South Norfolk Council hackney carriage and private hire licence

The distinctions between standard and executive private hire are the clients catered for, (which are typically business to business contracts), the car provided, the services offered and the cost of these services. 

Bookings must be accepted by a licensed private hire operator and a licensed vehicle and driver will be dispatched to complete the contract.

Executive hire is expected to be:

• by written contract
• booked and paid in advance of the journey or billed by invoice
• carried out in a high specification vehicle
• chauffeur driven by a uniformed driver or wearing a minimum of a collared shirt and tie

Executive private hire vehicles

The vehicle used to undertake executive private hire work will be a licensed vehicle.  It will be a high value, high specification vehicle exempt from the requirement to display standard licence plates and signage but required instead to display discreet silver identification plates, as issued by the Licensing Authority. 

Executive private hire vehicles are expected to meet the same criteria as standard licensed private hire vehicles with the following exceptions:

• the vehicle must be an executive or prestige type vehicle determined at the licensing officer’s discretion.
• the vehicle must be under 3 years of age when first licensed (from date of first registration stated on the V5 registration document)
• manufacturers’ window tints are permissible
• window tint film must not be applied
• vehicles cannot be fitted with operator to driver communication system (radio)
• exempt from displaying standard private hire licence plates and roundells
• the vehicle will not be permitted to display any form of advertising

Application and guidance notes

Before you apply you will need the following documents:

• insurance certificate or cover note demonstrating the vehicle is insured for hackney carriage and/or private hire purposes
• MOT (this should be dated within 30 days of the date of the application)
• mechanical check-list (taxi test) carried out at one of the 4 nominated testing stations (this should be dated within 30 days of the date of the application)
• V5C (DVLA logbook) for the vehicle or a bill of sale.  The bill of sale must include the date of first registration.  If a bill of sale is produced, the full V5C must be produced within a calendar month from the date the licence is granted.
• a basic disclosure for applicants who do not hold a combined hackney carriage and private hire licence.

Please contact the licensing team for a new or renewal executive private hire application.

Once a valid new application has been received, the licensing team will be in contact with you to arrange an inspection of your vehicle.

Fee

You will need to pay the application fee by credit or debit card as part of the online application process which is £166 for a 12 month licence. 

Processing and timescales

Following the successful application and vehicle inspection please allow up to 10 clear working days for the licence to be issued.  You will be required to collect the licence plate from the council office in person or send a representative.  ID is required before the items are issued.  Please note if you are sending a representative you will need to provide us with their name beforehand.