By MinicabTransfer editorial team · Updated
Tipping taxi drivers in London is optional. Nobody is entitled to a tip, and there’s no fixed amount. Many passengers round up the fare or add a little extra for good service, such as help with heavy luggage, a long wait, or a driver who went out of their way. If the service was ordinary, paying the fare is enough.
This guide covers what’s usual in black cabs, pre-booked minicabs and chauffeur cars, and app rides, how to tip in each, and when a tip is a fair thank-you rather than an expectation. It’s for visitors and Londoners alike.
The short version
- Tipping is optional in every kind of taxi and private hire vehicle in London.
- Rounding up the fare is a common, simple way to tip if you want to.
- Tip for extra effort, not just for the journey: luggage, waiting, a tricky pickup, or patience with a change of plan.
- No tip is needed for poor service, or for help the driver is legally required to give.
- Check your quote for any service charge so you don’t tip twice.
We don’t quote percentages here. There’s no official guidance on a “right” amount for taxis in the UK, and practice varies from person to person.
Black cabs
Black cabs are metered, and TfL requires every licensed London taxi to accept card and contactless payments through the fixed payment device in the passenger compartment, without a card surcharge.
If you’d like to tip:
- Cash: round up and say “keep the change”. This is the most familiar way.
- Card: ask the driver before you pay whether they can add a tip to the card payment.
Many passengers round up a short ride to a convenient figure, and add a little more if the driver loaded heavy bags or waited while you collected something. Equally, plenty of people pay the meter and leave it there. Neither is rude.
Pre-booked minicabs and chauffeur cars
With a pre-booked minicab or chauffeur car, you agree the price with the operator before the journey. That changes the tipping question in two ways.
Check what the quote includes. Most quotes cover the journey itself. If an operator has added a service charge or gratuity, it should be clear on the quote. Ask if you’re not sure, so you don’t pay twice. MinicabTransfer’s fares are for the journey only and don’t include tips; the operator you choose confirms the final price and anything it includes.
Decide how to pay the tip. If you’ve paid the operator in advance by card, the simplest way to tip the driver is usually cash at the end of the journey. Some operators can add a tip to a card payment; ask them how it reaches the driver.
Common reasons people tip on a pre-booked journey:
- Meet and greet at an airport. A driver who tracked a delayed flight, waited in arrivals and wheeled your bags to the car. See airport meet and greet explained for what that service usually includes.
- Lots of luggage. Heavy cases, golf clubs or a pushchair loaded and unloaded with care.
- A long day. On hourly hire, where a driver waits between stops and adapts to changing plans, some passengers give the driver something at the end of the day.
- Help beyond the job. Finding a hard-to-reach address, carrying shopping to the door, or patience with small children (see our guide to child car seats in London minicabs).
App rides
With app-booked private hire, tipping happens in the app after the trip. Uber, for example, says tips are optional and 100% of an in-app tip goes to the driver, with no service fee taken. Other apps set their own policies, so check the app’s help pages if you want to know where the money goes.
The same principle applies: the fare covers the ride, and a tip is a thank-you for anything above that.
A quick tipping guide by situation
| Situation | Is a tip usual? | Simple approach |
|---|---|---|
| Short black cab ride, ordinary service | Optional | Round up, or pay the meter |
| Black cab with help loading heavy bags | Optional; many people add a little | Round up further, or add a little |
| Pre-booked minicab, fare agreed up front | Optional | Check the quote, then cash to the driver if you wish |
| Airport pickup with meet and greet and a delayed flight | Often appreciated | Cash or ask the operator about adding it to the card payment |
| Hourly hire or a full day with one driver | Often appreciated | Something at the end of the day, if you’re happy |
| App ride | Optional | Add it in the app after the trip |
| Driver was late, rude or drove unsafely | No | Pay the fare and raise it with the operator |
| Assistance a driver is legally required to give | Not required | A thank-you is your choice |
When you needn’t tip
Poor service. If a driver was late without explanation, drove dangerously or was rude, don’t tip. Contact the operator, and if it’s a safety issue, report it to TfL. Our guide to booking a safe minicab in London explains how.
Help the law requires. Drivers of designated wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles must help wheelchair users get in and out and must not charge extra for it, under the government’s guidance on access to taxis and private hire vehicles. And TfL is clear that drivers can’t refuse or charge more for an assistance dog. A tip is never a condition of that help. See our guide to wheelchair accessible taxis in London.
When a service charge is already included. If your quote shows one, you’ve already tipped.
Making sure the driver gets it
Cash handed to the driver is the most direct route. For tips paid through a company, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 requires employers to pass tips on in full to their workers. Private hire drivers work under a range of arrangements, so if it matters to you, ask the operator how card tips reach the driver.
Budgeting for a journey
When comparing fares, budget for the journey first and treat any tip as separate. Fares between Heathrow and central London start from £74 for a saloon. The operator confirms the final price, and what it includes, directly with you.
If you’re still choosing how to travel, our comparison of minicab vs black cab vs Uber sets out the differences. When you’re ready, compare fares and request a quote from TfL-licensed operators, or start from our airport transfers page.