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

13 May 2026Easy Car Claims Team8 min read

**Bottom line:** the plastic disc on the back of your private hire vehicle is **not** the licence — your TfL Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence is the underlying authorisation. If the plate is damaged or destroyed in an accident, you need a replacement plate from TfL (cheap, quick) and you need to keep the vehicle off Uber/Bolt/FreeNow until the plate is back. The licence itself isn't revoked by physical plate damage. This guide walks through exactly what to do, in what order, to avoid losing earning days unnecessarily.

What the plate actually is

The circular disc on the back of your vehicle (and the smaller version on the windscreen, where required) is a **physical evidence marker** that the vehicle is currently licensed. It includes:

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 the database entry held by TfL. Damaging or losing the plate doesn't cancel the licence — it just means the vehicle can't prove its licensed status until a replacement is fitted. That distinction matters because the process to fix each is different.

What "plate damage" covers

The most common patterns we see after accidents:

| Damage type | What it means in practice | |---|---| | Plate scratched / scuffed but readable | Still valid. Can keep working. TfL may ask you to replace at the next inspection. | | Plate cracked / partially destroyed | Apply for a replacement plate immediately. Don't take platform jobs until fitted. | | Plate completely missing (torn off in impact) | Same — replacement required. Higher urgency because there's no proof of licensing visible. | | Rear bumper carrying the plate is on its way to being replaced | The new bumper needs the plate refitted by an approved fitter. Plan the workflow around the bodyshop timeline. |

Order of operations after an accident

This is the sequence that minimises off-road days. **Do them in this order**:

#Within the first hour 1. Photograph the plate before recovery — wide shot showing the plate position on the vehicle, close-up showing licence number readable. Both go into your accident file. 2. If the plate is still on the vehicle and readable, leave it in place — recovery will move the vehicle to the bodyshop with the plate attached. Don't prise off a damaged plate yourself. 3. Call your accident management firm (or [submit a claim](/submit-claim)). Tell them explicitly "PHV plate is damaged" — this changes the workflow we run for you.

#Within 24 hours 4. Report the plate damage to TfL via the [Plate Damage and Replacement form](https://tfl.gov.uk/) (search "PHV plate replacement" on tfl.gov.uk). The form needs your PHV licence number, vehicle registration, and a description of the damage. A new plate is usually issued within 5–10 working days. 5. Notify your insurer of the accident (for record only — don't let it become a fault claim against you for non-fault scenarios). 6. Get a TfL-compliant replacement vehicle while your own is in the bodyshop. The replacement comes with its OWN PHV plate — you don't need to wait for the new plate on your damaged vehicle to start earning again.

#Within the repair window 7. The bodyshop refits the plate when the new one arrives from TfL. If the repair finishes before the new plate, the vehicle sits at the shop until plate arrival. If the plate arrives first, the bodyshop finishes the panel work and fits it during the final stages. 8. Final TfL inspection if your annual inspection is due during the repair window — TfL can usually accommodate within the period without affecting your licence renewal date.

Common mistakes that cost PCO drivers earning days

1. **Driving with a clearly damaged plate** — even one trip. Uber/Bolt/FreeNow auditors check for visible plates. TfL Compliance can stop you. You can't evidence the licence visually, and that's what these checks rely on. 2. **Removing the plate yourself before recovery** — chain-of-custody matters. The plate is TfL property in a sense, and damaging it further during DIY removal can complicate the replacement application. 3. **Not getting a TfL-licensed replacement vehicle** — a generic courtesy car is uninsured for hire-and-reward work. You sit at home for 3 weeks instead of earning. See our [TfL-compliant replacement vehicles guide](/blog/tfl-compliant-replacement-car-pco-2026). 4. **Letting the bodyshop fit the plate without the new TfL-issued one** — they need the *new* plate from TfL, not the *old* damaged one re-glued. The old plate's licence number is being decommissioned by TfL once you report damage. 5. **Forgetting to update Uber / Bolt / FreeNow if the vehicle reg changed** — only relevant for write-offs. If you switched to a new vehicle, each platform needs the new reg and licence number registered, with their compliance team — typically 24–48 hours per platform.

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. The licence is at risk in specific scenarios:

**MOT lapsed at the time of accident** — TfL can suspend on grounds of vehicle roadworthiness - **Insurance was not hire-and-reward at the time** — TfL can suspend or revoke - **Annual TfL inspection missed** — separate process; not triggered by accident - **Convictions or DBS issues** — separate to plate damage

For most non-fault accidents involving plate damage with a properly insured + MOT'd vehicle, the licence renews on schedule and the plate is replaced in parallel.

Costs

| Item | Approximate cost | Who pays | |---|---|---| | TfL plate replacement | £15–£35 (current fee — check tfl.gov.uk) | You usually, then recoverable from at-fault insurer on a non-fault claim | | Bodyshop refit | Bundled into repair | At-fault insurer (non-fault) / you (at-fault) | | Replacement vehicle hire | Per-day credit hire rate (£80–£200/day) | At-fault insurer (non-fault) | | Loss of earnings during off-road | Daily net profit | At-fault insurer (non-fault) |

For a non-fault accident, the full bill is recoverable from the at-fault driver's insurer including the £15-£35 plate fee. Don't pay it yourself and forget — log it as a receipt in your claim file.

What about a new vehicle (write-off case)

If the vehicle is written off, the licence does NOT transfer to your replacement 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 replacement vehicle (£135 inspection fee plus the licensing fee) 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

The whole switchover usually takes 7–14 days. Your accident management firm should be running this in parallel with the credit hire so you're not off the road waiting.

What we do for you

When you tell us your PHV plate is damaged, here's the workflow we run automatically:

1. We collect the vehicle to our bodyshop with the plate intact (or photographed if it's gone) 2. We notify TfL of the plate damage on your behalf (with your authority) 3. We arrange a TfL-licensed replacement vehicle within 24 hours so you keep earning 4. We track the new plate's arrival from TfL and time the repair handover with it 5. We bill all of it back to the at-fault driver's insurer for non-fault claims

The whole thing takes the average 10-21 days for repairable damage. You stay on the road. Your licence stays valid.

What to do right now

If your PHV plate was damaged in an accident — even if you're not sure how bad — [submit a claim](/submit-claim) or call **0208 090 8872** (24/7). The earlier we're involved, the less off-road time you face. £0 cost to you on non-fault claims.

Have a question about your claim?

Our team is available anytime. Call us and a real handler will pick up in about 2 minutes.

0208 090 8872