Plying for hire and touting: what PHV drivers must avoid

The most important line in London private hire is simple: every journey must come from a booking made through a licensed London operator. Picking up people who just wave you down breaks that line. The handbook does not use the word "touting" in its main text, but it describes the behaviour clearly and warns of possible prosecution. This guide explains the rules and gives plain scripts for awkward moments.

The rule

Section 3 of the handbook says a London PHV driver can only carry out bookings received from a licensed London PHV operator. It then explains how this differs from a taxi. You are not allowed to pick up people on the street, or at stations or airports, unless they have booked you through a licensed operator. That includes the street outside your operator's office.

Three things the handbook tells you not to do

1. Keep the door shut until the booking exists. Nobody should sit in your vehicle before your operator has sent you their booking.
2. Do not signal availability. You must not give any sign or say anything to a member of the public that suggests you are available for hire without a booking.
3. Do not invite approaches. You must not encourage anyone to approach you or your PHV if they do not have a valid booking.

What you may do when someone approaches

People will ask. The handbook gives you a safe response: you are allowed to hand out a business card with your operator's phone number on it, or give other contact details such as a website. Nothing in it says you may negotiate a price, agree a destination or accept cash for a ride.

A short, polite script works:

• "Sorry, I can only take bookings made through my operator. Here is their number."
• "You can book through the operator's app or website. I cannot take you without a booking."

Say it calmly even when the person is cold, late or annoyed. Our guide to difficult passengers covers how to keep a tense conversation steady.

Late-night venues

Section 3 has a separate warning. Some operators hold a licence to operate from a late-night venue such as a pub or nightclub. Such an operator can only take bookings inside the venue, at the booking location named on its licence. The handbook says you can only accept a fare if the passenger booked through a licensed London operator. You must not approach people on the pavement or outside a late-night venue to offer private hire services. If you do, you may be committing an offence and could be prosecuted. If a customer approaches you, tell them to contact a licensed operator.

The wrong passenger, the wrong car

Booking-first has a safety side too. The handbook advises checking the passenger's name and destination before they get into the vehicle, which helps make sure the person does not get into the wrong vehicle. Someone who gets into a car before a booking exists cannot be checked in this way. See protecting yourself at work.

Why it matters for your licence

The handbook says complaints or reports about driver behaviour may be investigated by TfL or the police and could lead to licensing action or prosecution. The handbook does not give penalties for unbooked pick-ups. Check TfL's current enforcement information, and do not assume leniency.

Quick test

Before any passenger sits down, ask yourself:

• Did my operator send me this booking?
• Does the name match the person in front of me?
• Do I know the destination from the booking, not from a stranger's request?

If any answer is no, do not carry the passenger. The rest of the rules for the day are in our PHV vs taxi rules guide, and you can test yourself in SERU practice.

Where this comes from

Handbook section 3 (Bookings; Operating centres in late night venues). Section 4 (Protecting yourself). Checked on 2 October 2026. The handbook is not a complete statement of the law, and licensing action and prosecution are decided by TfL, the police and the courts.