Bookkeeping for taxi and private hire drivers
Drivers often earn through several apps and direct bookings. Vehicle costs are the biggest expense, so the method used to claim them matters.
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Bookkeeping for taxi and private hire drivers
Your price
3 hours at £15
£45
Set-up fee£0
ContractNone
Regulated firm
Qualified team
Qualified team
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The short answer
What does bookkeeping for taxi and private hire drivers involve?
Bookkeeping for taxi and private hire drivers means keeping weekly or daily platform statements, fuel and charging receipts, servicing, MOT and insurance and the rest of your records accurate and reconciled. At £15 an hour, a typical private hire driver (about 60 transactions a month) needs about 3 hours a month, which is around £45.
What makes these books different.
Every sector has its own records and rules. These are the ones that matter for taxi and private hire drivers.
Several income sources
Platform payouts, rank work and account customers all arrive differently. Each needs recording and reconciling.
Vehicle cost method
Self-employed drivers can claim actual costs with capital allowances or simplified mileage of 45p for the first 10,000 miles and 25p after. The choice affects the whole life of the vehicle.
Fuel, repairs and licensing
Fuel, servicing, insurance, licensing and plate fees are the main deductions and need receipts.
Personal and business use
A vehicle used privately as well needs a business-use proportion recorded.
£15
an hour, flat
£45
a month for a typical private hire driver
3h
of bookkeeping a month, about 60 transactions a month
0
contract, stop whenever you like
Records we keep for you.
- Weekly or daily platform statements
- Fuel and charging receipts
- Servicing, MOT and insurance
- Licence, plate and badge fees
- Mileage log
- Vehicle finance or lease payments
Rules worth knowing.
Simplified mileage
Simplified mileage rates cannot be combined with capital allowances on the same vehicle, so the choice should be made deliberately.
VAT registration
Registration is required once taxable turnover passes £90,000, and the rules for drivers working through operators have their own nuances.
Record keeping
You must keep records of all income and expenses for at least 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline.
General information, not tax advice. Rules change, so check GOV.UK or ask your accountant. Last reviewed November 2026.
A typical month.
A private hire driver with about 60 transactions a month. Here is the time it takes and what it costs.
- Core bookkeeping (31 - 100)3h
Each month
£45
Where this sector is most common.
Using ONS business counts for 2026, transport and storage is the biggest share of local businesses in these places. We serve all of them online.
- Ipswich15% of local businesses, 3.6 times the UK share, about 705 firms
- Peterborough15% of local businesses, 3.6 times the UK share, about 1,215 firms
- Slough13% of local businesses, 3.1 times the UK share, about 895 firms
- Luton13% of local businesses, 2.9 times the UK share, about 1,020 firms
- Southampton11% of local businesses, 2.7 times the UK share, about 820 firms
- Wolverhampton11% of local businesses, 2.7 times the UK share, about 930 firms
Clients say it better than we do.
4.9300+ Google reviews of Accotax
“He took the time to explain every step of the process and made a complex situation much easier to understand.”
Hugo Alvarez
Google review of Accotax
“They take the time to understand how our business works and what our needs are.”
Mael Leboucher
Google review of Accotax
“Very prompt in responding to questions and patient with us even when we seem to be slow.”
Mansur Liman
Google review of Accotax
“The work was completed promptly, my tax return was successfully filed.”
Sergey M
Google review of Accotax
taxi and private hire drivers: your questions.
Should I claim mileage or actual car costs?
It depends on your car, mileage and finance. Simplified mileage is easy, while actual costs with capital allowances can be better for expensive or electric vehicles. The choice should be made at the start.
Services we would use.
Related sectors.
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- Farms and agricultureSeasonal income, subsidies, livestock and the farmers' flat rate scheme.
- Property developersProject costing, development finance and CIS for developers and renovators.
- Holiday lets and Airbnb hostsPlatform payouts, cleaning costs and property income rules for holiday let owners.
- Cleaning companiesRecurring contracts, supplies, subcontractors and payroll for cleaning businesses.
- Haulage and transportFuel cards, driver pay, vehicle finance and operator costs for hauliers.
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