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Easter bin collections

All bin collections following a bank holiday will now take place one day late from 29 March to 6 April. See our Easter Bin Collection page for further details.

Online and telephone payments

Due to a fault, our online and telephone payment services are currently unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience caused while our service provider works to fix the problem.

Taxi services

Hackney carriages 

Often referred to as taxis, all hackney carriages must be licensed and display an illuminated TAXI sign and a yellow licence plate on the rear of the vehicle. The plate shows the licence number and the number of passengers the vehicle is allowed to carry.

On licensed cars the sign is fitted on the roof and the word "taxi" is visible from the front and rear.

Taxis can be hailed (flagged down) directly from the street or hired from taxi ranks, which are situated at convenient sites around the city.

All taxis are fitted with fare meters which must be used for every journey within Exeter. We set fare levels for all vehicles and a fare chart must be displayed inside the taxi. Passengers should refer to the fare chart to see if the correct fare is being charged. We check meters for accuracy.

Private hire vehicles (PHVs)

PHVs are not allowed to display illuminated signs but must display a green plate on the rear of the vehicle to show the licence number and the number of passengers that vehicle is allowed to carry.

They are not licensed or insured to be flagged down or hired from taxi ranks. These vehicles must be pre-booked through a private hire operator's office, either by telephone or in person.

PHV's do not need to have a fare meter fitted and we do not control fares. If no meter is fitted you may negotiate the fare with the driver before the start of the journey. Where meters are fitted voluntarily we test these for accuracy. Records must be kept by the driver of all booked journeys.

We only issue drivers' licences after the driver has been checked to ensure that he/she:

  • has a valid driving licence
  • is a fit and proper person
  • understands the relevant laws
  • has a good knowledge of Exeter

Licensed drivers must wear an identification badge which includes a photograph. Licensed operators must ensure as far as possible that drivers and vehicles used by them, comply with all licence conditions.

Your rights as a passenger

When you hire a taxi or pre-book a private hire vehicle you have certain rights. These are:

  • the driver must only charge the fare that is shown on the meter unless the fare is agreed before the journey commences
  • the driver must comply with your instructions as to route etc
  • the driver must take you to your destination by the shortest possible route
  • the driver must not allow other passengers to share the vehicle without your agreement
  • when requested, the driver should assist in loading and unloading luggage and should also carry it to or from a house, station or place where the passengers are taken up or set down

Complaints

Contact us with details of your complaint and, if available, the following information:

  • fare shown on the meter
  • driver's badge number
  • vehicle licence plate number
  • time, date and place

A list of wheelchair accessible vehicles can be found at the link below:

When this content has been updated

Last updated 12 June 2023