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Licensing

Licensing

Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licences

Any person wishing to ply for hire within the Huntingdonshire District Council area must ensure that the vehicle they intend to use is licensed as a hackney carriage. The driver of this vehicle must also be licensed as a Dual Driver with Huntingdonshire District Council.

It is the position of this authority to not licence any hackney carriage vehicle that is not intended to be used to ply for hire within the Huntingdonshire District Council area. Each application will be determined on its own merits.

Key information before applying:

  • Please ensure your have read and understood the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy [PDF, 3MB]

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

  • The vehicle must be a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

  • 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.

  • The taxi meter 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 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, the Licensing Team will contact you via email, so please make sure you provide the correct contact information.

Important information

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

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

From 1 June 2025 all wheelchair accessible Hackney Carriage 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. The replacement vehicle must be a 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 (hyperlink). At this test you must bring the following documents:

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, the Licensing Team will contact you via email, so please make sure you provide the correct contact information.

The Euro Emissions Table [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 hackney carriage 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.

View the current HDC Taxi Fares Table.

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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