Private hire & hackney carriage - Vehicle licences

                           

The main criteria for a Private Hire / Hackney Carriage Vehicle  are as follows:

The Vehicle should be no more than 8 years of age.

Passenger Capacity

The minimum number of passengers for which a vehicle will be licensed is 4 and the maximum number is 8.  Vehicles with a passenger capacity above 8 are classified as PSV and cannot be licensed as either hackney or private hire vehicles.

Where one of the seats in the vehicle will be used for 3 passengers it must measure no less than 48 inches across (between the nearest interior fittings on either side).

Pre-Licence Testing

All vehicles require testing regardless of age. You must make an appointment at one of our Council-appointed Testing Stations; the details of these testing stations can be found in the application pack. Your vehicle will have an MOT test for which a normal MOT Certificate will be issued and a Council Test. Both inspections must be done at the same Nominated Testing Station and both certificates issued must be dated within one calendar month at the time the Vehicle Licence is issued.  For this reason it is advisable to delay having the vehicle inspected until told to do so by the Licensing Officer i.e. after such time your CRB Disclosure and Medical Examination checks have been confirmed as satisfactory and your knowledge test and driving test have been passed.

Vehicle Exterior

There are no restrictions on the colour of a vehicle but the paintwork must be clean and in good condition.

Vehicle Interior

The interior must be clean and in good condition.  All vehicles must be provided with a fire extinguisher and first aid kit.

Roof Signs (Exclusive to Hackey Carriage Vehicles)

Lettering on the sign should state "TAXI" and a separate sign is illuminated in the windscreen, "FOR HIRE".  The sign must light up whenever the vehicle is available for hire.

Meters

Hackney carriages must have a taximeter fitted but private hire vehicles are not obliged to do so.  All meters will be checked by the garage.

The meter must be positioned so that the passengers can clearly see the charge being made.

London Style Cabs

This style of vehicle is only suitable for Hackney Carriage licensing and will not be licensed within this Borough as a private hire vehicle, as it is popularly recognised by the public as a hackney carriage.  For the same reason roof signs, whether or not illuminated, are prohibited from private hire vehicles.

Insurance

Certificates of insurance for Hackney Carriages will only be accepted if either HIRE AND REWARD or PUBLIC HIRE is stated on the certificate. For Private Hire insurance, certificates will only be accepted if HIRE AND REWARD or PRIVATE HIRE is stated. All insurance documents must be shown before the vehicle licence can be granted.
All drivers shown on the insurance certificate must be licensed drivers as only a licensed driver can drive a licensed vehicle. Therefore, once you have licensed your vehicle, only you, as a licensed driver, will be able to legally drive the vehicle.  This applies even if a non-licensed driver wishes to drive the car only for ‘social or domestic’ purposes.  Any non-licensed person found driving a Licensed Vehicle will face prosecution, as well as potentially invalidating the vehicle's insurance.

The following application forms and guidance information are available by clicking on the appropriate title

• Guidance
• New Procedures
• Private Hire / Hackney Carriage Driver and Vehicle Application Form
• List of Nominated Testing Stations
• Private Hire Vehicle Conditions
• Hackney Carriage Vehicle Conditions