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.
Last checked 29/09/2026.
Getting one means a DBS check, a medical and whatever knowledge or English test the authority sets, and it takes weeks. The car needs its own vehicle licence too. Uber, Bolt, Freenow and Addison Lee all require it; food and parcel delivery do not.
What it means for your money
Renewing the licence, and the checks that go with it, are costs of running a private hire business and allowable expenses. A private hire licence is not a black cab licence: taking street hails needs a hackney carriage licence, which in London means the Knowledge.
Where to read more
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