Isle of Wight Council

Licensing Taxis

Frequently Asked Questions for this Service

Question: I have a Rolls Royce which I want to hire out with a chauffeur, do I need to be licensed?

Answer: Yes. All vehicles used for hire or reward which include the provision of a driver are either private hire vehicles or taxis, such vehicles and their drivers must be licensed.

Has this FAQ answered your query?

Question: What is the difference between a Hackney Carriage and a Private Hire Vehicle?

Answer: Hackney carriages are taxis that are allowed to pick up passengers in the street (ie. can be hailed by the public); Private Hire Vehicles are only allowed to pick up passengers who have pre-booked the journey.

Has this FAQ answered your query?

Question: How much does a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check cost?

Answer: A DBS check is currently £44.00, payable to the Licensing Section on application for a licence.

Has this FAQ answered your query?

Question: How long do Disclosure applications take to be processed by the Disclosure and Barring Service?

Answer: Disclosure applications are now applied for online in person at the Licensing office. They usually take 2-4 weeks to process, but can sometimes take longer.

For more information visit the DBS website via the related link - Related Link

Has this FAQ answered your query?