Apply for a new vehicle licence

You must have a vehicle licence to operate a private hire or hackney carriage vehicle. 

Application process for a new vehicle

Application Process for Private Hire Vehicle (PDF) [58KB]

Fees

Find a list of taxi licensing fees here

The council will consider applications for dispensation from displaying plates in certain circumstances. Please refer to appendix N of the councils  Taxi Licensing Policy (PDF) [907KB] for full details. 

If your plates are lost or stolen there is a £10 fee for replacement plates.

How to apply

Please note that we do not currently have any new hackney plates available.

You will need to complete an application form, and will need to bring the following information in to the council offices:

• a valid insurance certificate
• the registration document of the vehicle if it hasn't been licensed before
• the correct fee for 12 months
• a valid MOT from an approved MOT testing centre. The MOT must be no more than 1 month old at the time of application.

Vehicle MOT inspections

All vehicle owners will need to obtain an MOT from one of the Council's Approved Testing Centres which needs to be presented to the Council.

List of approved MOT stations (PDF) [54KB]

All advisory items listed on the MOT will need to be rectified. Evidence that these works have been carried out will need to be submitted along with the MOT certificate before the Authority will issue plates.

If you submit documentation from any other MOT Station then your application will be rejected by the Licensing Authority and you will be required to have the MOT done again at an approved test centre before your application can progress.

PLEASE NOTE that an MOT is required every 6 months during the period of each vehicle licence - one on each renewal and one 6 months later at the half way point of the licence. The Council will notify you when your Vehicle licence is due for renewal, but we will not notify you when your intermediate MOT is due - you must remember to book the vehicle in for the intermediate MOT and submit the document to the Licensing Service at the time. Failure to carry out the intermediate MOT and submit the documentation will result in Penalty Points under the Council's Penalty Points Enforcement Scheme and may ultimately affect your ability to licence the vehicle in the future.

Your responsibilities

We will only accept applications that have the appropriate documentation with them. You are responsible for providing any evidence that is requested on the application form, and for making sure that your vehicle has been inspected in the relevant time frame.