PHV plate damage after an accident: what happens to your TfL licence

Bottom line: the licence discs displayed on your private hire vehicle are not the licence itself. Your TfL Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence is the underlying authorisation. If the discs are damaged or lost in an accident, contact TfL about replacements, and check with TfL before using the vehicle for private hire work without them. Separately, TfL's guidance says an accident that materially affects the vehicle's safety, performance or appearance must be reported to TfL (within 72 hours). Damaged discs don't in themselves revoke the licence. This guide explains the general steps; always check TfL's current guidance, as the rules and processes can change.

What the plate actually is

The licence discs TfL issues for display on the vehicle are a visible marker that the vehicle is currently licensed. They typically show:

• The vehicle's TfL PHV licence number
• The vehicle's registration plate
• The expiry date of the current PHV licence period

The licence itself is held on TfL's records. Damaging or losing a disc doesn't cancel the licence, but it means the vehicle can't show its licensed status until a replacement is displayed. That distinction matters because the process to fix each is different.

What "plate damage" covers

Typical situations after an accident:

Order of operations after an accident

A sensible order to handle things:

Within the first hour

1. Photograph the discs before recovery: a wide shot showing where they are on the vehicle and a close-up showing the licence number.
2. If the discs are still on the vehicle, leave them in place. Don't try to remove damaged ones yourself.
3. Call us (or get a repair and hire quote) and tell us the licence discs are damaged.

Within 24 hours

1. Report the accident to TfL if the damage materially affects the vehicle's safety, performance or appearance (TfL's guidance says within 72 hours), and ask TfL how to get replacement discs. Check tfl.gov.uk for the current process and any fee. TfL may want to inspect the vehicle before it goes back into service.
2. Tell your insurer about the accident as your policy requires. Questions about your policy are for your insurer.
3. Get a TfL-compliant replacement vehicle while your own is in the bodyshop. The replacement has its own PHV licence and discs, so you can start earning again straight away. When the other driver was at fault it's provided on credit-hire terms: you may be liable for the hire charges if they aren't recovered.

Within the repair window

1. Replacement discs are displayed once they arrive. If the repair finishes first, the vehicle can't go back on the platforms until its licensed status can be shown and any TfL inspection is done.
2. TfL inspection: if TfL needs to inspect the repaired vehicle, or your regular inspection falls during the repair, book it as early as you can.

Common mistakes PCO drivers make

1. Working with missing or illegible discs. TfL compliance officers can stop you, and the platforms may also check. Sort the discs first.
2. Removing damaged discs yourself. Photograph them and ask TfL what it needs before doing anything.
3. Not getting a TfL-licensed replacement vehicle. A standard courtesy car usually isn't licensed or insured for hire-and-reward work, so you can't earn in it. See our TfL-compliant replacement vehicles guide.
4. Re-using damaged discs. Use replacements issued by TfL rather than patching up damaged ones.
5. Forgetting to update Uber / Bolt / FreeNow if the vehicle changed. Only relevant for write-offs. If you switched to a new vehicle, each platform needs the new registration and licence details, and each has its own approval process, which can take a few days.

The PHV licence vs the disc: when the licence itself is at risk

Plate damage from an accident does not put the underlying PHV licence at risk in most cases. TfL may look at the licence in specific situations:

• Roadworthiness or MOT issues: TfL can take action on a vehicle licence if the vehicle isn't roadworthy
• No hire-and-reward insurance at the time: TfL can suspend or revoke
• The accident wasn't reported to TfL when it should have been
• Annual TfL inspection missed: a separate process, not triggered by the accident
• Convictions or DBS issues: separate to plate damage

In most non-fault accidents involving disc damage, with a properly insured and roadworthy vehicle, the licence continues and the discs are replaced in parallel.

Costs

What about a new vehicle (write-off case)

If the vehicle is written off, the licence does NOT transfer to your next vehicle. You need to:

1. Notify TfL that the licensed vehicle is no longer in service
2. Apply for a new PHV licence on the new vehicle, which must meet TfL's current licensing requirements (check TfL's current fees)
3. Inspection of the new vehicle at an approved TfL inspection centre
4. Register the new licensed vehicle with each ride-hailing platform you work with

How long this takes depends on TfL's processing and inspection availability. Plan it alongside the hire period so you're not off the road longer than necessary.

What we do for you

When you tell us your licence discs are damaged, here's what we can do:

1. We recover the vehicle to our bodyshop with the discs left in place (or photographed if they're gone)
2. We help you report the accident and disc damage to TfL
3. We arrange a TfL-licensed replacement vehicle, usually within 24 hours, so you can keep earning
4. We plan the repair handover around the replacement discs and any TfL inspection
5. When the other driver was at fault, we recover our charges from their insurer

Timings depend on the damage and on TfL. In most cases the licence itself is unaffected.

What to do right now

If your licence discs were damaged in an accident, even if you're not sure how badly, get a repair and hire quote or call 0208 090 8872 (24/7). Getting things moving early helps reduce off-road time. No upfront cost to you when the other driver was at fault (credit-hire terms apply).

Related reading

• TfL-compliant replacement vehicles after a PCO accident: what makes a replacement vehicle usable for Uber/Bolt work
• Uber driver: what to do after an accident in London: first-hour playbook
• How long are you off the road after a PCO accident?: week-by-week timeline
• Our replacement vehicle fleet: the types of TfL-licensed vehicle we provide, subject to availability

This article is general information, not legal advice. Always check TfL's current guidance.