Taxi and private hire drivers in Liverpool are facing their first licensing fee increase in more than ten years, as Liverpool City Council prepares to implement a raft of changes aimed at tightening local regulation — including new restrictions on vehicle advertising.
The proposed fee hike would see a one-year hackney carriage or private hire driver’s licence rise from £60 to £75, while a three-year licence would go up from £150 to £180. Council officials say the change follows a “full calculation exercise” and represents only a modest increase, with minimal impact expected on drivers or customers.
According to the council’s report, the updated fees remain “comparable with core cities” and are unlikely to push drivers to seek licensing elsewhere — a growing concern in recent years due to the high number of Wolverhampton-issued licences appearing on Merseyside roads.
A Freedom of Information request revealed that Wolverhampton Council issued 479 private hire driver licences and 695 vehicle licences to applicants with Liverpool postcodes in 2024 alone. These vehicles, many operating via ride-hailing apps like Uber, are now a common sight across the city.
This trend has coincided with a sharp shift in Liverpool’s driver makeup. Since 2021, the city has lost 131 hackney carriage drivers while gaining 1,063 private hire drivers. There’s also been a 92% increase in new private hire operators, with 77 added to the register during that time.
Alongside the proposed fee increases, the council is also set to introduce new rules around vehicle advertising. While commercial ads will continue to be allowed, promotions involving e-cigarettes and gambling products will be banned under the new conditions.
The proposals are due to be reviewed by Liverpool’s general purposes licensing committee next week. If approved, the new fees and rules would come into effect later this year — marking the first fee adjustment since 2011 and a clear signal that the council is reasserting control over its local taxi and private hire trade.
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