Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998

Regulation of drivers of private hire vehicles in London

12 Requirement for private hire vehicle driver’s licence

(1) No vehicle shall be used as a private hire vehicle on a road in London unless the driver holds a private hire vehicle driver’s licence.

(2) The driver and operator of a vehicle used in contravention of this section are each guilty of an offence.

(3) The owner of a vehicle who permits it to be used in contravention of this section is guilty of an offence.

(4) It is a defence in proceedings against the operator of a vehicle for an offence under subsection (2) for the operator to show that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the vehicle being used in contravention of this section.

(5) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

(6) In this section “private hire vehicle driver’s licence” means—

(a) except where paragraph (b) or (c) applies, a London PHV driver’s licence;

(b) if the vehicle is in use for the purposes of a hiring the booking for which was accepted outside London in a controlled district in England and Wales, a licence under section 51 of the 1976 Act issued by the council for that district; and

(c) if the vehicle is in use for a hiring the booking for which was accepted in Scotland, a licence under section 13 of the 1982 Act,

and for the purposes of paragraph (b) or (c) it is immaterial that the booking in question is a sub-contracted booking.

(7) This section does not apply to the use of a vehicle for the purposes of a hiring for a journey beginning outside London in an area of England and Wales which is not a controlled district.

13 London PHV driver’s licences

(1) Any person may apply to the Secretary of State for a private hire vehicle driver’s licence for London (in this Act referred to as a “London PHV driver’s licence”).

(2) The Secretary of State shall grant a London PHV driver’s licence to an applicant if he is satisfied that—

(a) the applicant has attained the age of 21, is (and has for at least three years been) authorised to drive a motor car and is a fit and proper person to hold a London PHV driver’s licence; and

(b) the requirement mentioned in subsection (3), and any further requirements prescribed by the Secretary of State, are met.

(3) The Secretary of State shall require applicants to show to his satisfaction (whether by taking a test or otherwise) that they possess a level—

(a) of knowledge of London or parts of London; and

(b) of general topographical skills,

which appears to him to be appropriate.

The Secretary of State may impose different requirements in relation to different applicants.

(4) The Secretary of State may send a copy of an application to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis or the Commissioner of Police for the City of London with a request for the Commissioner’s observations; and the Commissioner shall respond to the request.

(5) A London PHV driver’s licence—

(a) may be granted subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State may think fit;

(b) shall be in such form and shall contain such particulars as the Secretary of State may think fit; and

(c) shall be granted for three years or for such shorter period as the Secretary of State may consider appropriate in the circumstances of the particular case.

(6) An applicant may appeal to a magistrates' court against a decision not to grant a London PHV driver’s licence or against any condition to which such a licence is subject.

(7) For the purposes of subsection (2), a person is authorised to drive a motor car if—

(a) he holds a licence granted under Part III of the [1988 c. 52.] Road Traffic Act 1988 (other than a provisional licence) authorising him to drive a motor car; or

(b) he is authorised by virtue of section 99A(1) or 109(1) of that Act (Community licences and Northern Ireland licences) to drive a motor car in Great Britain.

14 Issue of driver’s badges

(1) The Secretary of State shall issue a badge to each person to whom he has granted a London PHV driver’s licence.

(2) The Secretary of State may prescribe the form of badges issued under this section.

(3) A person issued with such a badge shall, when he is the driver of a vehicle being used as a private hire vehicle, wear the badge in such position and manner as to be plainly and distinctly visible.

(4) The Secretary of State may by notice exempt a person from the requirement under subsection (3), when he is the driver of a vehicle being used to provide a service specified in the notice if he considers it inappropriate (having regard to that service) to require the badge to be worn.

(5) Any person who without reasonable excuse contravenes subsection (3) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.