PCO Is The Old Name For TfL's Licensing Office
PCO stands for Public Carriage Office, and TfL no longer uses the name. The TfL private hire operator handbook says its Taxi and Private Hire department used to be known as the Public Carriage Office. It also says the old name is no longer in use.
The letters stuck, though. Drivers, car-hire firms and insurers still talk about a "PCO licence", a "PCO car" and "PCO insurance". It's London shorthand for private hire work licensed by TfL.
Private hire isn't the same as a taxi. GOV.UK's private hire operator guidance says a private hire vehicle (PHV) can only be pre-booked, while taxis can also be hired at a rank or hailed in the street. If you're not sure which side you sit on, read private hire vs public hire insurance.
PCO is a London term. Elsewhere in England, your local council licenses private hire drivers instead, which is covered further down.
What Drivers Mean By PCO Insurance
It means private hire insurance for a TfL-licensed private hire vehicle, with hire or reward use. "PCO insurance" isn't a separate product. It's private hire insurance under its old London name.
Your certificate should show hire or reward use for private hire work, or similar wording. TfL's driver handbook says every PHV must have hire or reward insurance. Uber puts it as cover for hire and reward use that meets your licensing authority's requirements. For the detail, see why private hire drivers need hire and reward insurance.
Car-hire adverts often say "PCO car". That's shorthand for a car that should have its own PHV licence. Check the vehicle licence and the insurance certificate yourself before you take it out for paid work.
A label on a quote doesn't change what the policy covers. If the use on your certificate doesn't match the paid work you do, an insurer may decline a claim.
What TfL Says Your Insurance Must Do
It must be in place when the vehicle is licensed and whenever it's used as a PHV. The TfL private hire driver handbook says every PHV must have hire or reward insurance that's valid at both of those times.
The rule used to be stricter. TfL's notice on insurance requirements says the 2016 rule that a London PHV had to be insured for hire or reward at all times no longer applies. Cover is still needed at the point of licensing and when the car is in use as a PHV.
The handbook also says what to keep to hand while you're working:
- Carry your insurance details. TfL encourages you to carry details of the vehicle's hire or reward policy whenever you're working, including proof you're insured to drive it, for example under an operator's policy.
- Give details after a collision. TfL says you must give insurance details to the police when asked, and to a passenger or member of the public if the vehicle is in a collision.
If your hire or reward cover lapses while the car is out working, you're driving a PHV without the insurance TfL requires. That can leave you paying for any damage yourself if a claim goes wrong.
PCO Licence, PHV Licence: The Words You'll See
What drivers call a "PCO licence" is usually your TfL private hire driver licence. The car needs its own PHV licence, and bookings must come through a licensed private hire operator, which can be you if you hold an operator licence. Here's how the old words translate.
| Old word | What TfL or the council calls it now | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| PCO | TfL Taxi and Private Hire | The London office that licenses private hire drivers and vehicles |
| PCO licence | TfL private hire driver licence | Your licence to drive pre-booked passengers in London |
| PCO car | Licensed private hire vehicle (PHV) | The car needs its own PHV licence |
| PCO insurance | Private hire insurance with hire or reward use | Valid when the car is licensed and whenever it works as a PHV |
Uber's own document list uses the newer words. It asks for a private hire driving licence and a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence.
Ian's note: Read the certificate, not the label. If it doesn't show hire or reward use for the PHV you're actually driving, it isn't what drivers mean by PCO insurance, whatever the quote or car-hire advert calls it.
Outside London
PCO doesn't apply outside London. In England and Wales, your local council licenses you instead of TfL. GOV.UK's taxi and private hire licence guide says to apply to TfL to work in London and to the local council to work outside London. GOV.UK says Scotland and Northern Ireland have a different licensing process. For the cover itself, wherever you work, see what cover private hire drivers need.
The insurance point stays the same. Uber says your policy must cover hire and reward use and meet your licensing authority's requirements. Outside London, Uber says you may choose another insurance provider, as long as the cover meets those requirements.
Councils set their own conditions, so check what yours asks for before you buy.
Uber In London
Your insurer must be one Uber accepts in London and linked to Instadoc. Uber says that if you're licensed by TfL, your insurance must come from a provider accepted by Uber in London and integrated with the Instadoc verification process.
Uber's Partner Protection is not a substitute. Uber says it doesn't provide commercial motor insurance and doesn't replace your compulsory motor insurance.
If Uber turns down a document you've uploaded, read why Uber may reject your insurance before you buy another policy.
Checking A PCO Or Private Hire Quote
Look past the "PCO" label and check the use, the dates and the licences.
Checking A PCO Or Private Hire Quote
Run through these before you rely on a quote for London private hire work.
Your Licences
- Your TfL private hire driver licence details
- The private hire vehicle (PHV) licence for the car you'll drive
The Cover Itself
- Hire or reward use shown on the certificate
- Cover in place when the vehicle is licensed
- Cover in place whenever the car is used as a PHV
- Proof you're insured to drive it, if you're on an operator's policy
While You're Working
- Insurance details you can carry in the car
- Details ready to give a passenger after a collision
If You Drive For Uber In London
- A provider Uber accepts in London and integrated with Instadoc
- Your own motor insurance: Partner Protection isn't a substitute
A guide to what to check, not advice. Policy terms vary between insurers.
- Check the certificate shows hire or reward use.
- Check the cover is valid when the vehicle is licensed.
- Have your TfL driver licence and PHV licence details ready when you quote.
- Carry your insurance details while you're working, as TfL encourages.
If your current policy doesn't show hire or reward use for your PHV, you may need private hire taxi insurance. You can compare private hire insurance quotes when you're ready.
FAQs
What Does PCO Stand For?
Public Carriage Office. TfL's Taxi and Private Hire department used to be known by that name, and TfL says the name is no longer in use. Drivers, car-hire firms and insurers still say PCO when they mean London private hire.
Is PCO Insurance The Same As Private Hire Insurance?
Yes, in practice. PCO insurance is the old London name for private hire insurance with hire or reward use. TfL says it must be valid when the vehicle is licensed and whenever it's used as a PHV. Check the certificate, not the label.
Do I Still Need A PCO Licence?
Yes, under its current name. What drivers call a PCO licence is a TfL private hire driver licence, and the car needs its own PHV licence. Uber asks for both. Elsewhere in England and Wales, you apply to your local council instead.
Does PCO Insurance Cover Uber?
It can, if Uber accepts the provider. Uber says your policy must cover hire and reward use. If you're licensed by TfL, it must come from a provider Uber accepts in London and integrated with Instadoc. Uber's Partner Protection isn't motor insurance.
Do I Need PCO Insurance Outside London?
Not by that name. Elsewhere in England and Wales your local council licenses you, so PCO doesn't apply. Uber says you still need cover for hire and reward use that meets your licensing authority's requirements, and you may choose another provider.
