Transfer of a hackney carriage (taxi) or private hire licence

Under Section 49 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (the 'Act') a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire vehicle licence holder (the 'Licence Holder') is required to provide the issuing authority with notification if they intend to transfer ownership of the vehicle to another person or organisation, who wishes to continue using the vehicle for taxi or private hire work.

Person selling vehicle

Section 49 requires the notice to include the name and contact details of the new owner and must be submitted within 14 days from the date ownership is transferred. A form - Notice of Change of Proprietor of a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle (Form T11) - has been devised to assist the original vehicle owner in discharging their legal duties. When submitting form T11, the existing licence holder will also need to return the paper-part of the vehicle licence. Once submitted our records will be updated accordingly and confirmation provided to the original owner advising that he/she is no longer legally responsible for the vehicle under the Act.

Enquiry Letter (TX15) - Transfer of Vehicle Ownership (Word doc) [80KB]

T11 - Notice of a change of Proprietor for a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire vehicle (Word doc) [67KB]

Person purchasing vehicle

To assist the Licensing Team with issuing the paper part of the licence and ensuring compliance with this Council's Vehicle Policy and Conditions, the person purchasing the vehicle will need to provide the following additional information:

1. Application to Transfer a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle Licence - Form T12. This needs to be completed by the person or company that has purchased the vehicle and wish to hold the vehicle licence.
2. A current Certificate of Insurance will need to be obtained and provided upon application evidencing that the vehicle is insured for 'hire and reward' or 'private hire'.
3. The Driving & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) V5 Registration Document. If this is not available due to the vehicle being recently purchased, please provide a copy of the V5C/2 slip that confirms the details of the new registered keeper.
4. The existing licence holder must return the paper-part of the vehicle licence.
5. There is an admin fee for processing the transfer and re-producing the paper part of the vehicle licence. Please see this page for information on taxi fees. The fee is to be paid by the person purchasing the vehicle.

It is strongly recommended that the new proprietor refer to the Hackney Carriage and/or Private Hire Vehicle Policy and Conditions to ensure that the vehicle is maintained in accordance with these requirements. Further information can be found on the web page 'Legislation, conditions and policy - taxi & private hire licensing', found under Related pages. Some of the key requirements are to provide and maintain a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, warning triangle, no smoking signs and reflective vests for the driver and the maximum number of passengers the vehicle can carry.

T12 - Transfer of Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle Licence to a new owner (Word doc) [77KB]