PCO driver glossary

33 words you will meet getting a PCO licence and renting a private hire car, each in plain English with a link to the official page.

This glossary explains words. It is not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check the official page before you rely on them. Kharo is not affiliated with TfL, Uber or Bolt.

Licences

  • PCO licence Also called PHV driver licence, private hire driver licence. The licence you need to drive a private hire car for passengers. In London TfL issues it; elsewhere your local council does. PCO stands for Public Carriage Office, the old name for the London licensing office, and drivers still use it. Source: TfL: private hire driver licence.
  • PCO badge Also called PHV driver's badge. The photo ID that comes with a London driver licence. It shows your name, photo and licence number, and you must wear it whenever you are working. Source: TfL: PHV Driver's Handbook (PDF).
  • How long a driver licence lasts A private hire driver licence is usually issued for three years. You apply to renew it before it runs out. Source: GOV.UK: driver licences for taxis and private hire.
  • PHV vehicle licence Also called PCO car, plated car, licensed car. A licence for the car itself, separate from the driver's licence. The car is inspected before it is licensed, and only a licensed car can be used for private hire work. Source: TfL: private hire vehicle licence.
  • Licence discs Also called plates, PCO plates. The discs that show a car is licensed for private hire. In London they are fixed to the front and rear windscreens. Source: TfL: PHV Driver's Handbook (PDF).
  • Operator licence The licence a company needs to take private hire bookings, such as Uber, Bolt or a local minicab office. A private hire driver can only take passengers who booked through a licensed operator. Source: TfL: private hire operator licence.
  • Licensing authority Also called council licence. The body that issues private hire licences: TfL in London, the local council elsewhere in Great Britain, and the DVA in Northern Ireland. Each one sets its own tests and car rules. Source: GOV.UK: driver licences for taxis and private hire.
  • Same authority rule Also called cross-border hiring, Wolverhampton badge. Your driver licence, the car's licence and the operator's licence must all come from the same licensing authority. That is why a driver licensed by one council can work through an operator licensed by that same council in other areas. Source: GOV.UK: driver licences for taxis and private hire.
  • Private hire and taxi Also called minicab, hackney carriage, black cab. A private hire car, often called a minicab, must be booked in advance through a licensed operator. A taxi (a hackney carriage, or black cab in London) can also be hailed in the street. They have different licences. Source: GOV.UK: driver licences for taxis and private hire.

Checks and tests

  • Enhanced DBS check A criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Every private hire driver applicant needs one. Source: TfL: private hire driver licence.
  • DBS Update Service A yearly subscription that keeps your DBS check up to date, so the licensing authority can check it at any time. TfL asks every applicant to join. Source: GOV.UK: DBS Update Service.
  • Group 2 medical Also called PCO medical. A medical check against the DVLA Group 2 standard, the same one used for lorry and bus drivers. It is usually done by a doctor who can see your medical history. Source: TfL: private hire driver licence.
  • Safeguarding training A short online course on protecting children and vulnerable adults. TfL asks you to complete it before the SERU assessment. Source: TfL: private hire driver licence.
  • English speaking and listening assessment A short spoken conversation that checks your English is good enough to talk with passengers safely. TfL sets the level at B1. Source: TfL: English language requirement.
  • SERU Also called SERU assessment. Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding. A TfL assessment on the rules for London private hire drivers, based on the PHV Driver's Handbook. It also checks your English reading and writing. Source: TfL: English language requirement.
  • PHV Driver's Handbook TfL's official guide to the rules for London private hire drivers. The SERU assessment questions are based on it. Source: TfL: PHV Driver's Handbook (PDF).
  • Topographical skills assessment Also called topo test, map test. TfL's map reading and route planning test, taken at a TfL driver assessment centre. Source: TfL: private hire driver licence.
  • HMRC tax check code A code from HMRC that shows you have completed a tax check. You need one to renew a private hire licence anywhere in the UK, or to apply for one if you already hold a licence elsewhere. Source: GOV.UK: tax checks on licence renewals.

The car

  • ZEC (zero emission capable) A car that can drive a set distance with no exhaust emissions, such as a plug in hybrid or a fully electric car. In London every private hire car licensed for the first time must be ZEC. Source: TfL: emissions standards for PHVs.
  • Euro 6 An exhaust emissions standard for new cars. In London a private hire car with an engine, including a hybrid, must meet at least Euro 6 when TfL licenses it for the first time. Source: TfL: emissions standards for PHVs.
  • Age limit In London a private hire car already licensed by TfL cannot be more than 10 years old when its licence is renewed. Councils set their own age limits. Source: TfL: emissions standards for PHVs.
  • Licensing inspection and MOT Before a car is licensed for private hire it is inspected, and in London it needs a recent MOT certificate at the inspection. The MOT is the yearly roadworthiness test every car over three years old needs. Source: TfL: private hire vehicle licence.
  • Uber car types Also called UberX, Uber Comfort, UberXL, Uber Exec. Uber puts cars into types, each with its own rules on the car's age, size and model. Uber's own page has the current list. Kharo is not affiliated with Uber. Source: Uber: vehicle requirements.

