Taxi and Minicab Safety UK: How to Check Your Ride

In the UK only licensed taxis (black cabs, or “hackney carriages” outside London) can be hailed in the street or picked up at a rank. A minicab or ride-hailing car is private hire and must be booked in advance. Before you get in, check that the car, registration number and driver match your booking and that the driver shows a licence badge. Never get into an unbooked minicab that offers you a ride.

Updated 26 September 2026 · Sources: Transport for London, GOV.UK, local council licensing guidance

An unbooked minicab is not a taxi

A driver who approaches you touting for a fare is acting illegally, and you may not be insured if you get in. Walk away and book a licensed car.

Match the car

Check the make, colour and registration against your booking before you open the door.

Match the driver

Ask who they are collecting rather than giving your name. Look for the licence badge or app photo.

Share the trip

Send a friend the car details or use the app’s share-trip feature, and sit in the back.

Taxi vs minicab vs ride-hailing app

Can you hail a minicab in the UK?

No. Only licensed taxis (black cabs in London, hackney carriages elsewhere) can be hailed or picked up at a rank. Minicabs and ride-hailing cars are private hire vehicles and must be booked through a licensed operator, by phone, online or in an app. A driver touting for passengers is breaking the law, and a journey that wasn’t booked may not be insured.

How do I check a minicab or app car before I get in?

Compare the car’s make, colour and registration with the details in your booking or app. Instead of saying “Are you here for Sarah?”, ask “Who are you here to pick up?” so the driver has to tell you your name. Check the driver matches the photo in the app, and look for a licence disc on the windscreen and the driver’s badge. If anything doesn’t match, don’t get in; cancel and report it.

How can I check a driver’s licence?

In London, Transport for London runs an online licence checker for taxi and private hire drivers, vehicles and operators. Elsewhere in England, Wales and Scotland, licences are issued by the local council, and most councils publish their licensing rules and a way to report concerns. In Northern Ireland, taxi drivers, vehicles and operators are licensed by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), and the rules differ slightly. Licensed vehicles display a plate or disc, and drivers carry a photo badge.

What should I do if I feel unsafe during the ride?

If you feel in danger, call 999 and say where you are and the car’s registration. If it is safe, ask the driver to stop somewhere busy and get out. Afterwards, report the driver to the app or operator and to the licensing authority: TfL in London, or the local council elsewhere. Most ride-hailing apps also have an in-app safety button.

Frequently asked questions

Should I sit in the front or the back?

Sit in the back, ideally behind the front passenger seat. It gives you more space from the driver and easy access to a door on the pavement side.

Is a ride-hailing app car a taxi?

No. In the UK, cars booked through apps are private hire vehicles. They must be licensed and must be booked, so they follow the same rules as minicabs.

I left something in a taxi. Who do I contact?

Contact the operator or app you booked through. For London black cabs, TfL runs a lost property service.

Sources

General safety information, not legal advice. In an emergency, always call 999.

Keep reading

Night buses and late trains: staying safe

How to share your live location

First date safety: meeting from a dating app

Let someone you trust walk you home, virtually

Safety App UK lets your chosen contacts follow your journey live and get an SOS alert with your location in one tap, or automatically if you walk into an area with more reported crime. It also shows a live safety map and safer routes. Free for 7 days, then £2.99 a month.

Try Safety App UK free