There are two types of licensed vehicle that can be hired by the public:
Hackney Carriages (Taxis)
- Taxis or Hackney Carriage Vehicles can be hired immediately - you can get one at a rank or hail one in the street - or by pre-booking.
- Taxis or Hackney Carriage Vehicles provide wheelchair accessibility.
- Must display a white licence plate on the rear of the vehicle which gives the licence and registration numbers, type of vehicle and licence expiry date.
- A small repeater plate is displayed inside the vehicle, either on the partition or on the vehicle windscreen.
- The Hackney Carriages licensed by Oxford City Council are the same style as London Black Cabs.
- Can stand on taxi ranks around Oxford.
- Can be hailed in the street.
- Can be booked by telephone.
- Must have a meter which has a maximum fare set by the Council.
- Must display a fare card.
If a Hackney Carriage Vehicle is on a Taxi Rank then it is available for hire, and the driver is duty bound to take your fare, within the City boundary, and cannot refuse to carry you unless he/she has a reasonable excuse.
Private Hire Vehicles (Saloons, Hatchbacks and People Carriers)
- Private Hire vehicles (PHVs, also called minicabs) are licensed only to carry passengers who have pre-booked with a licensed operator.
- Must display a yellow licence plate on the rear of the vehicle which gives the licence and registration numbers, type of vehicle and licence expiry date.
- Are not subject to fare scales set by the Council, although many of the Private Hire vehicles in Oxford City have meters set at the same scale. It is always advisable to agree your fare, or how the fare will be determined at the point of booking with the Operator.
- Have large yellow stickers on the front doors indicating the individual licence number and the Operators details on the rear doors for easy identification.
Both vehicles and their drivers must be licensed to ensure they meet legal requirements. In the case of PHVs, the operator (who arranges the hiring) must also be licensed. Both taxis and PHVs have a maximum of eight passenger seats.
Taxi Safety Advice
Please be aware that it is very dangerous to get into an unlicensed vehicle for a lift that you pay for. You can not guarantee the safety of the vehicle or driver and the driver will not be insured in the event of an accident. If a Private Hire Vehicle picks you up without a booking, they will also not be insured and are acting illegally.
- Never get into a vehicle that does not display an appropriate plate at the rear. It is not insured and may not be licensed.
- Ensure that the driver is displaying an Oxford City Council approved badge.
- Make a note of the licence number of any vehicle you hire.
In ensuring that Oxford is a safe city for people to live in, work in or visit, the Licensing Team work within the NightSafe Partnership.
The NightSafe Partnership has produced a credit card sized information pack that you can print off and keep with you if you ever need to hire a cab or book a journey in the City. You can download the card below:
NightSafe Taxi Card (262kB PDF)
Oxford City Council Approved Operators
001 CARS
108, ST ALDATES, OXFORD, OX1 1BU
01865 241641
5 STAR (CHAUFFEUR) UK LTD
7200 THE QUORUM, ALEC ISSIGONIS WAY, OXFORD, OX4 2JZ
01865 744944
ABC CARS
70A, HOLLOW WAY, OXFORD, OX4 2NH
01865 770077
CITY CARS
152A, COWLEY ROAD, OXFORD, OX4 1JJ
01865 201201
CLIFF CARS
49, SUNDERLAND AVENUE, OXFORD, OX2 8DT
01865 558960
CONTINENTAL CHAUFFEURS
1, RIDGEFIELD ROAD, OXFORD, OX4 3BS
01865 425600
DAVID SOANES
3, SANDY LANE, OXFORD, OX4 6AL
01865 775216
ELITE CARS
UNIT 12, TBAC BUSINESS CENTRE, OSNEY MEAD, OXFORD, OX2 0DR
01865 250500
EXEC CARS
132, LEIDEN ROAD, OXFORD, OX3 8QU
07894 957268
HILLTOP CHAUFFEURS
122A, LONDON ROAD, OXFORD, OX3 9ED
01865 595262
ISSAC CAR HIRE
45, BORROWMEAD ROAD, OXFORD, OX3 9QP
01865 437239
JS CHAUFFEURS
7200 THE QUORUM, ALEC ISSIGONIS WAY, OXFORD, 0X2 0DR
01865 779905
KIT DISABLED TRANSPORT
17, PAULING ROAD, OXFORD, OX3 8PU
07961 811384
METRO CARS
34, WHITE ROAD, OXFORD, OX4 2JJ
01865 777770
NB EXECUTIVE TRANSPORT
39, WESTBURY CRESCENT, OXFORD, OX4 3SA
07867 533336
OXFORD CARS
20, KINGS MEADOW, OXFORD, OX2 0DP
01865 406070
OXFORD CITY CARS
49-51 JEUNE STREET, OXFORD, OX4 2BN
01856 703030
OXFORDSHIRE EXECUTIVE CARS
11, DONNINGTON BRIDGE ROAD, OXFORD, OX4 4AZ
01865 930025
QUEENS CARS
152A, COWLEY ROAD, OXFORD, OX4 1JJ
01865 766666
RADIO CARS
INTERZONE HOUSE 74-77, MAGDALEN ROAD, OXFORD, OX4 1RE
01865 242424
ROYAL CARS
20, KINGS MEADOW, OXFORD, OX2 0DP
01865 778866
SMS OXFORD
33A, BOTLEY ROAD, OXFORD, OX2 0BN
01865 249232
STAR CARS
28, WESTFIELD CLOSE,OXFORD,OX4 2YB
01865 777695
STEPHEN CARTER
9, AMBLESIDE DRIVE,OXFORD,OX3 0AG
01865 760551
WALLEN CAR HIRE
EXIVY, OXEYE COURT, OXFORD, OX4 7GQ
01865 716000
