Transport for London propose sizeable taxi and private hire licensing fee hikes
- Perry Richardson
- Apr 3
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 6
Taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers in London could soon see their licence and assessment fees rise, if proposals due to be considered on 9 April are approved by Transport for London’s (TfL) Finance Committee.
The committee will review a series of recommendations to increase several driver-related charges, including application assessments, licence renewals and English language tests. The measures follow a recent review of the cost and delivery of licensing services.
Among the key changes proposed is a rise in the private hire driver licence fee from £310 to £343. The taxi driver licence fee would also increase, from £300 to £343. In contrast, the private hire vehicle licence fee would remain frozen at £140, while a taxi vehicle licence will rise £10 from £110 to £120.
Assessment fees are also set to increase. The Knowledge of London written exam for taxi applicants would rise from £200 to £225. The topographical skills test for PHV applicants would increase from £36 to £40. The English Language Requirement (ELR) and Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding (SERU) assessments for both initial and resit tests would rise by £4 to £14, depending on the assessment type.
A new £40 fee for taxi applicants’ SERU assessments is proposed for introduction from October 2025, replacing the current exemption.
If agreed, these changes would reflect a broader move to cover the rising costs of assessments and ensure licensing services remain sustainable.
The Finance Committee will meet in public on 9 April to consider the recommendations.
