PHV licensing in Edinburgh (City of Edinburgh Council)
Authority
City of Edinburgh Council
Legal framework: 1982_act_scotland
Fees
- 0: [object Object]
Appeals
sheriff court
Scottish framework under 1982 Act; cross-border hiring rules differ from England and Wales.
PHV licensing in Edinburgh (City of Edinburgh Council)
Authority: City of Edinburgh Council Legal framework: Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 Last verified: 19 April 2026
Summary
You must complete a foundation-level training course for new taxi or PHC drivers, do HMRC's tax check, pass a criminal record check and submit your application in person at the Licensing Hub. From November 2023 existing drivers renewing must complete a 3-day intermediate course and then refresher training every three years. Edinburgh's directory and application pack pages are light on exact fee numbers — they send you to pay via a form or check with the Licensing Hub instead. Appeals go to the sheriff court.
What it costs, in full
| Item | Cost | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| New PHC driver licence application fee | not published, FOI required | City of Edinburgh Council | 2026-04-19 |
| Renewal PHC driver licence fee | not published, FOI required | City of Edinburgh Council | 2026-04-19 |
| Criminal record check | required, cost not published | City of Edinburgh Council | 2026-04-19 |
| Medical | Group 2 medical expected, cost not published | City of Edinburgh Council | 2026-04-19 |
| Foundation level training | mandatory, cost not on council page | City of Edinburgh Council | 2026-04-19 |
| Intermediate 3-day training (renewals) | mandatory from Nov 2023, cost not published | City of Edinburgh Council | 2026-04-19 |
| Processing time | treat as not published | City of Edinburgh Council | 2026-04-19 |
If they refuse or revoke
Appeal route is the sheriff court.
Before you leave
Sources
- City of Edinburgh private hire car driver licence directory
- Edinburgh new taxi or PHC driver application form
- Edinburgh foundation level training for new drivers
- Edinburgh intermediate 3-day course for renewals
- Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
- Scottish Government PHC licensing guidance
- Disclosure Scotland criminal record check