To report any problems with licensed drivers, vehicles or operators please provide details of your complaint in writing to the Licensing team using our complaint form [pdf / 88 KB] in the downloads section.
To license a private hire vehicle you will also need a private hire operators licence.
A private hire vehicle is more commonly known as a minicab. Private hire vehicles can only be pre-booked, they CANNOT be flagged down in the street or sit on a taxi rank. In West Lindsey, licensed private hire vehicles must display their plate on the rear of the vehicle. This will be yellow in colour and give the vehicle’s details as well as how many passengers can be carried in it and the expiry date of the vehicle licence. A private hire vehicle will NOT have a roof sign or meter. The customer fare rates are NOT set by West Lindsey District Council and there will be a visible sign in the vehicle stating this, so it is advised to agree the fare before the journey starts.
As a licensed vehicle, a minicab can only be driven by someone who holds a valid hackney carriage or private hire driver's licence issued by West Lindsey District Council. Limousines (up to eight passengers) are licensable if available to hire for events such as birthdays, hen parties and proms. The conditions that private hire vehicle licence proprietors must adhere to can be found in the Downloads section.
Wedding and funeral cars are not licensable as the hiring of these is an exempt activity. For vehicles which are able to carry more than 8 passengers there is a separate scheme and you will need to contact Department for Transport about a public sector vehicle operator licence and anyone driving those vehicles need to hold a passenger carrying vehicle licence.
infobox | Taxi or private hire complaints
text | Private Hire Vehicle (Minicab)
How to apply
To license a vehicle as a minicab please email us (details at the end of this page) to: check that the vehicle is suitable, obtain a plate number and advise us when the plate is required for (ideally we need 1 week’s notice). Once you have been assigned a plate number you can book the vehicle in for a ‘taxi test’ MOT at one of our authorised garages (this list can be found on the last page of our application form in the Downloads section). We will then have the plate ready for you to collect on this day from the Guildhall.
To collect your plate you will need:
- Application form (available from the Downloads section)
- Pink compliance certificate from the MOT
- Vehicle registration document (new keeper slip acceptable if the vehicle has just been purchased)
- Insurance document
- The current business licence fee
The paper licence will be processed and sent out by post within the next 14 days.
If a plate is made and not collected you will be contacted and further failure to collect will result in the plate being destroyed and you being charged the fee of a ‘Replacement Vehicle Plate - plate only’
*Note - once licensed, a minicab is always a minicab until the licence expires, is surrendered or is suspended/revoked*
Transferring a vehicle
If the vehicle is sold or transferred to someone who will not be using the vehicle as a minicab, you should notify us in writing that you wish to surrender the licence and return the plate.
If the vehicle is sold or transferred to someone who will still be using the vehicle as a minicab, you must notify us in writing the name/address/contact number of the new proprietor, from what date the vehicle is their responsibility and the vehicle details. The new proprietor must also notify us of the above in writing, provide us with an insurance document for the vehicle and pay the ‘Transfer of Ownership of Vehicle Licence’ fee.
Wheelchair accessible vehicles
To view the list of companies with wheelchair accessible vehicles please see our Wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) page.
Registers
Licensing registers are available to view by prior arrangement at our offices.
contact | Licensing
Licensing
West Lindsey District Council
Guildhall
Marshall’s Yard
Gainsborough
DN21 2NA
United Kingdom
Downloads