The Hire Handbook

Hiring vehicles and drivers in the UK

The Hire Handbook

What to check before you hire a vehicle, a driver or a transfer in the UK.

A yard attendant shows a customer the open side door of a plain white van, with two more white vans parked behind in a van hire yard.

How to Hire a Van: What You Need to Bring

How to hire a van: what you need to bring, from your licence and DVLA check code to a payment card, plus the age, licence and excess checks to make.

7 November 2026A woman holding a phone reaches for the kerb-side rear door of a silver saloon car on a UK town street at dusk.

Private Hire or Taxi: What Is the Difference?

Private hire or taxi: what is the difference? How each is booked, licensed and priced in the UK, and how to check your car is legal.

7 November 2026A chauffeur in a dark suit holds the kerb-side rear door of a black saloon as a woman in a long coat steps in from the pavement.

How Chauffeur Hire Works in the UK

How chauffeur hire works in the UK, from quote to journey: the licences to check, what affects the price and what to get in writing.

7 November 2026A traveller in a raincoat pulls a black wheeled suitcase to the open kerb-side rear door of a dark grey saloon at an airport drop-off.

How to Book an Airport Transfer in the UK

How to book an airport transfer in the UK: the checks to make, what to ask for in a quote, and how drop-off charges and delays affect the price.

7 November 2026

Our first guides are on their way. In the meantime, take a look at the hire checklist.

The UK hire checklist: cars, vans and driversWhat to check before you hire a car, a van or a driver in the UK: licences, DVLA check codes, excess, pick-up photos and private hire rules.