It is the applicant responsibility to ensure that the vehicle meets the conditions and criteria detailed in the full vehicle application pack relating to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles. Therefore the applicant should ensure that any vehicle they wish to purchase is suitable to be licensed before its bought.
Hackney Carriage Vehicles
This information sets out the criteria for emission standards applicable for licensing a new Hackney Carriage Vehicle as well as to renew an existing licence.
- The requirement for new Hackney Carriage Vehicle (HCV) applications where the maximum age for a new vehicle to obtain a licence is less than five years of age has been removed
- From 1 January 2020 all renewal HCV applications must meet the EURO 4 standard as minimum; and, with immediate effect all new HCV applications must meet either the EURO 4, EURO 6 or ULEV standard as a minimum (EURO 5 vehicles are not considered to meet that standard);
- From 1 January 2022 all new HCV applications must meet ULEV standard or at least Euro 4 if replacing an existing Euro 4, Euro 5 or Euro 6 due to the vehicle being written off by an insurance company or is a temporary courtesy vehicle due to repairs;
- From 1 January 2026 all new and renewal HCV applications must meet the Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle standard
| Date From | Renewal HCV Applications | New HCV Applications: |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal: 1 January 2020. New: Immediately | All HCV must meet EURO 4 emission standard | All HCV must meet EURO4, EURO 6 or ULEV emission standard. (EURO 5 vehicles will not be considered to meet this standard) |
| 1 January 2022 | All HCV must meet EURO 4 emission standard | All HCV must meet ULEV standard or at least Euro 4 if replacing an existing Euro 4, Euro 5 or Euro 6 due to the vehicle being written off by an insurance company or is a temporary courtesy vehicle due to repairs |
| 1 January 2026 | All HCV must meet ULEV standard | All HCV must meet ULEV standard |
The dates that EURO standards come into effect can vary: for example a manufacturer may be producing EURO 4 qualifying vehicles for a transition period before the official date that the standard comes into effect. For the purposes of this emission standard the following table describes how the emission standard of a vehicle will be assessed. Where there are transition periods the table assumes the highest Euro standard possible.
| Date of first registration (DVLA)* | Standard expected |
|---|---|
| From 1 July 1992 | Euro 1 |
| From 1 January 1996 | Euro 2 |
| From 1 January 2000 | Euro 3 |
| From 1 January 2005 | Euro 4 |
| From 1 September 2009 | Euro 5 |
| From 1 September 2014 | Euro 6 |
Any applicant who trusts that their vehicle meets a higher emissions standard than indicated by the requirements (table above), must submit such evidence to the Council. Where reasonable evidence is provided, Officers may approve the appropriate emissions standard for such vehicle and grant a licence.
A vehicle will be considered to meet the Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle standard if it meets the UK government’s definition of an Ultra Low Emission Taxi (as of November 2018) Taxis - These vehicles are purpose-built taxis and have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and can travel at least 112km (70 miles) without any emissions at all.
Private Hire Vehicles
The information provided below sets out the criteria for age limit and emission standards applicable for licensing of a new Private Hire Vehicle, as well as to renew an existing licence.
The maximum age for a new Private Hire Vehicle to obtain a license is:
- Less than five years of age when it is licensed (not when the application is made), and must meet with all of the Conditions of Fitness (as detailed within this Pack) applicable to the type of licence applied for
- Less than seven years of age for Alternative Fuel Type Vehicles (Tax Code TC59 definition), OR petrol vehicles (TC 48 definition) OR diesel vehicles (TC 49 definition AND meeting the RDE2 standard), that also produce CO2 emission figures of 110g/km or less as displayed in the DVLA V5 Vehicle Registration Certificate and must meet with all of the Conditions of Fitness (as detailed within this Pack) applicable to the type of licence applied for.
All Private Hire Vehicles currently licensed by this Authority shall be permitted to be re-licensed irrespective of their age.
'Date of first registration' shall mean the date of first registration in the UK, or the date of manufacture in the case of vehicles first registered outside the UK.
