Taxis (Hackney Carriages) and Private Hire Standard private hire vehicles
Private hire vehicles are licensed in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. Private hire vehicles must not have the appearance of a hackney carriage vehicle (commonly known as taxis).
When considering whether to licence a vehicle as private hire you need to have regards to the nature of work that is to be undertaken as private hire vehicles cannot be used to ply for hire, stand on any taxi rank, or be hailed in the street. In addition, all bookings for the vehicle must be received by a licensed private hire operator. When considering whether a vehicle is a private hire vehicle, we have regard to the Department for Transport guidance.
Detailed information on the requirements for a standard private hire vehicle can be found in Part 3c of the full Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2023-2027.
Anyone wishing to licence a vehicle as a private hire vehicle with us will need to be able to demonstrate, via the application form, that they intend to work for a private hire operator licensed by Shropshire Council. You may also wish to apply to become a licensed private hire operator. If you require information on how to apply to become a licensed private hire operator, please visit our Private hire operator webpage.
Does my vehicle need to be wheelchair accessible?
No, however, we encourage applicants to have provision for the legal transportation of a minimum of one reference wheelchair at all times. Specifications for a “reference wheelchair” can be found at Appendix J of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2023-2027.
What are the emissions/age requirements for a standard private hire vehicle?
Where the vehicle is not wheelchair accessible, it must comply with the following:
New applications
- Fuel
- Petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Euro 5 and where the vehicle is less than 10 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 August 2025
- European emission / age standard
- Euro 6/Euro 6d and where date of first registration is on or after 1 September 2016
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Euro 6 / Euro 6d and where the vehicle is less than 6 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Full electric
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Any age
- Fuel
- Hybrid petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Less than 10 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Hybrid diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
Less than eight years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- LPG
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Less than 10 years old from date of first registration
Renewal applications
- Fuel
- Petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Euro 5 and where the vehicle is less than 12 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Euro 5 / Euro 6 / Euro 6d and where the vehicle is less than 10 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Euro 6 / Euro 6d and where the vehicle is less than 10 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Full electric
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Any age
- Fuel
- Hybrid petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Less than 12 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Hybrid diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Less than 10 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- LPG
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Less than 12 years old from date of first registration
The following emissions/age charts are applicable to wheelchair accessible vehicles only.
New applications
- Fuel
- Petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Euro 5 and where the vehicle is less than 12 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 August 2025
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Euro 6/Euro 6d and where date of first registration is on or after 1 September 2016
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Euro 6 / Euro 6d and where the vehicle is less than 6 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Full electric
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Any age
- Fuel
- Hybrid petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Less than 12 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Hybrid diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Less than 10 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- LPG
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European Emission / Age Standard
- Less than 12 years old from date of first registration
Renewal applications:
- Fuel
- Petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2024
- European emission / age standard
- Euro 5 and where the vehicle is less than 15 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025
- European emission / age standard
- Euro 5 / Euro 6 / Euro 6d and where the vehicle is less than 12 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Euro 6 / Euro 6d and where the vehicle is less than 12 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Full electric
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Any age
- Fuel
- Hybrid petrol
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Less than 15 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- Hybrid diesel
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Less than 12 years old from date of first registration
- Fuel
- LPG
- Period
- 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028
- European emission / age standard
- Less than 15 years old from date of first registration
What are the safety standards for licensing a standard private hire vehicle?
Vehicles must meet the NCAP 5 star safety standards as defined by the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP). In this respect, the Overall Rating must be used. Where the Overall Rating is not available, the Adult Rating is the relevant standard. You can find the European NCAP standards for your vehicle on the Euro NCAP website.
The NCAP requirements do not apply to private hire vehicles that have been specifically constructed or converted for disability access and any M1 vehicle that has been adapted to be a private hire vehicle (and has been accepted by an authorised officer of the council to be licensed only as a private hire vehicle) where:
- The vehicle has come off the production line as a purpose-built wheelchair accessible vehicle and there is a Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) certificate which demonstrates that the vehicle has been constructed to an acceptable safety standard, providing there have been no changes to the layout of the vehicle since the VCA was issued.
- The vehicle is modified after production, but before first registration. There may be an Individual Approval Certificate (IAC) available which will demonstrate that the adaptations have been tested by DVSA (VOSA) and are to an acceptable safety standard, providing there have been no changes to the conversion since the IAC was issued. This may be referred to as a Statutory Individual Vehicle Approval.
- Vehicles are converted for disability access after first registration and have been submitted for a Basic Voluntary IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval). This is the route that vehicles are required to take where there is no VCA certificate or IAC available. Vehicles must be presented to the DVSA for a Basic Voluntary IVA inspection Class P – Personal Import. If the vehicle passes the inspection, it will receive a Certificate of Compliance (IVA 6). The Voluntary IVA checks the whole of the vehicle, not only the parts that have been converted and is similar to a very strict MOT test.
If you are considering applying to licence a vehicle that does not meet the above safety requirements, please contact the Licensing Team for further advice.
Will I need to provide a new MOT?
As part of the application process, an MOT certificate must be provided. MOT certificates will only be accepted by the Council within ten working days of the date of issue from the MOT testing centre, therefore, a new MOT must be completed prior to the application being submitted to us.
Once a licence has been granted, vehicles are subject to additional MOTs throughout the licence period as follows:
- Vehicles, up to nine years from date of first registration, must be submitted for an MOT inspection at six-monthly intervals.
- Once a vehicle reaches the age of nine years, in addition to the MOT certificate submitted with an application, it must have two other MOT tests per year; tests being spaced evenly throughout the year at four monthly intervals.
How do I apply for a licence?
Please visit our Standard private hire vehicle licence – new application webpage for information about the application process and how to submit a new application for a private hire vehicle licence.
Please visit our Standard private hire vehicle licence – renewal application webpage for information about the application process and how to submit a renewal application for a private hire vehicle licence.