Hackney carriage vehicle licence

Grant of New Licences

Hackney carriage vehicles are vehicles used for public hire or reward purposes which are capable of carrying a maximum of 8 passengers. Hackney carriage vehicles can be hailed on the street as well as being able to use taxi ranks. Hackney carriage vehicles licensed by Wirral Council must be driven by a hackney carriage driver also licensed by Wirral Council.

In order for a vehicle to be used as a hackney carriage vehicle it must first be licensed by the relevant Licensing Authority. Wirral Council is the Licensing Authority in respect of vehicles to be licensed for use in Wirral.

Note that only vehicle makes and models approved by Wirral Council can be licensed as hackney carriage vehicles. Applicants should ensure the vehicle make/model they wish to licence is approved before making any purchase or signing up to any form of financial agreement. New licences can only be granted to vehicles that are less than 3 years old.

Vehicles must meet the hackney carriage vehicle criteria in order to be considered for a licence. This criteria is contained in the Statement of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy

Before an application can be made to licence a vehicle it must have passed a compliance test and MOT test at one of our authorised testing stations. The vehicle compliance testing document details the checks that will be carried out by the testing station. Note that both of these test passes must be dated no older than 1 calendar month of a licence being granted.

Once a vehicle has passed the compliance test and MOT an appointment for a face-to-face appointment must be made to submit the application. To make an appointment applicants should send an email to taxilicensing@wirral.gov.uk and provide their full name and contact telephone number. 

Applicants for a new hackney carriage vehicle licence must bring the following to the appointment:

  • completed application form
  • V5C (or new keeper slip) showing applicant as registered keeper
  • purchase invoice from motor trader (if V5C not returned from DVLA)
  • compliance test pass certificate
  • MOT pass certificate
  • taximeter calibration certificate
  • insurance certificate / cover note (printed certificate/cover note or emailed in advance of appointment. Insurance cover must include 'use for hire or reward purposes' and be valid at the time of application)
  • proof of address for each applicant - utility bill, bank/credit card statement, or central/local government document - must dated no more than 3 months old
  • DVLA Check Code (important - these codes are case sensitive)
  • licence fee (payable by credit/debit card)

Renewal of Existing Licences

If you are the holder of an existing hackney carriage vehicle licence and your licence is due for renewal please note that the Licensing Authority will post your renewal application form to your address approximately 6 weeks prior to the expiry of your licence.

The renewal notice will contain information to assist you in the renewal process, including advice on how to make an appointment to renew your licence.

Applicants for the renewal of a hackney carriage vehicle licence must bring the following to the appointment:

  • completed application form
  • V5C (or new keeper slip) showing applicant as registered keeper
  • compliance test pass certificate
  • MOT pass certificate
  • insurance certificate / cover note (printed certificate/cover note or emailed in advance of appointment. Insurance cover must include 'use for hire or reward purposes' and be valid at the time of application)
  • proof of address for each applicant - utility bill, bank/credit card statement, or central/local government document - must dated no more than 3 months old
  • rear hackney carriage vehicle licence plate
  • DVLA Check Code (important - these codes are case sensitive)
  • licence fee (payable by credit/debit card)

If you require any further information or guidance please email taxilicensing@wirral.gov.uk

Fees

A list of fees is included in the policy document below.

Statement of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy

Wirral Council has a policy which is intended to advise and assist applicants and licence holders on the law relating to the operation of hackney carriages (taxis) and private hire vehicles and to the administrative procedures involved in applying for and renewing licences.

The overall policy contains lots of information including the criteria for licensing private hire vehicles, private hire vehicle conditions, and a list of fees and charges.

The PDF file below may not be suitable to view for people with disabilities, users of assistive technology or mobile phone devices.

If you require any further information or guidance please email taxilicensing@wirral.gov.uk

Hackney carriage tariffs

The tariff charged by hackney carriage vehicles is standard across Wirral and the taximeter fitted to vehicles must be set in accordance with the current tariffs. A copy of the hackney carriage tariff must be displayed prominently inside all hackney carriage vehicles.

How do I report a problem?

Complete the taxi complaint form