Newcastle-under-Lyme taxi and private-hire licensing

RESEARCHED AUTHORITY

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Newcastle-under-Lyme Council · Sources checked 12 September 2026

Driver licensing

Official route/source found

Dual licence applicants must be at least 21 and have held a full driving licence for three years, with satisfactory spoken and written English.

• Dual driver requirements

Vehicle licensing

Official route/source found

From 1 April 2026 eligibility is emissions-based rather than age-based. Grant documents include proprietor DBS, public-hire insurance, V5, MOT if over twelve months old, council garage test, meter certificate and conversion approval where applicable. Exact emissions thresholds remain unextracted.

• Hackney vehicle grant

Operator licensing

Official route/source found

Renewal requires DBS evidence, recent disability/equality/safeguarding training for relevant non-driver personnel, right-to-work/company checks, vehicle and driver lists and tax code. Public-access premises need at least £5m public liability cover.

• Operator renewal requirements

Licensing fees

Official route/source found

Current pages show dual-driver renewal £261; operator renewal £319. From April 2026 knowledge test £11 and combined disability/safeguarding training £48 inclusive of VAT.

• Current dual driver courses
• Dual renewal
• Operator renewal requirements

Taxi tariff

Official route/source found

Current linked card: first 800 yards £3.50/£4.80/£6/£7; each further started 160 yards 20p/30p/40p/40p. Waiting per started minute 30p/60p/60p/60p. Ordinary daytime band is 06:00 to midnight, not the 22:00 boundary in an older proposal.

• Current fare document linked by hackney vehicle page

Mandatory qualifications

Official route/source found

Disability equality/safeguarding training and council knowledge test required. Each knowledge-test section needs 75%; three failures trigger twelve-month reapplication wait.

• Current dual driver courses