Apply for or renew a Vehicle Licence

We licence and regulate Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles in the Rotherham borough. 

All vehicles must meet the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing Policy to operate as a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle.  You must review the policy before purchasing a car or applying for a licence – paying particular attention to Appendix I, Appendix J and Appendix K. 

Most UK registered vehicles with four passenger seats and at least four doors will be considered suitable for licensing – as long as they have not been modified since their manufacture.  However, you must make sure that the vehicle meets the Council’s requirements before making your application – the following are some of the main reasons why applications are refused:

• If the vehicle is not already licensed then vehicle the must have been registered on or after 1st September 2015 (or manufactured after this date if the vehicle is an import). 
• If you are renewing a vehicle licence, then the vehicle must be under 10 years old on the day that the licence takes effect unless:
  1. The vehicle meets or exceeds the Euro 6 emissions standards, and
  2. The vehicle passes the Council’s compliance test without receiving any advisories, and
  3. The vehicle is in good general condition (wear and tear accepted). 
• The Council will licence vehicles that are older than these limits as long as the vehicle meets the “exceptional condition criteria” – please contact the Council for further advice.
• The vehicle must not have been written off by an insurance company (under any category) – unless the vehicle is already licensed (in which case please contact the Council for advice).
• Tinted windows are not allowed unless the tint was applied by the manufacturer when the vehicle was made and is not a tinted film.
• The vehicle must meet the emissions requirements (based on the details on the logbook).
• Some vehicles have extra seats in the boot / as a third row – these may not be suitable for adults so you should bear this in mind if you are intending to purchase a vehicle with more than four passenger seats.

Please make sure that you carry out an assessment of the vehicle before you purchase it or apply for a licence - it is your responsibility to make sure that the car meets our requirements.

If the car does not meet our requirements then the application for a licence may be refused.  The Council will not accept responsibility should you purchase a vehicle that is not considered suitable for licensing as a result of it failing to meet the requirements set out in the Council’s policy.