Wyre taxi and private-hire licensing

RESEARCHED AUTHORITY

Wyre

Wyre Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026

Driver licensing

Official route/source found

Wyre's dual driver licence permits both hackney-carriage and private-hire driving. Applicants must be at least 21, have the right to work, and have held a full UK driving licence for the immediately preceding two years. Before completing the other checks they must pass the council knowledge test, covering local roads and landmarks, taxi law and policy, safeguarding and the Highway Code. They then complete the application and disclosure, attend in person for the DVLA mandate, obtain an enhanced DBS certificate and register it with the Update Service within 28 days, provide a Group 2 medical from their doctor, right-to-work evidence and a current photograph, and pay the remaining fee. The council may periodically check both DBS and driving-licence status.

• Apply for a taxi driver licence

Vehicle licensing

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

The council’s vehicle guidance forms part of its taxi application pathway and requires licence holders to notify licensing within seven days when beginning work for a new operator. Use the full live route for all vehicle evidence and inspection conditions.

• Wyre council vehicle source

Operator licensing

Official route/source found

Current application guidance requires right-to-work evidence, entitlement to occupy the licensed premises, the fee, public-liability cover for a public booking office and employers' liability where staff are employed. A director not already a licensed driver supplies basic DBS every three years, as expressly stated locally. Current-linked standard conditions require booking records retained at least two years, including driver/vehicle licences, quoted fare and subcontracting identities; staff and complaint registers are also required. Booking offices must be in Wyre and drivers/vehicles must be Wyre licensed. Dispatch staff who are not licensed drivers complete the specified Lancashire child-sexual-exploitation training; the council may require further reasonable training in writing. Serious sexual, racist, violent or dishonest allegations are reported immediately. Notify an operating-address move within seven days; the licence cannot transfer and renewal is required before expiry. The source's three-year director DBS cadence is not silently replaced with a generic annual rule.

• Wyre council operator source
• Current official operator licensing requirements and policy evidence
• Current official operator licensing requirements and policy evidence

Licensing fees

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

The council’s live taxi fee page lists £264 for a new three-year dual-driver licence, £180 for a private-hire vehicle, £601 for a five-year private-hire operator licence and £25 for the driver knowledge test. Check the live page before payment.

• Wyre council fees source

Taxi tariff

Official route/source found

Current council-linked card operative17July2023: T1 £3.10 first140m or part, then20p each started140m; waiting20p per started35seconds. T2 £3.30 first110m, then20p each started110m; waiting20p per started30seconds. T2 applies Mon–Thu21:00–midnight, Fri19:00–midnight, Sat/Sun06:00–midnight, Mon–Fri06:00–07:00 and all statutory/bank holidays. Midnight–06:00 daily is T2 plus60p; festive24December18:00 to27December07:00 and31December18:00 to2January07:00 is T2 plus£3. Extras40p for outside-compartment luggage/perambulator, each passenger beyond one (two children3–12 count as one; younger ignored), and dog except assistance dog; soiling£50. Variable fuel surcharge40p when diesel reaches£1.80/litre and40p each further20p, using Morrison's Cleveleys price. Live fuel price not established, so no surcharge amount inferred.

• Current council-linked fare card operative17July2023

Mandatory qualifications

Official evidence found; detail still to confirm

Applicants must pass the council knowledge test before submitting forms or arranging DBS/medical checks. It covers Wyre roads/landmarks, taxi law/policy, safeguarding and Highway Code. The current photocard driving licence must be brought to the test. Subsequent checks include an own-doctor medical, enhanced DBS with Update Service registration and right-to-work evidence; successful standard checks lead to a dual badge. Separate disability/practical assessment requirements and refresher intervals are not confirmed.

• New applicant knowledge-test requirements
• Subsequent application checks