Law

Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2024-06-25, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 47 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 Meaning of “private hire vehicle”, “operator” and related expressions.
  3. 2 Requirement for London operator’s licence.
  4. 3 London operator’s licences.
  5. 3A London PHV operator's licences for persons subject to immigration control
  6. 4 Obligations of London operators.
  7. 5 Hirings accepted on behalf of another operator.
  8. 6 Requirement for private hire vehicle licence.
  9. 7 London PHV licences.
  10. 8 Obligations of owners of licensed vehicles.
  11. 9 Fitness of licensed vehicles.
  12. 10 Identification of licensed vehicles.
  13. 11 Prohibition of taximeters.
  14. 12 Requirement for private hire vehicle driver’s licence.
  15. 13 London PHV driver’s licences.
  16. 13A London PHV driver's licences for persons subject to immigration control
  17. 14 Issue of driver’s badges.
  18. 15 Applications for licences.
  19. 16 Power to suspend or revoke licences.
  20. 17 Suspension and revocation under section 16: procedure.
  21. 18 Variation of operator’s licence at the request of the operator.
  22. 19 Variation of operator’s licence by the licensing authority.
  23. 20 Fees for grant of licences, etc.
  24. 21 Production of documents.
  25. 22 Return of licences, etc.
  26. 23 Register of licences.
  27. 24 Delegation of functions by the licensing authority.
  28. 25 Appeals.
  29. 26 Effect of appeal on decision appealed against.
  30. 27 Obstruction of authorised officers etc.
  31. 28 Penalty for false statements.
  32. 29 Saving for vehicles used for funerals and weddings.
  33. 30 Prohibition of certain signs, notices etc.
  34. 31 Prohibition of certain advertisements.
  35. 32 Regulations.
  36. 33 Offences due to fault of other person.
  37. 34 Service of notices.
  38. 35 References to the owner of a vehicle.
  39. 35A Persons disqualified by reason of immigration status
  40. 35B Immigration offences and immigration penalties
  41. 36 Interpretation.
  42. 37 Power to make transitional etc. provisions.
  43. 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  44. 39 Consequential amendments and repeals.
  45. 40 Short title, commencement and extent.
  46. SCHEDULE 1 Minor and consequential amendments
  47. SCHEDULE 2 Repeals

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47 provisions

36 Interpretation.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— “authorised officer” means an officer authorised in writing by the licensing authority for the purposes of this Act; “controlled district” means any area for which Part II of the 1976 Act is in force by virtue of— a resolution by a district council under section 45 of that Act; or section 255(4) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999; “driver’s badge” means the badge issued to the holder of a London PHV driver’s licence; “hackney carriage” means a vehicle licensed under section 37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 or any similar enactment; “licensed taxi” means a hackney carriage, a London cab or a taxi licensed under Part II of the 1982 Act; “the licensing authority” means Transport for London; “London” means the area consisting of the metropolitan police district and the City of London (including the Temples); “London cab” means a vehicle licensed under section 6 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869; “London PHV driver’s licence” means a licence under section 13; “London PHV licence” means a licence under section 7; “London PHV operator” has the meaning given in section 4(1); “London PHV operator’s licence” means a licence under section 2; “notice” means notice in writing; “operate” has the meaning given in section 1(1); “operating centre” has the meaning given in section 1(5); “operator” has the meaning given in section 1(1); “power-assisted pedicab” means a power-assisted pedal cycle, or a power-assisted pedal cycle in combination with a trailer, that is constructed or adapted for carrying one or more passengers (and for this purpose “trailer” has the same meaning as in the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024 (see section 8 of that Act)); “prescribed” means prescribed in regulations under section 32(1); “private hire vehicle” has the meaning given in section 1(1); “public service vehicle” has the same meaning as in the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981; “road” means any length of highway or of any other road to which the public has access (including bridges over which a road passes); “the 1976 Act” means the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976; “the 1982 Act” means the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982; and “vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle , other than a power-assisted pedicab or a tramcar, intended or adapted for use on roads.

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37 Power to make transitional etc. provisions.

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make such transitional provisions and such savings as he considers necessary or expedient in preparation for, in connection with, or in consequence of— (a) the coming into force of any provision of this Act; or (b) the operation of any enactment repealed or amended by a provision of this Act during any period when the repeal or amendment is not wholly in force. (2) Regulations under this section may modify any enactment contained in this or in any other Act. (3) Before making regulations under this section the Secretary of State shall consult the licensing authority.

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38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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39 Consequential amendments and repeals.

(1) Schedule 1 (minor and consequential amendments) shall have effect. (2) The enactments mentioned in Schedule 2 are repealed to the extent specified.

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40 Short title, commencement and extent.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. (2) This Act (apart from this section) shall come into force on such date as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint; but different dates may be appointed for different purposes. An order under this subsection may contain any provision which could be made under section 37 in connection with any provision brought into force by the order. (3) Any provision of this Act which amends or repeals any other Act has the same extent as the provision being amended or repealed. (4) Subject to subsection (3), this Act extends only to England and Wales.

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SCHEDULE 1 Minor and consequential amendments

Section 39(1). Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (c. 57) 1 In section 75 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (exemptions), after subsection (2A) there shall be inserted the following subsection— (2B) Paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of section 46(1) of this Act shall not apply to the use or driving of a vehicle, or to the employment of a driver of a vehicle, if— (a) a London PHV licence issued under section 7 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 is in force in relation to that vehicle; and (b) the driver of the vehicle holds a London PHV driver’s licence issued under section 13 of that Act. Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c. 14) 2 In section 79 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (vehicles excluded from regulation as private hire vehicles), after the word “1982” there shall be inserted the words “ , in the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 ”. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (c. 45) 3 In section 21 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (offences), after subsection (3) there shall be inserted the following subsection— (3A) Subsection (1)(b) above does not apply to the operation of a vehicle within an area in respect of which its operation or its driver is not licensed if there are in force— (a) in respect of the vehicle, a licence under section 7 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998; and (b) in respect of its driver, a licence under section 13 of that Act. Transport Act 1985 (c. 67) 4 In section 13(3) of the Transport Act 1985 (defined terms for sections 10 to 13 of that Act), in the definition of “licensed hire car”, at the end there shall be inserted the words “ or section 7 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 ”.

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SCHEDULE 2 Repeals

Section 39(2). Chapter | Short title | Extent of repeal 1968 c. 7. | London Cab Act 1968. | Sections 4 and 4A. 1973 c. 20. | London Cab Act 1973. | The whole Act. 1990 c. 42. | Broadcasting Act 1990. | In Schedule 20, paragraph 10. 1992 c. 42. | Transport and Works Act 1992. | Section 62(2).

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