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The Council must licence Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles. Only those vehicles that comply with the specification set out in the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy and whose proprietors are fit and proper, safe and suitable, will be granted a licence.
Applications must be made by the owner of the registered vehicle.
Granting of new vehicles must meet the minimum requirements of Euro 6 Emissions standards.
Renewal of vehicles that currently achieve Euro 5 Emission standards will be permitted until 1 January 2026.
In the interests of improving air quality, any application for the renewal of a Taxi or PHV licence that fails to meet these standards will be refused.
No vehicle capable of carrying more than 8 passengers can be licensed by the Council.
In order to assess vehicle suitability, the Council will take into account passenger safety, comfort, the design of the vehicle, and may consider the NCAP rating.
In order to be considered suitable to be licensed as a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle the vehicle must comply with the basic specification set out below and pass the Council’s vehicle inspection test.
For vehicles over (10) ten years of age there shall be a requirement for a third mechanical test.
Step 1 - Check your vehicle meets the Council’s criteria.
Step 2 - Complete the application form and upload all the required documentation and application fees appropriate.
Step 3 – Book a garage test for the vehicle
Step 4 - Issue of licence and plates
Should you wish to licence a new vehicle, please email the licensing team for the relevant application form (if this is not a renewal application).
Vehicle Licences Renewal
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles are licensed for a year. We will send you an application and invoice with instructions on how to renew prior to your licence expiry date.
You must complete the renewal process prior to the expiry of the existing licence. If an application to renew is not made the licence will lapse, and a new application will have to be submitted.
Let Us Know
You are required to let us know about various changes including:
Please ensure you report these changes in the relevant time frames set out in the policy.
In addition to the MOT testing requirements, all licensed vehicles are required to undertake the Council’s vehicle mechanical test every 6 months at the Council’s nominated testing station for compliance with the Council’s policy.
All vehicles that are (10) ten years old plus, will be subject to an additional mechanical test within the year at the Council’s nominated testing station for compliance with the Council’s policy.
Authorised Licensing Officers can also carry out vehicle inspections which may include visual inspection and compliance checks.
The licensed driver driving the vehicle is responsible for its condition while in use. Drivers are therefore responsible for carrying out daily routine vehicle inspections with a walkaround check. Checks must include lights, tyres, wipers, mirrors, seatbelts, fire extinguisher and taxi plates and any fault are to be rectified to ensure the safety of the vehicle and before carrying passengers.
Where an existing licensed vehicle is temporary replaced due to accident or major repairs, the replacing vehicle must meet all policy requirements in respect of its age and Euro 6 compliance. A replacement fee will be required and a temporary licence of a maximum of one month can be issued on satisfactory.
At the discretion of the Council (including where the issued plates are inaccessible or damaged beyond use), where a vehicle is replaced, the licence plates for the new vehicle will not be issued until the old plates have been returned to the Authority. Effectively the old licence is surrendered, and a new licence is issued although in practice this tends to be an amended vehicle licence.
Where the previously licensed vehicle needs to be returned back onto the original licence (for example, the replacement vehicle was a temporary arrangement due to accident damage or major repair to the original vehicle) then following a re-test of vehicle it can be reinstated onto the original licence with the age restrictions applied using the same previous criteria. The reinstatement will not be subject to a further replacement vehicle fee except a mechanical test re-inspection; however, fees may be levied where new licences, plates or door stickers have been damaged and require replacement.
Should an insurance company require a temporary insurance vehicle, they are to make contact with the licensing team to get the appropriate application form and instructions on how to process and get this licensed.
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