How to choose a chauffeur in London: TfL licensing checks and red flags

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the Wimbledon Chauffeur team

Short answer: In London, every private hire journey, including chauffeur bookings, must be taken by a TfL-licensed operator, driven by a TfL-licensed driver and carried out in a TfL-licensed vehicle. You can check operator, driver and vehicle licences on TfL's online licence checker. Ask about vehicles, inclusions, waiting time and cancellation terms before booking, and avoid anyone offering unbooked rides.

How to choose a chauffeur in London: TfL licensing checks and red flags

The three TfL licences

London private hire is regulated by Transport for London under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. A legitimate chauffeur journey in London involves three separate licences, and all three should be in place.

Licence	Who holds it	What it means for you
Private hire operator licence	The company taking your booking	It must record your booking and accept it before the journey, and keep records
Private hire driver licence	The chauffeur	Background checks including an enhanced DBS check, medical fitness and TfL assessments
Private hire vehicle licence	The car	Regular inspections and a TfL licence disc displayed on the windscreens

Outside London, private hire is licensed by local councils instead. A journey that starts outside London may be legally carried out under a council licence, but the operator, driver and vehicle should normally be licensed by the same authority.

What TfL licensed drivers have to pass

To get a London private hire driver licence, applicants go through an enhanced criminal record check, a medical, and TfL assessments including a topographical skills test of route planning and the SERU assessment, which covers safety, equality and regulatory understanding. Drivers also need to meet an English language requirement. Licences are renewed periodically, so a valid licence means the checks are reasonably current. Licensed vehicles are also inspected before they are licensed and at regular intervals afterwards, and must carry appropriate hire and reward insurance. None of this guarantees good service, but it does mean the basic safety and legal checks have been done, which is not the case with an unlicensed driver.

How to check a company is legitimate

Search the operator name on TfL's licence checker before you book
Ask for the operator licence number and check it matches the company name
When the car arrives, look for the TfL licence disc on the front and rear windscreens
Check the registration and driver name match your booking confirmation
Ask to see the driver's TfL photo licence if you are unsure
Look for a real business address and a working landline or email, not just a mobile number

Questions to ask before you book

Is the price fixed per vehicle, and what exactly does it include?
Are airport drop-off charges, car park fees and the Congestion Charge included?
How much free waiting time is included, and what does extra waiting cost?
Which vehicle will I get, and how many passengers and suitcases does it take?
Do you provide child seats, and which types?
What is your cancellation policy and how much notice is needed?
How will I receive the driver's name and contact number?
For business bookings: can you invoice to an account with our references?

Red flags

A driver approaching you at an airport, station or venue to offer a ride
No booking confirmation, or a confirmation with no operator name
A car without a TfL licence disc, or a driver who will not show a licence
Prices that look far below everyone else's, with charges added on the day
Pressure to pay cash to the driver for a pre-paid booking
No clear cancellation or waiting terms
Vague answers about which vehicle you will get

Booking for a business

If you book for colleagues or clients, set clear expectations at the start. Agree who can book, what references or cost centres should appear on invoices, how cancellations are charged and how you will be told if a driver is running late. Ask for the passenger's driver details to be sent directly to the passenger as well as the booker, and keep a single point of contact for changes on the day.

For regular travel, review the arrangement every few months. Look at how often drivers were late, how quickly changes were handled and whether invoices matched the quotes. A reliable chauffeur company should be able to explain any extra charges, such as waiting or additional stops, line by line.

What a good booking confirmation includes

A written confirmation is your record of what was agreed, and in London the operator is required to record the booking before the journey. Check it as soon as it arrives and query anything missing or wrong, especially times and addresses.

The operator's trading name and contact details
Pick-up date, time and full address with postcode
Destination, stops and any flight or train numbers
Vehicle type and the number of passengers and bags
The agreed price and what it includes
Free waiting time and the rate for extra waiting
Cancellation terms
How and when you will receive the driver's name, number and registration