RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
North Devon
North Devon Council · Sources checked 13 September 2026
- Driver licensing
- Official route/source found
North Devon offers joint hackney-carriage/private-hire driver licences and private-hire-only driver licences. The current application page requires the relevant fee; an enhanced DBS certificate issued less than three months before the application, followed by DBS Update Service subscription and consent to online status checks; two approved passenger-transport qualifications; and a Group 2 medical completed by a doctor with access to the applicant's medical records. New hackney-carriage applicants also take council tests covering local geography and general numeracy. The council directs applicants to its licensing policy for approved qualification choices, conviction guidance, conduct and licence conditions. Applicants should follow the live application route for current forms, provider details, validity periods and charges.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
The current vehicle route requires the fee, V5 or lease document, hire insurance, MOT, inspection report and a basic DBS for a proprietor who is not already a North Devon licensed driver. It links the applicable general, hackney and private-hire conditions in the council policy.
- Operator licensing
- Official route/source found
Current operator hub directly links the December 2023 policy; §7 and Appendix P were freshly extracted. Applications require complete form, valid email and fee, with basic DBS no older than three months on grant and annually thereafter for every non-driver individual/partner/director; North Devon-licensed drivers are exempt. Good-conduct evidence follows the driver-policy overseas rules. Normal duration is five years, or one year where personal circumstances justify it. The operating base must be inside North Devon; address/contact changes must be reported within seven days. Public-access premises require £2 million public liability cover. Record bookings before journeys and retain booking/vehicle records at least 12 months. Booking/dispatch staff need basic DBS checks, a register and an ex-offender policy; supply DBS/register evidence within seven days and policy within 14 days of request. Report complaints immediately and convictions/fixed penalties within seven days. Operator, drivers and vehicles must all be licensed by North Devon.
- Licensing fees
- Official route/source found
The current 2026–27 fee publication lists HC vehicle £204, PH £142. Driver grant £228 for one year or £401 for three; renewal £138/£301. PH operator £71 for one year or £213 for five. Initial test £31, retest £12, meter test/reseal £29, safeguarding training £15. Vehicle ownership transfer and trailer addition are free. Vehicle plate, driver badge and trailer plate deposits are £50 each; replacement driver badge/vehicle plate has no fee. The table was independently visually checked against the current-linked PDF.
- Taxi tariff
- Official route/source found
Effective 7 May 2026. First half mile included; subsequent started tenth-mile pulses. Up to four passengers: day Mon–Sat07–21 £3.90 +28p/pulse; nights21–07/Sundays/bank holidays £4.70 +43p; festive £6.30 +56p. Five–eight passengers: corresponding £5.85 +43p, £6.30 +56p, £9.40 +85p. Festive covers Christmas Day and 31December22:00 through end New Year's Day. Waiting at hirer's request30p per started minute across six bands. Fuel supplement20p above £1.70/litre weekly government low-sulphur diesel price, plus20p each further5p/litre. Outside-compartment luggage20p/item; soiling£100. Two under10s count as one adult, maximum four replacing two. Non-motorised£2.40/min minimum10min. Meter-test page permits current or immediately preceding tariff; confirm displayed meter choice.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
Applicants provide a practical driving qualification and a passenger-carrying qualification, plus Group 2 medical and enhanced DBS/Update Service evidence. The provider page lists BTEC Level 2 or specified Edexcel NVQs, with equivalents subject to approval; PCV practical certificates are also acceptable. Geography/numeracy tests apply to new hackney applicants only. The application page contradicts itself on whether PH-only badges are available, so applicants should confirm licence class. Safeguarding refreshers remain unverified.
Withheld or still needing confirmation
- Current driver, operator, fees, qualifications and numeric hackney tariff remain to be verified.
- The summary is not an exhaustive statement of suitability, medical, conduct or licence conditions.
- Vehicle duration not specified in the extracted fee table; external medical/DBS costs are separate.
- Preserve prior fields. PDF text recovered directly from current hub-linked file after web-tool405; insurance limit wording is unusual and explicitly not converted to a minimum. Full AppendixP and numeric fees not refreshed.
- Qualification subset only; remaining training/refresher requirements not verified.
- Fuel supplement varies weekly; do not invent current fuel value or calculate a single universally charged fare. Card visually checked by publishing reviewer; ordinary meter choice can remain preceding tariff.