Apply for a Vehicle Licence

Hackney Carriages (Taxis) and Private Hire Vehicles require a licence from us.

Requirements

You must have a Hackney Carriage Licence or Private Hire Vehicle Licence for each vehicle that you own.
Each new vehicle is subject to passing a compliance check and a mechanical test before it can be considered for a licence.
You should check the vehicle specifications before purchasing a vehicle.
A licensed vehicle can only be driven by someone who holds a Taxi Driver Licence issued by us.
All journeys in Private Hire Vehicles must be booked through a Private Hire Operator's Licence.

Firstly make an appointment with our Vehicle Testing Station on Hermitage Lane by calling 01623 463093, for the vehicle to have a compliance check.

Our application fees (opens in a new window) must be paid when you make your application.

We will need the following for verification before the mechanical test takes place:

Compliance check sheet that states the vehicle has passed the compliance test
Vehicle registration document or bill of sale.
Valid insurance document.
MOT certificate (if applicable)
Payment.
The compliance check fee and the mechanical test fee are paid directly to the Vehicle Testing Station.

There are two types of vehicle:

Hackney Carriages

Have a top sign with the word TAXI - this is lit when they can be hired.
Have a square white licence plate on the rear of the cab displaying the words Mansfield District Council in red and hackney carriage in black and a large black number.
Can be hailed in the street.
Can work from the town centre ranks.
Do not need to be pre-booked.
All have a fare meter and fare chart displayed inside the cab.

Private Hire Vehicles

Cannot be legally referred to as a taxi.
Have a long yellow licence plate on the rear of the car displaying the words Mansfield District Council and private hire vehicle and a large black number.
Have the name of the private hire company displayed on the side of the car (all doors signs must have MDC approval).
Cannot be hailed in the street. They must be pre-booked by telephone or in person at the company base.
When booking always ask for an estimate of the fare, as not all private hire vehicles have meters.

We hold a public register containing details of vehicle licences, issued by us.

The register contains the following information:

If you would like to see the register, please contact us.