Apply for a vehicle licence
If you want to use your vehicle as a taxi or private hire vehicle in South Gloucestershire you need to get it licensed by us.
Check the cost of a vehicle licence: taxi licensing fees and charges.
The guidance below is for new applicants, for information on how to renew a vehicle licence go to the renewal page.
All vehicles must:
- meet the required specifications
- not be more than 5 years old
- pass our fitness test
- not have been written off by an insurer
Hackney carriage vehicles must have a valid MOT certificate. Private hire vehicles must have one if they are more than 3 years old.
In addition hackney carriage vehicles are legally required to be wheelchair accessible and be fitted with a sealed calibrated meter from an approve supplier.
Current approved meter companies are:
- TS UK Bristol Ltd c/o MAN Truck and Bus, 28 Third Way, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 9YS phone: 0117 9717119 email: info@btacbristol.com
- Gardner Taxi Equipment Unit 4, Business Centre, Concorde Drive, Clevedon, BS21 6UH phone: 01275 874578 email: gtes@btinternet.com
If you are buying a vehicle it is your responsibility to make sure it is fully compliant with our vehicle licence conditions. If you are unsure and have any questions contact us before you commit to buying it.
All standard vehicle licence conditions are set out in our taxi and private hire licensing policy.
Vehicle fitness test
Your vehicle must pass our fitness test before you can apply for your vehicle licence.
Use our checklist to make sure you are ready to book.
To book the test, complete and send a request for a vehicle fitness test form to mot.bookings@southglos.gov.uk
Tests are carried out at our Broad Lane vehicle testing facility.
It costs £44.91 for a fitness test and you can have an MOT at the same time for the standard fee.
You must apply for a licence within 4 weeks of the date of the vehicle fitness test certificate.
How to apply
Once your vehicle has passed the fitness test you can apply below. Payment will be required as part of the online application process.
Supporting information required
You will need to upload copies of the:
- V5 registration document, with the correct taxation class
- Insurance certificate (including hire and reward), valid at licence issue date
- European Certificate of Conformity from the manufacturer or an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA)
- MOT certificate from a DVSA approved testing station dated no more than 4 weeks before the application date
- fitness test certificate dated no more than 4 weeks before the application date
- meter calibration certificate from an approved meter company (for hackney carriage vehicles)
What happens next
We aim to process your application within 6 weeks.
Once your application has been processed we will contact you by email with further information on the next steps.
The vehicle cannot be used as a taxi or private hire vehicle until you receive the licence and plates.
Read about what you can and cannot do with your vehicle on our vehicle rules page.
Once your vehicle is licensed, if at any time it is involved in an accident or collision you must tell us immediately or the next working day at the latest. Find out how on our report an accident page.
If you sell your vehicle, you can transfer the licence. Find out what you need to do on our transfer your licence page.
Licensing someone else’s vehicle
If you are not the owner of the vehicle, you can still apply for it to be licensed.
You will need written permission from the owner stating that they will allow the vehicle to be used as a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle.
The owner will not be able to use it for the duration of the licence.
You can use our template of a permission letter and email or post it to us using the details on this page.
Contact us
If you have any questions email taxis@southglos.gov.uk