Standard of Dress Report
North Ayrshire Council · 10 December 2025
Back to Licensing Committee — 10 December 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 10 December 2025 LICENSING COMMITTEE Title: Taxi Drivers standards of dress Purpose: Update of the requirements for Taxi Drivers Recommendation: To give the Committee an update on the implementation of the above 1. Executive Summary 1.1 Following the Licensing Committee meeting on 11th September 2024 when they approved amendments to the existing “Dress Code” it was agreed to provide the Committee with a review of its implementation and, if necessary, alter any areas requiring attention. 2. Background 2.1 The Standards of Dress Code currently is as follows:- When the vehicle is operating as a Taxi or Private Hire Car, the Licence holder must conduct themselves in a proper and civil manner and be clean and tidy in appearance. Licence holders must, when operating the licensed vehicle, conform to the following “Standards of Dress” (a) For identification purposes, the Licence holder must not wear a hat, cap, baseball style cap, beanie hat or any other headwear while driving the vehicle when under hire or plying for hire; (b) Trousers must be full length dress style with belt hoops and skirts must be of plain dark colours and not highly patterned. (c) Black coloured jeans are permitted. (d) Jogging trousers, tracksuit and cargo trousers are not acceptable. (e) Polo shirts must be one colour and have a collar with no printing or lettering except a small manufacturer’s logo. It is acceptable for a company name or logo on the shirt. T-shirts with a round neckline, football attire or club colours are not acceptable; (f) Dress shorts and chino style shorts may be worn at any time of the year provided they have belt hoops and are one colour. Three quarter length shorts and cargo style shorts are not permitted. Highly patterned or advertising printing are not acceptable. There may be a small manufacturer’s logo. Gym or beach shorts are not permitted.
Page 2
(g) Any tie should be a clip-on style for the driver’s own personal safety; (h) Jumpers either crew or V neck are permitted provided they are not highly patterned and may have a small manufacturer’s logo, or taxi firm or association details. Hoodies are not permitted; (i) Footwear may be either shoes or training shoes. Sandals and flip flops/sliders are not appropriate and hiking boots are not acceptable; Departure from any of these requirements is permitted only where a particular type of clothing is required by the traditional and customary practice of the Licence holder’s religion. Where the Licence holder is told by an officer of the Licensing Authority that, in the officer’s opinion, the Licence holder’s clothing is not consistent with this Condition (including the Dress Code), the Licence holder shall cease operating under the Licence and shall not resume unless they have changed to clothing which meets the Licence Condition. 3. Proposals 3.1 That no further changes in the Standard of Dress are required at this time. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty From 31 October 2023 until 10 September 2024 ,10 Taxi Drivers received verbal warnings. The new of the Standards of Dress code was brought into effect in September 2024. From 10 September 2024 to the present date 19 Taxi Drivers have received verbal warnings in connection with the way they have been dressed, being their non-compliance with the acceptable standard. The CLSO estimates that there is between 10 and 15% non-compliance. Financial 4.1 “None.” Human Resources 4.2 “None.” Legal 4.3 “None” Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 “None.” Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 “None.”
Page 3
Key Priorities 4.6 None Community Wealth Building 4.7 None Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) 4.8 None United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 4.9 None Consumer Duty 4.10 None 5. Consultation 5.1 Not required AILEEN CRAIG Head of Democratic Services For further information please contact Drew Robertson, Civic Licensing Standards Officer, on 01294 310000. Background Papers Click here to enter text.