London charges and fines

  • ULEZ Also called Ultra Low Emission Zone. A zone covering all London boroughs where cars that do not meet the emissions standard pay a daily charge. For cars the standard is Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel. Source: TfL: ULEZ standards for cars.
  • Congestion Charge A daily charge for driving in central London during charging hours. Private hire cars are not exempt, unless they are wheelchair accessible and on a private hire booking. Electric cars registered for Auto Pay get a discount. Source: TfL: PHVs and the Congestion Charge.
  • PCN (penalty charge notice) A fine from a council or TfL for things like parking or bus lane offences. When you rent a car, the rental company can ask for the PCN to be put in your name. Source: GOV.UK: parking tickets and penalty charge notices.
  • Penalty points Also called endorsements. Points added to your driving licence for motoring offences. Licensing authorities, rental companies and insurers may ask about them. Source: GOV.UK: penalty points (endorsements).

Renting and money

  • PCO car hire Also called PCO car rental, PHV rental. Renting a car that is already licensed for private hire, usually by the week, so you can drive for an operator without buying a car. Source: TfL: private hire vehicle licence.
  • Deposit Money paid at the start of a rental and held against damage or unpaid rent. You get it back at the end, less any agreed costs.
  • Hire and reward insurance Also called private hire insurance. Insurance that covers carrying paying passengers. Ordinary car insurance does not, and every private hire car must have it. Source: TfL: PHV Driver's Handbook (PDF).
  • Insurance excess The amount you pay towards a claim before the insurance pays the rest. Check the excess before you agree to a policy.
  • Rent to buy A contract where you pay weekly or monthly and own the car at the end. It works more like hire purchase than a rental, so read the agreement carefully. Source: MoneyHelper: Hire Purchase.
  • PCP (personal contract purchase) A way of paying for a car: a deposit, monthly payments, and an optional large final payment if you want to own the car. MoneyHelper explains how it works. Source: MoneyHelper: Personal Contract Purchase.

Guides

  • PCO car hire, with every cost shown up front PCO car hire means renting a car licensed for private hire, so you can drive for Uber, Bolt and other apps. On Kharo you see the rent, deposit and insurance before you apply.
  • What is a PCO car? A PCO car is a car licensed for private hire in London, so a driver can carry passengers who book a ride. Here is what the name means and the rules the car must meet.
  • Private hire car hire for minicab and app drivers Private hire car hire means renting a car licensed as a private hire vehicle (PHV), the kind minicab and app drivers use. On Kharo you see the rent, deposit and insurance before you apply.
  • Rent a car for Uber and Bolt To drive for Uber or Bolt you need a car with a private hire licence. If you do not own one, you can rent one, priced by the week and paid monthly. Kharo lists cars from rental companies, with every cost shown.
  • Rent a car for Bolt To drive for Bolt you need a car with a private hire licence. If you do not own one, you can rent one from a rental company.
  • Which cars can you use for Uber in London? In London, the car needs a TfL private hire licence first. Then Uber has its own rules for each type of trip.
  • Hybrid or electric: which PCO car should you rent? Both can work for private hire. In London, the rules for new cars, the Congestion Charge and the trips you can take are different for each.
  • The most common PCO cars in London TfL publishes a list of every licensed private hire vehicle in London. We counted the cars on it, so you can see which models drivers use most.
  • What PCO car hire costs What renting a private hire car costs, from the weekly rent to the deposit. The prices come from the cars on Kharo, which show what rental companies charge.
  • How a PCO car hire deposit works Most rental companies ask for a deposit before you collect a PCO car. Here is how it works, and what to check before you pay.
  • PCO car insurance, explained To drive a PCO car for work, you need insurance that covers carrying passengers for money. Here is what to look for before you rent.
  • Renting a PCO car with penalty points Points on your licence do not always stop you renting a PCO car. But they change who will rent to you, and what your insurance costs.
  • How to get a PCO licence A PCO licence is a private hire driver licence. You need one to drive for Uber, Bolt or any private hire company. In London it comes from TfL, and outside London from your local council.

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