.36m/24s, thereafter60p per193.1m/24s. Festive ≤4: £6.40/24s, then40p per175.85m/24s, thereafter60p per193.1m/24s. Festive >4: £9.60/18s, then60p per182.5m/18s, thereafter80p per200.22m/18s. Every band changes distance step at9.65km. Night is22:00–06:00 Monday–Saturday; Sundays/public holidays all day. Festive:24Dec18:00–27Dec06:00 and31Dec18:00–2Jan06:00. Dogs50p except assistance dogs; tolls/congestion actual; soiling charge possible, amount unspecified. Prices include VAT. Out-of-borough fare may be agreed before departure.

• Current official maximum fare table effective 26 August 2022

Mandatory qualifications

Official route/source found

Knowledge, language, safeguarding/CSE and disability requirements apply. Restricted school-contract testing omits unrelated route/numeracy topics and substitutes specified online safeguarding/disability courses for PATS.

• Council licensing guidance