RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
Colchester
Colchester Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026
- Driver licensing
- Official route/source found
Driver licences last three years. Applicants need three years UK/equivalent driving entitlement, right to work, NI number and effective English. Enhanced DBS and DVLA checks go through TaxiPlus with DBS Update registration; Group2 medical is required.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official route/source found
Vehicle licences last one year. The current page removes general age limits and requires Euro4 petrol or Euro6 diesel. Provide V5 (or qualifying keeper slip and detailed sale receipt), hire-and-reward insurance, MOT unless under one year, matching-address DVLA licence and proprietor declaration. All interested proprietors provide ID, right-to-work evidence, Basic DBS under three months and safeguarding proof; existing licensed drivers with maintained DBS Update membership have the stated DBS exemption. Overseas residence of six continuous months triggers overseas criminal-record evidence. A council garage inspection is arranged except for new vehicles. New hackney applications are unavailable while numbers are controlled; plate allocation and transfers follow separate approval. Renew before expiry. Report damage within72hours and obtain inspection/reinspection before returning a suspended repaired vehicle to passenger service.
- Operator licensing
- Official route/source found
Five-year operator licences require a Colchester operating base, right to work, safeguarding evidence, public liability insurance and an ex-offender recruitment policy for booking/dispatch staff. Submit the application and documents by email. Basic DBS must be within three months, with a convictions declaration; overseas residence of at least six months needs overseas criminal records or good-character evidence. Current Colchester drivers maintaining DBS Update Service are exempt from a fresh certificate; company directors and partners are individually checked. Residential bases may need planning consent. Keep booking records and handle complaints. Subcontracted passengers must be informed when another council's driver/vehicle will fulfil the booking and may refuse.
- Licensing fees
- Official route/source found
2026/27 five-year operator grant/renewal: one vehicle £350, 2–5 vehicles £405, six or more £480; category change £97. Annual vehicle fees: hackney carriage £420, private hire £350. New three-year driver licence £250; renewal £230. Inspection £60, reinspection £50.
- Taxi tariff
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
The 2024 saloon card covers up to four passengers. Daytime Monday–Saturday 06:00–22:00 starts £4 for 183 metres; 40p per started202metres to1597metres total, then535metres to3202metres, then320metres. Waiting40p per started65seconds. Night/Sunday/holiday rate starts£5.40, festive£7, with distinct stepped distances and waiting40p/49seconds or50p/46seconds. Luggage and additional passenger extras30p under rates1/2; assistance dogs/wheelchairs free; soiling£125 at driver discretion. Night/festive pulse totals conflict with printed stage caps and remain unsuitable for automatic calculation.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official route/source found
Pass language and knowledge tests, virtual safeguarding and disability training and driving assessment. Specified English qualifications may exempt the language test after original-certificate verification; exemptions are not automatic.
Withheld or still needing confirmation
- Full fees, vehicle/operator and tariff remain unextracted.
- Preserve existing verified fields. Summary covers the current application checklist, not every continuing operator condition.
- Exact legal commencement not printed beyond2024.
- Only saloons up tofour; higher occupancy card not reviewed.
- Night/festive stage arithmetic conflicts retained; do not extrapolate calculator support.
- Current vehicle fee not rechecked; detailed exception policy remains to review.
- Preserve all prior verified fields.