Vehicle licence for private hire (minicab)

How to apply for a first time licence for a vehicle

Please complete an application form and send to us by email to licensing@rushmoor.gov.uk. You can also post it or drop it into the Council Offices. Once we have received your application, we will contact you to arrange an appointment to inspect the vehicle. A minimum of 48 hours before the inspection, you will need to provide the following:

• Vehicle registration document, if you do not yet have this documentation proving you purchased the vehicle
• Insurance certificate
• If the vehicle is not brand new and purchased from a dealership, you will need to provide a vehicle history check, you can go to any supplier who meets the requirements in our taxi licensing policy one supplier of this is HPI Ltd
• If the vehicle is not brand new and registered within 56 days of the appointment, it will need to have a new MOT no longer than 28 days before the inspection appointment
• If you do not hold a driver's or operator's licence with us, you will also need to submit a basic DBS check dated no longer than 1 calendar month before your application
• The taxi licence fee

The vehicle must have no outstanding safety recalls and meet the current Euro Emissions Standard (Euro 6).

Once we have received all documentation, we will inspect the vehicle (at the pre-arranged appointment) and if the vehicle meets the required standard we will attach the plates. We will send you the licence document by email.

About you

• You will need to be aged 17 or over

About the vehicle

The vehicle needs to be one of the following:

• Hard top saloon
• Estate car
• People carrier

If you want to license a limousine or other novelty vehicle, please contact a member of the licensing team using the contact details on this page.

The vehicle needs to have:

• Between four and eight passenger seats

The vehicle must not be:

• Listed on the approved vehicles for hackney carriages (taxis)
• Fitted with any top box or sign displaying the word 'TAXI'
• Left hand drive (except for American-style stretch limousines which have express written approval)

Hard plate exemptions

If your vehicle will be used solely for non-public private hire work, such as executive chauffeur services, or needs to be discreet for other reasons, for example security, you can apply to us for an exemption from displaying a hard plate.

You will need to tell us of your request and the reasons why on your application form. We will let you know if your work meets the criteria for this.

How to renew your licence

Licences will normally last for 12 months. It is your responsibility to contact us and make an appointment to renew your licence. On renewal, the vehicle will need a new MOT within the 28 days before the expiry date of your current licence.

We will not renew a vehicle that is not within 2 iterations of the current Euro Emissions Standard.

How to transfer your interest

If you sell your vehicle, you must tell us the name and address of the new owner, as soon as possible.

The new owner must then contact us, using the contact details on this page, to transfer the licence.

Taxi licensing policy

Please see our taxi licensing policy and guidance document for more information about how we carry out our taxi licensing functions and responsibilities.