Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing

These pages provide general information about the taxi and private hire licensing functions and related issues.

Please note that the city council does not employ individual drivers, proprietors or operators; many work together on radio circuits, others work individually. If you wish to book a taxi or private hire vehicle, you should contact a licensed operator direct. The city council's role is to regulate their businesses in accordance with a complex body of law dating back to 1847.

Types of licence

• Hackney carriages, often referred to as taxis, may be hailed, hired from a taxi rank or pre-booked. Licensed vehicles have a roof sign and a distinctive red and white licence plate on the rear. Vehicles must be white in colour. Maximum fares for journeys within the city are regulated by the city council and a taximeter will be used.
• Hackney carriage drivers may drive a Southampton licensed hackney carriage, and must wear or display their licence badge.
• Private hire vehicles may only be pre-booked and are identified by signs on the side of vehicle which give details of their operator and licence number and a distinctive white and blue licence plate on the rear. Vehicles may not be white in colour. Fares are not regulated and should be agreed at the time of booking. A taximeter may be used, if one is available.
• Private hire drivers may drive a Southampton licensed private hire vehicle and must wear or display their licence badge.
• Private hire operator's licences are required by individuals or firms which take bookings for the hire of private hire vehicles.

How do I make an application?

The links on the left of this page will take you to pages for each individual licence type, including a selection of application forms.

Complaints

If you wish to complain about a hackney carriage (taxi), private hire vehicle, driver or operator licensed by the city council, please read the guidance document and use either of the forms in the related documents links at the bottom of this page. Please note that, if your complaint relates to a road traffic infringement, such as alleged "road rage", your complaint must be made to Hampshire Constabulary in the first instance.

Information for licensed proprietors, drivers and operators

Please follow the "notice board" link on the left of the page for news and important information for hackney carriage and private hire vehicle proprietors, drivers and operators, which is regularly updated.

Information Commission action - Taxi Cameras

Please note that, following the judgment of the Information Rights Tribunal, issued on 20th February 2013 on an appeal against a Notice from the Information Commissioner, the requirement for the installation of camera systems in taxis and private hire vehicles has been temporarily suspended, pending the Licensing Committee's review of licence policy and conditions. The judgment is solely in respect of the continuous audio recording facility and has no effect on video recording in vehicles. Please see the taxi notice board for further information.

Wheelchair accessibility

A number of the city's licensed hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are wheelchair accessible, and a list of these, including contact details, where available, can be found in the related documents links below.

Please note that this list is provided for information only, and that Southampton City Council cannot guarantee that individual proprietors or drivers will be able or willing to provide any particular taxi or private hire service.

The government's Department for Transport has announced that it intends to implement Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to require all hackney carriages to be wheelchair accessible with effect from a date to be set. These proposals are still being developed, and have been further delayed from the 2010 target date. When they are announced, will appear on the Department for Transport's web site - please see the link below.

Public Registers

Details of licences granted for hackney carriages, hackney carriage drivers, private hire vehicles, private hire drivers and private hire operators are available via the Online Licensing Register link above. And extract of the register in respect of hackney carriage and private hire drivers appears below.

The city council regulates the fares charged for journeys in hackney carriages (taxis) within the city boundary.

2013 Table of Fares

A copy of the maximum tables of fares with effect from 17 May 2013 appears below.

A request for variation of hackney carriage fares on behalf of "Southampton's Combined Taxi Trade" was considered on 15 April 2013.

Notice of the proposals appeared on page 38 of the Hampshire Independent on 19 April 2013. The closing date for the consultation was 3 May 2013.

No objections were made, and thus the varied table of fares in in effect from 17 May 2013 and vehicle proprietors will need to contact their meter suppliers to arrange for their meters to be updated and re-calibrated.

A table showing the effects of the table of fares by way of example fares is also provided. Please note that multiple considerations will affect the fares charged for any particular journey, especially where waiting time is engaged.

It is important to note that fares charged for the hire of private hire vehicles are not (and cannot) be regulated by the city council; in both hackney carriages and private hire vehicles, passengers should always ensure that the basis of the fare has been agreed before the journey commences, especially if that journey goes beyond the city boundary.

If you need to contact us by email, 'phone or post, please do so using the details below.

Opening hours

Members of the Licensing Team are normally available on weekdays at the Civic Centre from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00 to assist personal callers. We may be available at other times by prior appointment.