What do I need to drive for Bolt?
A private hire driver licence from your local council, a licensed vehicle, and hire and reward insurance. The same requirements as any private hire work.
Last checked 12/09/2026.
Private hire is licensed work, so the requirements are set by your local licensing authority rather than by Bolt. In practice you need three things.
- A private hire driver licence from the council for the area you will work in. That means a DBS check, a medical, and usually a topographical or English language assessment depending on the authority.
- A licensed private hire vehicle meeting that authority's age, size and emissions rules. Requirements vary a lot between councils.
- Hire and reward insurance for private hire. An ordinary policy, and even a food delivery policy, does not cover carrying passengers for payment.
The licence and the vehicle plate take weeks and cost several hundred pounds between them, so this is a much bigger commitment than signing up to a food delivery app.
None of that is a JoltMile requirement. It is what the law asks before you carry a paying passenger.
Related
Do I need a licence to drive for Uber?
For passengers, yes - a private hire driver licence from your local council. For Uber Eats, no.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026
Are Bolt drivers self-employed?
Yes for tax. You register with HMRC, file your own return and pay your own tax, exactly as with any other private hire platform.
HMRC & taxUpdated 29/09/2026
Does my normal car insurance cover delivery work?
No. You need hire and reward cover, and driving without it is an offence.
InsuranceUpdated 19/08/2026
Private hire or food delivery: which is worth doing?
Private hire pays more per hour and costs far more to get into. Food delivery you can start this week with the car you already own.
Earnings & profitabilityUpdated 20/08/2026
Driving for Bolt: the full guide
What it takes to drive for Bolt in the UK, how the weekly payout is worked out, what the 2024 tribunal ruling on worker status means, why the 2026 VAT change is Bolt's problem rather than yours, and how to report the income correctly.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026
Private hire driver licence (PHV or PCO licence)
A private hire driver licence is the licence from a council, or Transport for London, that you need to carry pre-booked paying passengers. In London it is often called a PCO licence.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026