Vehicles
Hackney Carriage (Taxis) and Private Hire Vehicles
Isle of Wight Council is responsible for licensing hackney carriages (taxis) and, private hire vehicles to ensure they meet statutory requirements and operate in a safe manner under the conditions of their licence.
Taxis fall into two different types of services.
Hackney Carriages (Taxis)
Taxis can ply for hire in the street and at taxi ranks. Journeys do not have to be pre-booked.
A licenced taxi on the Isle of Wight Council must display a white plate on the rear of the vehicle and a smaller version in the front windscreen, just above the tax disc. These plates display the licence plate number, the registration number of the vehicle and the number of persons the vehicle may lawfully carry.
Fares for taxis are regulated by the council and the current table of fares can be viewed here (PDF, 79KB, 1 page).
The Hackney Carriage Proprietors Licence Conditions can be viewed here (PDF, 76KB, 4 pages).
Private Hire Vehicles
Private hire vehicles cannot ply for hire in the street or at taxi ranks. Journeys must be pre-booked, normally by telephone or in person.
A licenced private hire vehicle on Isle of Wight Council must display a yellow plate on the rear of the vehicle and a smaller version in the front windscreen. In addition yellow door stickers are fixed to the front doors. The plate and the door stickers display the number of the vehicle, expiry date, the registration number of the vehicle and the number of persons the vehicle may lawfully carry.
Fares for private hire vehicles are not regulated by the Council, the cost of a journey will normally be agreed with the operator prior to commencement of the journey.
The Private Hire Vehicle Conditions can be viewed here (PDF, 85KB, 4 pages).
Application Process
- To apply for a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Licence please click here.
Fees
A fee must be paid at the time an application is made for a license. The fees can be viewed by clicking here. (PDF, 72KB, 1 page) The fees cover the cost of administration process and enforcement activity.
Public Register
The public register of existing licences/consents/permits/registrations can be viewed on the by clicking here.
Further information
Best Practice Guidance has been issued by the Department for Transport on the GOV.UK website, click here to view the guidance.
If you require further clarification please do not hesitate to contact the Licensing Department by clicking this link to use the send a message to service form.