Private Hire Car Operator and Driver Licensing
A private hire vehicle must be licensed by the Council and once licensed, booked through a licensing private hire car operator.These vehicles, once licensed, display yellow and green plates anddoor crests.
Not only is a licence required for the vehicle but a separate licence is required for each driver employed to drive it.
It is different from a taxi in that a private hire car driver cannot pick passengers up from the streets and cannot ply for hire in public places – all fares must be pre-booked.
Vehicle licences are only granted to vehicles of a certain specification.All vehicles have to comply with the same specification.Vehicles are inspected at least annually in addition to the normal MOT test.The vehicle specification can be found on the application pack linked below.
This licence is required before any person can drive a licensed vehicleBefore a licence is granted the applicant must satisfy the Council that:
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He/she is a fit and proper person to hold such a licence;
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He/she is medically fit, anyone over the age of 65 is required to undergo a medical;
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He/she has held a full driving licence for at least twelve months prior to the date of application.
Alternatively, an application form can be obtained using the contact details on the right of this page.
Completed application forms should also be sent to the contact details at the right of this page.The application form should be accompanied by the appropriate documentation and non refundable fee.
These fees are subject to annual review.
The fee is not returnable if you decide to withdraw the application or if the licence is refused.