United Kingdom · TfL PHV · Updated 2026-07-05
TfL private hire compliance software — the 2026 operator's guide.
The seven mandatory record fields
| # | Field | Why TfL cares |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passenger name | Confirms the booking is a bona-fide pre-booking, not a hail. |
| 2 | Date and time of booking | Establishes the pre-booking predates pick-up. |
| 3 | Pick-up location | Verifies operator licence area coverage. |
| 4 | Destination (or 'as directed') | Distinguishes point-to-point from hourly-as-directed. |
| 5 | Driver's TfL PHV licence number | Confirms driver was licensed at the time of the job. |
| 6 | Vehicle's TfL PHV licence plate | Confirms vehicle was licensed at the time of the job. |
| 7 | Operator's TfL licence number | Links the booking back to the licensed operator. |
Retention — the 12-month rule
Records must be retained for a minimum of 12 months from the date of the booking, in a form retrievable for TfL inspection either at the licensed operator address or online. HMRC record-keeping rules for VAT-registered operators typically require 6 years — most UK chauffeur operators default to 24 months in dispatch software and rely on accounting exports for the longer HMRC tail.
How Limozoft meets the requirement
Immutable booking records
Once a booking is completed, its record fields are immutable. Any subsequent correction is stored as a linked audit-trail entry — the original is never overwritten. TfL accepts this as tamper-evident.
Driver + vehicle licence storage
PHV licence numbers, expiry dates and vehicle plates are stored per driver and per vehicle. Bookings are stamped with the licence that was active at the time of the job — so a driver renewing mid-year does not break the historical record.
TfL-ready export
The dispatcher can filter bookings by date range, driver, plate or licence and export a PDF or CSV that includes all seven mandatory fields plus timestamps. Typical export time: under two minutes.
Retention beyond cancellation
Records are retained for the full life of your subscription plus 30 days after cancellation, giving you a window to migrate records to your own archive or accountant before deletion.
Common compliance mistakes
- Cash bookings taken by phone but not entered. A booking that is not in the software is not a pre-booking under the Act.
- Driver licence updated but historic bookings not re-stamped. Bookings must show the licence at the time of the job, not today's licence.
- Third-party marketplace jobs. If you accept a job from a marketplace, the pre-booking record is yours, not the marketplace's — you must still store all seven fields.
- Records deleted at software cancellation. Some legacy platforms wipe records at contract end. TfL still expects them to be produced on request for 12 months.
Beyond TfL — the rest of the UK
Outside London, private hire is licensed by the local council under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. Record-keeping conventions vary by council but generally align with TfL: pre-booking, driver, vehicle, times, and route. Limozoft records satisfy every UK licensing authority we have been audited against.
Read next
- Chauffeur dispatch software in the UK — the full 2026 buyer's guide.
- Security & data ownership — how your records are stored, exported and deleted.
- Whitepaper: held funds & operational readiness — the risk chapter TfL doesn't cover.
TfL private hire compliance — FAQ
What TfL records must UK private hire dispatch software store?+
How long must private hire booking records be retained in London?+
Does Limozoft help with TfL PHV compliance?+
Do I still need to keep paper records if my software is compliant?+
What happens if TfL requests records during a compliance visit?+
See how Limozoft keeps you TfL-inspection-ready.
Records retained, exported, and auditable in two minutes.
Book a free demo →Last updated 2026-07-05 · This page is guidance, not legal advice. Verify current licence conditions with TfL Private Hire Operators.