6. Apply to transfer a hackney carriage vehicle licence
Hackney carriage vehicle licences last for 1 year and must be renewed annually. If you already have a licensed hackney carriage vehicle, you can apply to transfer the licence for that existing vehicle to a new vehicle or a temporary vehicle at any time.
How to apply
Before applying for a transfer you'll need to make sure that your new or temporary vehicle can meet the conditions of our hackney carriage and private hire licensing policy.
Please note that our vehicle age policy states that on initial licensing as a hackney carriage, a vehicle shall not be more than 4 years old from the date of first registration. This means that if you apply to licence a vehicle which is more than 4 years old, the application can't be automatically granted by an officer and will have to be considered by the licensing sub committee who may either grant of refuse the application. In light of the issues presented by Covid 19, the maximum age of the vehicle at initial licensing has temporarily been extended to 5 years old. The purchase of any vehicle is at your own risk. We recommend that you provide details of the vehicle to us via email to licensing@eastdevon.gov.uk prior to purchase, so that we may carry out an initial check.
You'll need to provide the following to do your transfer. Documents can be sent via email to licensing@eastdevon.gov.uk or by post to Blackdown House, Border Road, Honiton EX14 1EJ.
What you'll need to provide
- A completed and signed vehicle transfer application form
- Either:
- The current vehicle registration certificate (V5) for the vehicle showing yourself as the owner if this is a permanent transfer, or
- If you are transferring on a temporary hire vehicle we will need to see the V5 and a vehicle hire agreement
- A completed original vehicle inspection report form. The form will only be accepted it is has been printed on double sided and is stamped with the garage's official authentication stamp
- A current insurance certificate or cover note (to be a minimum of £1,000,000). This must show the vehicle registration number, the name of any persons insured to drive the vehicle and must specify that the vehicle can be used as a hackney carriage.
- The plate from the vehicle which is being replaced must be returned to us.
- The following photographs:
- A photograph of each side of the exterior of the vehicle. At least one must show the roof sign fitted to the vehicle.
- Photographs of the interior of the vehicle showing the front area of the vehicle in one photo and the rear area in another
- At least one photograph of the fire extinguisher and first aid kit in the vehicle
- At least one photograph showing no smoking signs adhered to the vehicle
- A photo of the meter calibrated to the East Devon Tariff or proof or meter calibration
If the vehicle is more than 1 year old you'll need to make sure it has a valid MOT. We will check this online.
If a vehicle proprietor or private hire operator does not already hold a hackney or private hire driver licence, that person will have to provide a basic DBS certificate no less than 1 month old.
Payments
You will need to pay a fee for your hackney carriage vehicle licence. We will accept a cheque, or you can either pay over the phone, or request a payment link to be emailed to you when you submit your application, that you can use to make payment online with a card. Please make sure you are aware of how much this will cost.
Data Protection
Any personal information which you provide will be held and used by East Devon District Council for the purpose of the Licensing Service to process your hackney carriage vehicle licence application(s) and administer any licence(s) which are granted. Your information may also be shared within East Devon District Council for the purposes of carrying out our lawful functions. Otherwise your personal information will not be disclosed to anybody outside East Devon District Council without your permission, unless there is a lawful reason to do so, for example disclosure is necessary for crime prevention or detection purposes. Your information will be held securely and will not be retained for any longer than is necessary. There are a number of rights available to you in relation to our use of your personal information, depending on the reason for processing. Further detail about our use of your personal information can be found in the relevant Privacy Notice.