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Licensing

Licensing

Private Hire Vehicle Licences

Private hire

Any person wishing to use a vehicle for private hire bookings must ensure that the vehicle they intend to use is licensed as a private hire vehicle. The driver of this vehicle must also be licensed as Private Hire Driver or Dual Driver with Huntingdonshire District Council. The operator for whom the vehicle and driver are completing the booking for must also be licensed by Huntingdonshire District Council

Key information before applying:

  • Please ensure your have read and understood the Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Licensing Policy [PDF, 2.5MB]

  • A new private hire vehicle, including hybrid or fully electric vehicles, must as a minimum meet Euro 6 emission standards.

  • Category S vehicles will not be licensed.

  • Category N vehicles will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

  • The vehicle must be an M1 type approved vehicle or have an IVA certificate showing conformity to M1 type standards if the vehicle has been converted.

  • If a taxi meter is fitted, it must be calibrated to the current HDC Fare Chart

  • The vehicle must be taxed and insured for the purpose of hire and reward.

  • All vehicles must undergo a compliance test at Adam's Autos.  Please follow the link to book your test.

  • All vehicles 8 years or older from the date of first registration will be required to undergo a compliance test every 6 months.

Documents required when attending the compliance test

Once the vehicle has passed, you will receive a Certificate of Compliance, and Adam's Autos will provide the Licensing Department a copy of your documents.

The Licensing Department will then process your documentation and be in contact within 3 days to take the licence payment and advise collection of your licence.

However, if there is an issue, we will contact you via email, so please make sure you provide the correct contact information.

If your licence has expired, your application will be considered as new application and must meet current Policy requirements.

From 1 January 2025 all non-wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles, upon renewal, must as a minimum meet Euro 5 emission standards.

From 1 June 2025 all wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles, upon renewal, must as a minimum meet Euro 5 emission standards.

Please note, if your vehicle does not meet the Euro 5 standards your renewal application will be refused. To allow for a graduated approach to the change in vehicle standards, if you currently licence a non-Euro 5 compliant vehicle you will be permitted to apply for a new vehicle licence with a Euro 5 compliant vehicle to replace your existing vehicle. Any private hire vehicle that is wheelchair accessible, ie a vehicle with a tail-lift fitted, must be replaced with another wheelchair accessible vehicle.

All vehicles 8 years or older from the date of first registration will be required to undergo a compliance test every 6 months.

To renew your vehicle licence

To renew your vehicle licence, you must book a compliance test with Adam's Autos. At this test you must bring the following documents:

Once the vehicle has passed, you will receive a Certificate of Compliance, and Adam Autos will provide the Licensing Department with a copy of your documents.

The Licensing Department will then process your documentation and be in contact within 3 days to take the licence payment and advise collection of your licence.

However, if there is an issue, we will contact you via email, so please make sure you provide the correct contact information.

The Euro Emissions Table [XLSX, 20KB] [XLSX, 20KB] can be used, alongside the vehicle's V5C logbook, to determine if your vehicle will meet HDC's policy for new and renewal vehicles.

Please follow the guidance provided within the table for full instructions.

If you require the licence holders for a private hire vehicle to be transferred, you will be required to submit the following documents to the Licensing Department:

Please send the above to: Licensing@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

Once received and processed, we will contact you for the £20 transfer fee.

If you require a plate exemption for your private hire vehicle, please read the key below information from the policy [PDF, 0.7MB] to see if you are eligible:

  • the vehicle must be used for chauffeur services and executive hire only. Not for standard private hire purposes, such as: 'normal' airport journeys, educational transport county council (school contracts), social services or daily private hire use, in which case a licence plate and door signs must be displayed

If the above is relevant, you will need to fully complete the Plate Exemption Application Form [PDF, 0.2MB] and email it to Licensing@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

Once provided, we will consider your application and will be in contact once a decision has been made.

Please note, if you have been issued a plate exemption from before May 2022, you will be required to complete the plate exemption application form and meet the requirements stated in the current policy.

If your licensed vehicle has been in an accident, you are required by policy to inform the council with 72 hours of the accident.

This must be done by completing the Accident Report Form and emailing it to Licensing@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

Following an accident, if you require an insurance replacement vehicle, your insurance company must do the following:

Once passed you will receive a new Certificate of Compliance, and Adam's Autos will provide the Licensing Department with a copy of your documents.

The Licensing Department will then process your documentation and be in contact within 3 days to take the licence payment and advise collection of your licence.

However, if there is an issue, we will contact you via email, so please make sure you provide the correct contact information.

If you have changed address, you must inform us within 7 days by completing a Change of Address notification from [PDF, 0.1MB].

Please submit the above to: Licensing@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

Or posting to: Licensing Department, Pathfinder House, St Marys Street, Huntingdon, PE29 3TN

Once received, we will contact you for payment. A £10 fee will be required for each paper licence update.

Fees

Please see the Fees page.

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