Taxi licensing information
The Licensing Service manages the Authority’s role to ensure that proprietors only use vehicles that are suitable in type, size and design for use as a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle and that the vehicles are mechanically suitable and safe and that they are clean and comfortable.
Since 2012, all hackney carriage vehicles must be wheelchair accessible and the drivers have a legal obligation to facilitate the wheelchair user. It is a statutory duty that all hackney carriage and private hire vehicles accommodate assistance dogs and their owners.
A private hire or hackney carriage vehicle licence is required for any motor vehicle, constructed or adapted to seat fewer than nine passengers, which is provided for hire with the services of a driver for the purpose of carrying passengers. The exemptions to this are public carriage vehicles, wedding cars and funeral cars.
Private hire vehicles must be pre-booked by customers with the vehicle’s licensed operator. Hackney carriages may be hailed in the street or receive bookings at designated hackney carriage ranks.
Before you apply or a private hire/hackney carriage vehicle licence
Please download and read carefully the following documents.
- Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy (effective from 1 June 2022) (PDF).
- Private hire and Hackney Carriage request for vehicle licence exemption (PDF).
When you have read the guidance notes and consulted the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy, and you believe that your vehicle will be able to meet the criteria for a private hire/hackney carriage vehicle licence, you can proceed.
If having read the documents you need further information please email your enquiry to us at vehicle.licensing@bedford.gov.uk.
On receipt of the application you will be contacted by the Licensing Service and advised of the first available testing slot for your vehicle. You will not be able to book this test via the Customer Services at the Bedford Borough Hub on Horne Lane.
Correspondence will usually be done via email, except when we will phone you to arrange a time and date for your vehicle test.
Apply for a private hire/hackney carriage licence
Apply for a new/renewal private hire/hackney carriage licence
Further information
The Council normally requires all private hire vehicles to display a prescribed roof sign, prescribed door signs and a licence plate fitted to the rear exterior of the vehicle. The Council will consider exemption requests from these requirements and the following framework sets out the Council's approach to such requests.
- Framework for Consideration of Vehicle Exemption Requests (PDF)
- Application to transfer a vehicle licence (PDF)
- Privacy Statement for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licences
Quality control
For hackney carriage vehicles, the Authority can and does limit the number of vehicles that are licensed. Following an Unmet Demand Study in 2018, the Authority will continue to limit the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicles to 70 for at least a further four years.
The Authority has no power to limit the number of private hire vehicles.
Accessible taxi list (April 2025)
View the list of accessible taxis (PDF) in Bedford Borough.
Fares
The Authority does regulate hackney carriage fares and details of these are available at the link below.
The Authority has no power to set the maximum fares for journeys in private hire vehicles. It is important that passengers in private hire vehicles agree the fare to be charged before the journey starts.