Taxi Licensing
Applying for a Hackney Carriage or
Private Hire Vehicle Licence
www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/taxi
VEHICLES
Introduction
Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are regulated by the Local Government
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (“the Act”). Regulation is necessary due to the public
safety risks that would exist if passengers were driven in vehicles that have not been vetted
by an appropriate authority.
Milton Keynes Council (“the Council”) is the authority responsible for granting licences to
hackney carriage or private hire vehicles within its district.
Applications for licences made under the Act are processed by the Council’s Taxi Licensing
Service. The Council’s legal duty is to consider the applications made and to only grant
licences where satisfied that a vehicle is suitable for use.
Types of Licence
There are two types of licence that you may apply for.
1. Hackney Carriage,
or
2. Private Hire
It is expected that applicants will understand the difference between the two types of
vehicle. A thorough explanation is given in the Council’s Policy.
Applicants for vehicle licences are not recommended to apply unless they hold either a
hackney carriage or private hire drivers licence or, they are employing someone who does,
to drive the vehicle.
This is because once a vehilce is licensed it is always licensed and cannot be driven by
someone who does not hold the appropriate drivers licence.
Vehicle specifications
Appendix A of the Council’s Policy details the requirements vehicles must meet in order to
be licensed. The Council provides a list of vehicles that it is aware that meet its specification
– however, this list varies from time and is not exhaustive. The applicant is responsible for
reading Appendix A of the Policy and ensuring that their vehicle is acceptable to the
Council.
General vehicle requirements
All vehicles must:






Have 4 doors
Seat at least 4 and no more than 8 passengers
Be right hand drive
Have an engine capacity of 1600 (or 1.6) or above
Must be able to seat customers in comfort
Tyres must have 2mm tread depth




Must not have tinted windows (all windows must allow 70% of light)
Must not have any advertising
Must not be licensed by another Council
Must not be fitted with a roof rack or trailer or tow bar.
Hackney Carriages
To be licensed as a hackney carriage a vehicle must:









Be a purpose built hackney carriage
Be no older than 4 years of age
Be Coloured black
Listed as category M1 (i.e. seating no more than 8 passengers).
Wheelchair accessible and load a wheelchair from the side
Have a roof sign that can be illuminated as “for hire” or “taxi” positioned in the centre
of the roof
Have an installed taxi meter calibrated to the Milton keynes Council tariff.
Applicants or proprietors should obtain and retain a certificate or receipt of calibration
by a recognised meter installer.
Meters must be sealed.
The Council currently has a cap on hackney carriage numbers and applicants who
want to licence a new hackney carriage vehicle should contact the Council to be
placed on its waiting list.
Private Hire Vehicles
To be licensed as a private hire vehicle a vehicle must:





Not be or appear to be a purpose built hackney carraige.
Be no older than 7 years
If wheechair accessible must be either side or rear-loading.
Not display a roof sign
Must display a door sign that includes the words “advance booking” or “private hire
advance booking”
Exemptions to the above
Some vehicles licensed by the Council prior to the adoption of certain Council policies
retain specific historical and protected rights and may be exempt from some of the above
requirements.
Applying for a Licence
Applications must be made on the Council’s application form and submitted with the
following documents which must all be in date and current.
1. Insurance
2. V5c – or other proof of ownership
3. Road Tax
4. MOT
5. Hackney Carriage Calibration certificate
Insurance
Hackney carriages should have insurance that states that the vehicle is covered for “public
hire” or the “hire under the terms of a hackney carriage licence” or similar wording.
Private hire insurance must state that the vehicle is covered for hire and reward under the
terms of a private hire licence or similar wording.
It is imperative that the applicant of a licensed vehicle ensure they obtain the correct
insurance and make clear to their insurance company or broker the type of insurance they
need.
V5C or proof of ownership
Applicants for a vehicle licence should be made by the owner of the vehicle who should
provide proof that they are the registered keeper. This will normally be by the submission of
the DVLA log book. However, the Council will accept the new keeper supplement or a bill of
sale as an interim measure until the log book can be provided.
Road Tax and MOT
The above are legal requirments and the Council will need to see evidence that the vehicle
has been taxed and has an MOT. MOT’s are not necessary for Hackney carriage vehicles
under 1 year of age and Private hire vehicles under 3 years of age.
Hackney Carriage Calibration certificate
Hackney carriage vehicles must have a meter installed calibrated to the Milton Keynes
tariff. Once calibrated the meter should be sealed and a certificate provided to the vehicle
owner confirming that this is done. This certificate should then be provided to the Council.
PLEASE BE AWARE
Multi Passenger Vehicles (MPV’s) may not be licensed for all seats.


Some seats are designed for temporary use or children and may not provide
sufficient room and comfort for passengers or appropriate luggage space.
Access out of the vehicle in emergency situations may not be possible for
passengers seated behind folding seats if another passenger is trapped within.
Tinted Windows




All windows in the rear of a vehicle must have a 70% visual light transmission ratio
(VLT).
Some vehicles come with manufactured window tints – These are still NOT
acceptable unless they meet the above requirement of 70% VLT
The Council test the tints of windows and will fail a vehicle if they do not meet this
requirement.
If unsure do not buy the vehicle until you have confirmed the VLT. You may even
bring it to us to check which we will do free of charge.