Apply for or renew a Hackney Carriage vehicle licence

• Hackney Carriages (taxicabs) may be hailed, hired from a taxi rank or pre-booked
• they have a roof sign and a white licence plate on the rear
• they must be our teal colour (Pantone 321)
• maximum fares for journeys within our borough are regulated by us
• a taximeter will be used
• CCTV in licensed vehicles (from April 2023)
• emissions standards for licensed vehicles
• a suitability test for vehicle proprietors
• the vehicle must be less than 5 years old (from the date of first registration) at the time of initial licensing
• the vehicle must meet the vehicle specification as set out in the Council's Licensing Policy

Licences for Hackney Carriages will only be granted to vehicles that meet the requirements. Please read our  updated taxi policy 2021 (PDF) [1MB] before starting your application.

Taxi livery

All Hackney Carriages must have the Guildford Borough Council livery (colouring). 

• see the details of the taxi livery specification. (PDF) [223KB]
• we have a list of providers of the livery

Once the vehicle is licensed as a hackney carriage, it may only be driven by a driver with a Hackney Carriage driver's licence. 

The vehicle must also maintain its appearance as a Hackney Carriage, including any signage, roof sign and plate.

We offer pre-application advice on this licence.

Fees