Vehicle and operators

In addition to holding a driving licence, it is necessary to licence the vehicle itself with the Council. This is before it can be used as a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle.

Before we can grant a vehicle licence, your car must undergo a suitability test. This is to determine if it meets the requirements for operating as a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle.

Tests are carried out once a year and every 6 months once the vehicle is over 5 years old. The test is subject to a fee and carried out by our vehicle depot.

All vehicles licensed by the Council must follow our current Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Vehicle compliance Testing Standards.

You can also view an accessible version of this document here.

Applying for a vehicle licence

Please complete the relevant application form. Details of the information you need to include with your application including the fee are included on the form.

• Hackney carriage licence application form
• Private hire vehicle licence application form
• Private hire vehicle licence application form (accessible ODT version)

Operator Licence - Private Hire

To accept or arrange bookings for private hire vehicles, it is necessary to have a private hire operator's licence. A licensed private hire driver is only permitted to accept fares that have been booked through a licensed operator. Even if the operator doesn't provide the vehicle or driver, the public will establish the contract with them.

Once you get an operator's licence, you can hire multiple licensed vehicles and drivers. However, a licensed private hire driver must have an operator licence or work for a licensed private hire operator to accept bookings.

Operators are obligated to maintain a register of all bookings received, which can be inspected by the Police or the Council at any time.

Applying for an operator licence

Please complete the application form. Details of the information you need to include with your application are on the form.

Once you have completed the form then please either return it in person to our public desk or post it to our offices.​

Accidents

All accidents must be reported in writing to licensing within 72 hours of the accident. Please complete the accident report form and return to licensing.

Online Register

If you wish to see further information on licences granted you can view these on the online register.