Hackney carriage vehicle licence

Hackney carriage taxis

can be hailed immediately or pre-booked
can use designated taxi ranks
have their fares set by the council.

You must have a licence to use your vehicle as a taxi. If you drive multiple vehicles each vehicle will need to have its own vehicle licence.

What you will need

Proof of insurance.
A meter calibration certificate.
A valid MOT – unless the vehicle is less than 1 year old from first registration.
V5 or proof of purchase.
LOLER and weight test certificate (for wheelchair accessible vehicles only).
A credit or debit card to make payment.

Costs

PDF Icon Licence Fees And Charges 2025 To 2026 - pdf - 141 Kb

Wheelchair accessible vehicles have a 40% discount.

Vehicle requirements

For new and transfer applications, the vehicle must be less than 5 years old from the date of first registration.
For renewal applications, the vehicle must be less than 15 years old from the date of first registration.

The vehicle must have:

a fare meter
roof signs
no smoking signs
first aid kit
fire extinguisher.

Wheelchair accessible vehicles are exempt from the age requirements. Other specialist vehicles may also be exempt.

Licence renewals

You can renew your licence at a reduced cost if you return the application form at least 7 days before your licence expires.

If your licence has expired, you’ll need to apply for a new licence at the full cost.

It is your responsibility to check the expiry date of your licence. We will not send you a reminder or any other documentation.

Apply

Apply or renew

DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service)

If you are not a licensed driver or private hire operator with Forest of Dean District Council, you will need to submit a basic DBS check with your application. Please visit the DBS for further information: www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record

These must be carried out on an annual basis.