To make an application for a new Private Hire Vehicle licence, please complete the online application form. You will need a credit/debit card to pay the application fee of £185. Within 14 days of submitting your application, you will need to book an appointment with the Licensing Department.

You will be required to attach the following documents to your application. Alternatively, you can bring these documents to your appointment. 

• Vehicle registration document or proof of purchase;
• MOT Certificate from one of the above testing stations;
• Mechanical Inspection checklist from an approved testing station;
• Certificate or cover note of insurance covering the vehicle for hire and reward for Private Hire use and Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes for you and your drivers;
• Proof of purchase of vehicle tax;
• Meter calibration certificate*;
• IVA Individual Vehicle Approval certificate*.

* If applicable

If you do not hold a hackney carriage and/or private hire drivers licence with Winchester City Council at the time of applying to license your hackney carriage vehicle, you must provide the Council with a basic DBS certificate no more than 1 month from the date of issue. If you are applying as a registered company, all officers of said company must provide a basic DBS certificate.

There are many different makes and styles of vehicle on the road today. Not all vehicles would be suitable for use as a private hire vehicle and the Council will assess your vehicle to decide whether or not it is suitable for use as a private hire vehicle. Before purchasing a new vehicle for licensing, please check with a licensing officer that it will be accepted as a private hire vehicle. This may include bringing the vehicle in for an initial inspection. 

The vehicle must pass a mechanical and visual inspection at one of the testing stations below. The vehicle can at any time be subject to an inspection carried out by an authorised licensing officer.

Colour

Newly licensed private hire vehicles can by any colour other than white. This is to avoid confusion with hackney carriages, which must be a standard white colour. 

Age limits 

All new private hire vehicles, when presented for licensing for the first time, must meet certain age limits. Petrol or diesel vehicles must be no more than five years from the date of first registration, and hybrid or electric vehicles must be no more than eight years from the date of first registration. Private hire vehicles are also subject to 'end of working life' age limits, meaning that no petrol or diesel vehicle will be licensed once it reaches 12 years from the date of first registration, and no hybrid or electric vehicle will be licensed once it reaches 15 years from the date of first registration. 

Taximeter

There is no requirement for a private hire vehicle to be fitted with a taximeter; fares may be agreed in advance with the customer. However, if you opt to have a taximeter fitted then it must be tested and calibratedand you must obtain a meter calibration certificate and provide this to the licensing authority. Please contact the Licensing Department for details of local taximeter agents.

Signage

All private hire vehicles must be fitted with permanent door signs, unless granted an exemption by the Council. Designs have been approved by the Council and the specification is available on this webpage. Under the Health Act 2006, licensed vehicles must be smoke free at all times and must display the international no-smoking symbol at least 70mm in diameter. All wheelchair capable vehicles must display an international wheelchair symbol on each side of the vehicle. 

Card Machines

All private hire vehicles must have a contactless payment device that can process credit/debit card transactions, in addition to accepting cash, unless granted an exemption by the Council. No minimum card payment or admin fees shall be payable to the customer. 

Wheelchair accessible

There is no requirement in Policy for private hire vehicles to be wheelchair accessible. However, any vehicle which has been modified to carry a wheelchair will need to undergo an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test with the DVSA; this needs to be a 'normal' test under the voluntary scheme. More information can be found on the GOV.UK site. 

All vehicles must be tested at one of the following testing stations:

• BEST Autocentres Ltd, Unit 8 Winchester Trade Park, Easton Lane, Winchester, SO23 7FA / Tel: 01962 866 977
• Wilmoths Citroen Winchester, Unit 1 Barfield Close, Winchester, SO23 9SQ / Tel: 01962 840 888
• W. J. Heard Motor Repairs, Shore Lane, Bishops Waltham, Southampton SO32 1DY / Tel: 01489 895 607

The testing fee of £65 will be payable by you directly to the garage at the time of the test. The testing stations are permitted to charge for re-tests and missed appointments. The fee for a re-test is £22 if re-tested within three working days and £60 for all other re-tests.

If you purchase a new Private Hire vehicle during the period of your current licence, you must notify the Licensing Authority by filling in a Change of Vehicle form. This is to change the vehicle named on your current licence. The licence expiry date will remain the same. 

Please complete the online application form. You will need a credit/debit card to pay the application fee of £45. Within 14 days of submitting your application, you will need to book an appointment with the Licensing Department.

You will be required to attach the following documents to your application. Alternatively, you can bring these documents to your appointment. 

• Vehicle registration document or proof of purchase;
• MOT Certificate from one of the above testing stations;
• Mechanical Inspection checklist from an approved testing station;
• Certificate or cover note of insurance covering the vehicle for hire and reward for Private Hire use and Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes for you and your drivers;
• Proof of purchase of vehicle tax;
• Meter calibration certificate*;
• IVA Individual Vehicle Approval certificate*.

If you sell or transfer your Private Hire vehicle, you must notify the Licensing Authority by filling in a Transfer of Interest Form. This will transfer the vehicle licence to a new licence holder. The form must be signed by both the previous licence holder, and the new licence holder. 

To submit your Transfer of Interest, please deliver the completed form to the City Offices for the attention of the Licensing Department, accompanied by the following: 

• Certificate or cover note of insurance covering the vehicle for hire and reward for Private Hire use and Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes for the new driver. 
• Vehicle registration document or proof of purchase, or completed 'green slip' from the registration document
• Proof of payment of the fee of £42 - this can be paid here under 'Miscellaneous Payments'.

The Transfer of Interest form can be found on the right-hand side of this page. 

You can apply to renew your Private Hire Vehicle Licence each year for a period of 12 months. Renewal applications can be made using the online application form. You will need a credit/debit card to pay the application fee of £185. 

Renewal applications must be accompanied by the following documents: 

• Vehicle registration document *
• MOT Certificate from one of the approved testing stations.
• Mechanical Inspection checklist from one of the approved testing stations.
• Certificate or cover note of insurance covering the vehicle for hire and reward for Private Hire use and Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes for you and your drivers.
• Proof of purchase of vehicle tax
• Meter calibration certificate *

* Only required if changes have been made since the last grant / renewal of licence. 

We understand that due to financial recovery post pandemic, it may be a difficult time for licence holders to pay their renewal application fees. To try and support you during this time we now have the option for renewal fees to be paid in four equal instalments. The online application forms have been amended to include this payment option.

If a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle has been involved in an accident or has become otherwise unfit for the carriage of passengers for hire and reward, then the driver may request a replacement or temporary licensed vehicle through their insurance company.

Winchester City Council will license these vehicles as either Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicles for a period not exceeding two months, provided that they meet the requirements of the Statement of Licensing Policy and adhere to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Conditions.

Please note that our Statement of Licensing Policy and Vehicle Conditions were recently reviewed; we advise all vehicle providers to read these documents carefully before applying for a licence.

Applications for a temporary Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle Licence can be made using our online application form. You will need a credit/debit card to make payment of the £91 fee.

The application must be accompanied by the following documentation:

• Vehicle registration document;
• MOT Certificate from one of the approved testing stations;
• Mechanical Inspection checklist from an approved testing station;
• Certificate or cover note of insurance covering the vehicle for the carriage of passengers for hire and reward, and social, domestic and pleasure purposes;
• Proof that the vehicle is taxed;
• Taximeter calibration certificate*;
• IVA Certificate of Compliance*.

* If applicable

Once your application has been submitted, please contact the Licensing Department to arrange a suitable date and time for a Licensing Officer to inspect the vehicle.