Can private hire drivers ever accept a flag-down fare?

No. Private hire journeys must be booked in advance through a licensed operator, even if a passenger approaches you directly.

Will my insurer pay out if I had a street fare on board?

If you were working outside your licence, the insurer could refuse the claim, leaving you to cover the costs yourself.

How do I legally pick up street fares?

You need a hackney carriage (public hire) licence and public hire insurance, which allows ranks and street hails in the area you are licensed for.

Taxi

What happens if I'm caught picking up street fares on private hire insurance?

Picking up street fares on a private hire licence and policy means working outside both. Learn the risks and what you need for public hire work.

If you pick up a street fare while licensed and insured for private hire, you are working outside your licence and your insurance. That can mean an invalid policy, prosecution, fines, penalty points and action against your taxi badge.

Private hire and public hire are different

Private hire work must be pre-booked through a licensed operator. Only a hackney carriage (public hire) licence lets you accept fares hailed in the street or picked up from a rank. Taking an unbooked passenger on a private hire licence is known as plying for hire.

The consequences

If you pick up a street fare on a private hire licence and policy, the consequences can be serious:

Your insurance may not respond to a claim, leaving you personally liable
You can be prosecuted for plying for hire without the right licence
You risk fines, penalty points on your driving licence and council action against your badge

Because your policy is written for pre-booked work, the insurer may treat a street fare as falling outside your cover. If there is an accident, you could face the cost of injury and damage claims yourself.

If a passenger approaches you directly

Even if someone asks you for a ride while you are parked, a private hire driver cannot take them without a booking through a licensed operator. Ask them to book through your operator.

If you want to take street hails

You need a hackney carriage licence from your council and matching public hire insurance. Your council's licensing pages explain how to apply. Transport for London has guidance for drivers in London at tfl.gov.uk.

Getting the right cover

Fill in a short form on our taxi insurance page and a specialist FCA-authorised broker from our panel will contact you about quotes for the type of work you do, so you stay both legal and properly insured.