Taxi Licensing

Introduction of a New Tax Check Scheme

In April 2022 the Government  introduced a new process to ensure taxi and private hire drivers and operators are registered for Self-Assessment, PAYE and/or Corporation Tax, through their online services.  

If you are renewing your hackney carriage or private hire driver licence or operator licence you will need to provide us with check codes to prove you are registered with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (the HMRC). 

A code is required for each type of licence you hold; Hackney Carriage or Private Hire, and separate Operator Licence . 

Also if you are in a partnership with others, each individual will need to register and provide a separate check code to us at the time of renewal prior to us being able to renew a licence.  

Letters are being sent at the time the driver’s licences are due for renewal to explain the process. It is a similar process to that of providing a code for us to gain access to your Counterpart Driving Licence.

If you are applying for a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire licence for the first time the process is slightly different and you need to confirm your tax responsibilities by following a separate procedure to your tax responsibilities. 

For both of these processes, you will need a Government Gateway Account to access and update your records to provide us with the information we need.


Taxi Tariffs

View the fares that licenced Hackney Carriages charge in West Northamptonshire


Taxi Law

The legislation governing the licensing of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles etc. includes:

 

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Drivers

Any person driving a licensed vehicle in the West Northants Council (Daventry Area) must be licensed as a Hackney Carriage Driver or Private Hire Driver.

The Licensing Section has a duty to ensure that licenses to drive hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are only granted to “fit and proper” persons.

In order to establish an applicant’s suitability to be licensed as a driver, the Licensing Section requires:

  • Successful completion of the Standard taxi assessment.  Providers include: Green Penny , Diamond .

  • Successful completion of a Knowledge test, which includes basic understanding of written and spoken English, numeracy and local route mapping.  PLEASE NOTE: Starting from April 2016 the knowledge test has changed to include a section of 5-6 questions which will include a few questions about the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy & Conditions  as well as questions about child sexual exploitation . When visiting for a Knowledge Test from 1st January 2018 onwards, you will be required to show us your Current Valid UK (or Equivalent) Driving Licence and document(s) to confirm your eligibility to live and work in the UK.  Failure to provide these documents  prior to the test will result in you being unable to take the test on that date, and having to re-book and pay an additional £40 to be booked on a test at a later date.  

  • Completion of an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service application (formerly CRB)

  • If necessary, a Certificate of Good Conduct from any Countries, outside of the United Kingdom, an applicant has lived in for the past 5 years

  • A medical examination.

  • To understand how the Council handles your personal information, please view the Taxi Licensing Privacy Notice

 

The applicant must have held a full British Driver’s Licence (or European Equivalent) for at least 12 months, and be over 21 years of age.

If unlicensed operators, vehicles and drivers trade illegally, passengers may not be insured.

The application form and some other necessary documents for applying for a vehicle driver’s licence are available below.  Please note that applications will not be processed until the applicant has successfully passed a knowledge test.

You will be prompted to create an account before you complete some of these forms. This is to enable to you to be able to save progress through the form and complete it at a later date if you wish.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy & Conditions  |  Mock Knowledge Test  | Landmarks used for the knowledge test  | Knowledge Test Criteria  |  Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Driver Renewal  |    Hackney Carriage/Private Hire New Driver Application | Medical Form  | Child Sexual Exploitation Information

 

Please note:  A Disclosure and Barring Service application form is not available on the website.  You will need to contact the office to arrange an appointment with the Licensing team to complete that process.

 

Hackney Carriage vehicles

Hackney Carriage vehicles can be any make or model of traditional car or a “black cab” style.  They are allowed to ply for hire from the street or wait at a designated taxi rank.  Certain conditions apply to Hackney Carriage vehicles.  These help to identify the vehicle as a licensed taxi within the West Northants Council (Daventry Area).

One condition that applies is that the vehicle must be less than 4 years old at the time it is first licensed.  We operate an Exceptional Vehicle Age Policy, which enables vehicles to be considered for further licensing after they become 7 years old.  Hackney Carriages that meet the criteria to be licensed under the Exceptional Vehicle Age Policy have to pass 3 MOT/Fitness tests per year.

If unlicensed operators, vehicles and drivers trade illegally, passengers may not be insured.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy & Conditions  |  Hackney Carriage Vehicle Application form

Report vehicle damage or collision  Please note you will need to create an account to save and update your information.

 

Private Hire Vehicles

Private Hire Vehicles can be any make or model of traditional car or a “black cab” style.  They are not allowed to ply for hire from the street or wait at a designated taxi rank.  They must be pre-booked.   Certain other conditions apply to Private Hire Vehicles.  These help to identify the vehicle as a licensed Private Hire Vehicle within the West Northants Council (Daventry Area).

One condition that applies is that the vehicle must be less than 4 years old at the time it is first licensed.  We operate an Exceptional Vehicle Age Policy, which enables vehicles to be considered for further licensing after they become 7 years old.  Private Hire Vehicles that meet the criteria to be licensed under the Exceptional Vehicle Age Policy have to have 3 MOT/Fitness tests per year.

If unlicensed operators, vehicles and drivers trade illegally, passengers may not be insured.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy & Conditions  |  Private Hire Vehicle Application form

Report vehicle damage or collision  Please note you will need to create an account to save and update your information.


Private Hire Operators

All Private Hire Vehicles must be operated from an official Private Hire Office, licensed by West Northants Council (Daventry Area) . 

Planning Permission may be required for new operators offices.  Further information can be obtained from West Northants Council (Daventry Area)  Planning Department.

If unlicensed operators, vehicles and drivers trade illegally, passengers may not be insured.  Applicants to become a Private Hire Operator must be over 21 years of age.

 

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy & Conditions  |  Private Hire Operator Licence Application


Change of details/replacement licences

It is a requirement of your licence to notify us of any change of details.  Please use the form below to notify us of these changes or to request a replacement licence, badge or plate.

Notify a change of details or replacement licence, badge or plate


Fees

A list of current licence fees can be found on the  West Northants Council website.

Child Sexual Exploitation

A series of recent serious case reviews such as those in Rotherham and more locally in Oxfordshire have highlighted the fact that numerous vulnerable children are at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation.  Everyone should have a concern that vulnerable young people are being abused in this way and everyone can play a part in helping to tackle this problem which is not only happening in other parts of the Country. Everyone needs to be aware that such exploitation can happen anywhere.  For further information, including common warning signs to look out for, download our .

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a first-aid box in my vehicle contain?

The decision on what to provide will be influenced by the findings of the first-aid needs assessment. As a guide, where work activities involve low hazards, a minimum stock of first-aid items might be:

  • a leaflet giving general guidance on first aid (for example, HSE's leaflet Basic advice on first aid at work );
  • individually wrapped sterile plasters (assorted sizes);
  • sterile eye pads;
  • individually wrapped triangular bandages, preferably sterile (x2);
  • safety pins (x3);
  • large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings;
  • medium-sized sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings;
  • disposable gloves

 

It is recommended that you don't keep tablets and medicines in the first-aid box.

More advice is given in HSE's free leaflet: First aid at work: your questions answered .

How often should the contents of first-aid boxes be replaced?

Although there is no specified review timetable, many items, particularly sterile ones, are marked with expiry dates. They should be replaced by the dates given and expired items disposed of safely. In cases where sterile items have no dates, it would be advisable to check with the manufacturers to find out how long they can be kept. For non-sterile items without dates, it is a matter of judgement, based on whether they are fit for purpose.