Taxi and private hire car licensing: guidance - third edition

Introduction

First published in December 2007, with an updated second edition published in April 2012, this guidance has been prepared to offer best practice advice to licensing authorities on a range of issues relating to the licensing of taxis, private hire cars and their drivers.

The guidance will also be of use to the trade. For that reason the title of the guidance has been updated to highlight that as well as being for licensing authorities, the guidance should also be read by taxi and private hire car operators.

In 2022 a working group was established by the Scottish Government Criminal Law, Practice and Licensing Unit to review the guidance document.

Membership of the working group consisted of representatives from the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland, various local licensing authorities, taxi and private hire car trade representatives and UNITE the Union.

The working group was tasked with reviewing the guidance to ensure the material is up to date, fit for purpose, acts as a useful tool for both licensing authorities and taxi and private hire car operators, and can support a consistent approach where appropriate.

This revised best practice guidance has sought to update advice offered to reflect legislative change, as well as having regard to the views of members of the working group.