Renew a private hire vehicle licence

All licence holders will be sent a reminder letter to the registered address held on their file one month before their existing licence runs out - this is a courtesy and it is the licence holder’s responsibility to submit an application before the expiry of the current licence.

In addition to completing the Private Hire Vehicle Renewal Application (pdf, 151kb) and paying the appropriate fee, the following original supporting documentation must be submitted for the application to be considered valid:

  1. MOT certificate
  2. Insurance certificate covering private hire work for all proposed drivers
  3. Depot inspection
  4. Weight test/passenger lift certificate (if the vehicle has a tail lift)
  5. Meter calibration certificate (if the vehicle has a meter fitted).

Please note that documents do not need to be provided with the application if an up to date copy has already been supplied to the Licensing Department.  If the documents are due to expire shortly then they must be provided with the application.

A renewal form must be completed with the same ownership details as the current licence. If any details other than the business name, address, or contact numbers have changed then you must complete a transfer application form in addition to this renewal form, and complete your renewal form with the new ownership details. A separate fee is payable for a transfer application.

Tests are carried out at our Depot. Appointments can be made by using the Depot Test Booking System.

All vehicles must be kept in exceptional condition at all times.  Exceptional condition is defined as:

The exterior of all licensed vehicles shall be maintained in a clean, safe and proper manner at all times. In particular, the exterior of the vehicle shall:

(i)      be free of dents;

(ii)      be free of visible rust;

(iii)     be free of any scratches over 10cm in length;

(iv)    be free of unrepaired accident damage;

(v)     have uniform paintwork equivalent to that applied by the manufacturer;

(vi)    not be missing any exterior trim;

(vii)    have all 4 hub caps (if part of the original specification) present, matching and scuff free; and

(viii)   be maintained in an acceptable state of cleanliness.

The interior of all licensed vehicles shall be maintained in a clean, safe and proper manner at all times. In particular, the interior of the vehicle shall:

(i)      be free of stains to the upholstery including carpets, and door trim;

(ii)      be free of splits and tears to the passenger seats;

(iii)     be maintained in an acceptable state of cleanliness;

(iv)    have no edges or damaged items likely to cause injury to a passenger;

(v)     be free from damp and odour that may cause passenger discomfort; and

(vi)    provide seats functioning in accordance with the manufacturers’ specification.

Once you have passed the Depot test, the application form, original supporting documentation and relevant fee can be handed in at reception. There is no need to take a ticket. Reception will copy your original documents. The fee can be paid at the payment machines located in reception.

We will accept copies of the insurance policy direct from the insurance company via email. An applicant is also able to forward an email from the insurance company onto us.

An application will not be validated until all of the above documents have been received. Once a valid application has been received we aim to determine the application within five working days

A vehicle will be licensed up until it is 10 years old and a wheelchair accessible vehicle will be licensed up until it is 15 years old.