TfL conducting review of all taxi and private hire licensing fees to ensure costs are covered

Transport for London (TfL) are conducting a review of all taxi and private hire licensing fees to ensure they cover costs, says Mayor of London.

Caroline Russell, a London Assembly Member, asked whether private hire vehicle (PHV) operators, such as Uber, are paying sufficient licence fees to cover the costs incurred by TfL for regulation and enforcement.

In response, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, confirmed that the current PHV operator licence fee structure consists of eight tiers, with fees ranging from £2,000 to £2.9m for a five-year licence.

The structure was introduced in 2017 following a public consultation. Khan also stated that PHV driver and vehicle fees were set in 2017 and have not been reviewed since.

TfL is now conducting a review of all taxi and PHV licence fees to ensure they are set at appropriate levels and cover the costs of licensing, compliance, and enforcement activities.

Khan said: “The current PHV operator licence fee structure has eight tiers, with fees ranging from £2,000 to £2.9m for a five year licence which was introduced in 2017 following a public consultation. The current PHV driver and vehicle fees were also set in 2017 and have not been reviewed since.  

“TfL is currently reviewing all taxi and PHV licence fees to ensure they are appropriate and cover the costs of administering the licensing process and undertaking compliance and enforcement activity.”