Taxi Licensing

Hackney Carriages and Private Hire

Hackney Carriages are vehicles which ply for hire from ranks or may be hailed in the street and, together with their drivers, must be licensed by the Council. The number of Hackney Carriages licensed by the Council is currently restricted to 36.

Private Hire Vehicles are booked in advance by telephone or other means and operated from a base instead of a rank or plying for hire. There is no limit upon the number of Private Hire Vehicles that may be licensed and as at March 2013 approximately 200 vehicles were licensed by the Council.

Vehicle licences are annual and driver and operator licences are either annual or three-yearly. Extensive conditions apply to all licences. Driver licences are subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and DVLA checks to assist the Council in assessing whether or not an applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a licence. Vehicles are subject to an inspection at the Council’s Environmental Service Depot in Andover.

Application forms for all types of licence can be downloaded from this web site (see downloads at the bottom of this page).

Applicants for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver's Licence or a Hackney Carriage Driver's Licence will need to complete the appropriate application form including a medical form for all new applicants, a Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure form and a DVLA disclosure form. Please note that the Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure form is unavailable electronically and can only be obtained by contacting the Licensing Section. Applicants for a new Driver's Licence will be required to sit a written knowledge test to ensure the applicant is familiar with the geography of the Borough and the licensing conditions. Applicants will also need to provide documentation proving that they have the right to work in the United Kingdom in accordance with the requirements of the Immigration, Nationality and Asylum Act 2006. Details of suitable documentation can be found in the document entitled 'Right to work' (see download at the bottom of this page). For information on the application process see the Licensing Guidelines at the bottom of this page.

Further information on central government proposals and policy for taxi licensing can be obtained from the web site of the Department for Transport (see link at the bottom of this page).

The following proprietors/operators have licensed wheelchair accessible vehicles:

D&K Travel   Telephone : 07768 234622

John Pike Taxis and Minibuses Telephone: (01264) 337744

This information is correct as at 1 March 2013. The inclusion of any details here is not an endorsement of any particular proprietor or operator by the Council.

Frequently asked questions about Hackney Carriages (taxis) and private Hire Vehicles, Drivers and Operators (minicab) Licensing are available to download at the bottom of this page.

For more information, contact Michael White, Marilyn Hillier, Glen Goodlad or Maura Sessions in the Licensing Section:

Legal and Democratic Service
Beech Hurst
Weyhill Road
Andover
SP10 3AJ

Telephone: (01264) 368013/368015/368023
Email: licensing@testvalley.gov.uk