Taxis can only operate in a particular zone. The zones within Cornwall reflect the boundaries of the previous district and borough councils.
The Council’s previous policy of limiting the number of Hackney Carriages in the Carrick, Restormel and Penwith taxi zones was removed on 17 January 2023.
There are six hackney carriage zones in Cornwall. All of which have individual tariffs which set out the maximum fees which can be charged and can be found below.
To licence a hackney carriage, two licences are required. Each vehicle must have:
- a hackney carriage vehicle licence which you apply for below
- and every driver of those licensed vehicles must have a hackney carriage driver licence
There is no limit on the number of Private Hire vehicle licences issued. They are not restricted to operating in certain zones and are free to operate across the whole County.
To license a private hire vehicle, at least two licences are required.
- Each vehicle must have a private hire vehicle licence which you can apply for below
- and every driver of those licensed vehicles must have a private hire driver licence
- In addition, all self employed and employer private hire businesses must hold a private hire operator licence.
We require vehicles to meet certain specifications and conditions before they are licensed. Full details are found within the following document:
Vehicles are also required to be tested at one of the Council's approved garages.
There are separate:
If you are unsure whether your vehicle will meet the policy, please contact Licensing Services.
How to apply for a licence
Apply for a Hackney Carriage taxi or Private Hire Vehicle licence
Please refer to the application guidance before completing this form
View the current list of taxi and private hire licence fees.
View the current hackney carriage vehicle register
If a licensed vehicle is involved in an accident, it must be reported to the Council within 72 hours. Please use the Council’s Accident Report Form.