Journeys outside Greater London for PHV drivers

A London PHV licence is tied to London, which leads many drivers to ask what happens when a booking goes beyond the boundary. The handbook gives a short, clear answer. This guide explains it, what it does and does not cover, and the questions to put to your operator.

The handbook rule

Section 3 says that a London licensed PHV driver, in a London licensed PHV, may carry out a private hire booking where the pick-up point, the destination or both are outside Greater London. The condition is that the booking has been accepted by a licensed London PHV operator. Where you have any doubts, the handbook tells you to ask your operator.

Three conditions sit inside that one sentence, and each can fail on its own:

1. You hold a London PHV driver licence.
2. The vehicle is a London licensed PHV.
3. A licensed London operator accepted the booking.

If one is missing, the handbook does not give you permission. A booking from an operator licensed elsewhere, for example, is not covered by this section.

What stays the same outside London

The handbook does not say the rules change once you cross the boundary, and the rest of the licence requirements do not stop at the edge of London. Wear your badge. Keep your vehicle's licence discs displayed. Carry only the booked passenger. Do not stop to pick up anyone who waves you down. Our guide to plying for hire covers why.

The handbook says nothing about what happens with local rules in other areas, such as parking limits or restrictions set by another council. Treat that as an open question and look up local rules for areas you visit often. We have not verified them.

Airports and the boundary

Some airport bookings involve a pick-up or drop-off outside Greater London, and airports have their own byelaws. The handbook's airport rules are about Heathrow and London City. Read our airport pick-up guide before you accept one.

Fares and changes mid-journey

Longer journeys raise the chance of a change. The handbook says if a passenger changes the destination, asks you to pick up extra passengers or has extra luggage, you should tell your operator as soon as it is safe, so the operator can update the fare or estimate. Our fares and receipts guide covers this in detail.

Questions to ask your operator

• Do you accept bookings that end outside Greater London?
• How is the fare agreed or estimated for those journeys?
• Do I wait for a return booking, or come back empty? Who pays for the empty leg?
• Are there places outside London where I should not wait or pick up?
• What do I do if the passenger asks to extend the journey further?

The handbook does not answer questions like the empty return or the fare split. Those depend on your agreement. Write the answers down. If you work out the real cost of long trips, our cost per mile calculator uses your own numbers.

Keep notes on longer trips

Long journeys cut across more roads, more rules and more chances for disagreement. A short note of the booking time, pick-up, destination and any change helps if something is disputed later. See record keeping for drivers.

What this guide cannot tell you

The handbook does not say how far from London you may travel, how long you may stay out of the area, or what applies if a passenger asks you to wait outside London for a return trip. If any of that matters to you, ask your operator and check TfL. Our fees overview shows what is charged for licensing. There are no extra licence fees for outside journeys in the handbook.

Where this comes from

Handbook section 3 (Journeys outside Greater London; Fares). Checked on 2 October 2026. Version 1.0, dated 30 September 2021.