Transport for London

Licence types

Taxis - All London or Suburban licences

A taxi 'plies for hire' and can be hailed in the street. Alternatively they can be found waiting at a taxi rank. The majority of taxis can carry 5 passengers and all are wheelchair accessible. The fares charged by licensed taxis are regulated by TfL. Taxis are also known as 'black cabs' or 'hackney carriages'.

If you want to ply for hire as a taxi driver you will need to obtain one of two types of taxi driver's licence - all-London or Suburban.

All-London

The driver is licensed to ply for hire anywhere within the Greater London area. If you wish to work as a taxi driver in central London or at London Heathrow Airport you need an All-London licence.

Suburban

The suburban area of London is divided into nine sectors as shown below. The sectors are based on borough boundaries and suburban drivers can ply for hire only within the sector(s) for which they are licensed. Drivers may add additional sectors once licensed.

If you are thinking of becoming a suburban taxi driver you need to make an informed decision on your choice of sector. You should ask yourself the following questions.

• Are there too many drivers in my chosen sector?
• Is there enough work in my chosen sector bearing in mind the number of licensed drivers?
• Would I be better choosing a sector with fewer drivers?

You are strongly advised to find out as much as you can about your chosen sector before applying. This can be done by observing taxi activity at different locations throughout the day and week, and by speaking to working taxi drivers.

See also

Public Carriage Office - Service Charter

Check a private hire licence

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