Taxi and private hire licensing

Hackney carriage, taxi VEHICLE licence - plate

Hackney carriage vehicles have to be licenced. They can pick up passengers from taxi ranks and can be flagged down in the street. Vehicles must be tested and inspected before a licence can be issued to ensure that they are mechanically fit, safe and comfortable. 

How to apply 

  • After reading the Evidence and Conditions information below, complete the vehicle licence application form, see button below, and pay licence fee of £286. This can be used for either a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle licence plate 

  • View further guidance about what we will expect when you present the vehicle for testing 

Evidence and Conditions 

Before you start the application, you will need: 

  1. A credit or visa card to pay for the licence 
  2. V5 Vehicle Registration Document, V5C2 new keeper supplement (green slip) or Lease Hire Agreement 
  3. A certificate of Insurance for the vehicle or cover note that does not expire for at least 2 weeks 
  4. Valid NWBC MOT Certificate that does not expire for at least 2 weeks. Please email licensing@northwarks.gov.uk or ring 01827 719217 if you need to book an NWBC MOT test. 
  5. Wheelchair Accessible vehicles must be less than 10 years old to apply for this licence; other vehicles must be less than 3 years old. We will inspect wheelchair accessible vehicles are fit for purpose. 
  6. You must be the owner and/or registered keeper of the vehicle. 
  7. The vehicle cannot have seating for more than 8 passengers (1 driver plus 8 passengers) 

Payment 

Payment is £286 per licence; once you have completed and submitted the online form, you will be redirected to our secure payment provider. 

We accept the following card types: 

  • Visa Debit 
  • Visa Electron 
  • JCB 
  • MasterCard Debit 
  • MasterCard Credit 
  • Maestro 
  • Visa 

Conditions 

  • See our list of conditions below

Apply HERE NOW for a Vehicle Licence Plate 

Taxi and Private Hire downloads