RESEARCHED AUTHORITY
Rother
Rother Council · Tariff decision checked 22 October 2026; other source dates retained
- Driver licensing
- Official route/source found
Rother requires a dual driver licence to drive either a council-licensed hackney carriage or private-hire vehicle. Applicants must hold a full DVLA, Northern Ireland or EEA licence for at least 36 months and satisfy the fit-and-proper test. The published route requires DVLA history, an enhanced DBS check with immediate Update Service registration, a practical taxi-driving assessment, a Group 2 medical from the applicant's own doctor, a council knowledge test and—where the published exemption evidence is not met—an English-language assessment. Six continuous months or more overseas during the preceding ten years requires a criminal-record check from the relevant country. At renewal, the council asks for the renewal form, fresh medical, DVLA history, identity/address/right-to-work evidence, payment, any required DBS payment and an HMRC tax check.
- Vehicle licensing
- Official route/source found
First licensing requires a vehicle under 7 at issue; continuing age maxima are 10 for petrol/diesel/mild-hybrid/LPG and 15 for WAV/electric/full-hybrid. Vehicles need four suitable doors, first-aid kit, extinguisher and compliant internal CCTV. Bring V5, appropriate hire-and-reward insurance, CCTV installation certificate/provider contract and VCT certificate/inspection to the licensing appointment. Annual VCT must be within four weeks of grant/renewal; over-10 vehicles need a second VCT six months later. Rother recommends a separate MOT because VCT is not recorded on DVLA's database. Fees from 1 April 2026: HC/PH new vehicle £353, renewal £309, ownership transfer or registration change £83. Plates and rear-door badges must be displayed as directed.
- Operator licensing
- Official route/source found
Operators require an operating address within Rother and suitable character. Basic DBS applies; existing Rother dual drivers need no additional DBS or separate references. An operator licence can be held independently of a driver licence.
- Licensing fees
- Official route/source found
From 1 April 2026 driver grants cost £298/£595 for one/three years; renewals £275/£550. Vehicle grant/renewal £353/£309. Operators below 20 vehicles pay £353/£574 for three/five years; 20 or more £706/£1,148.
- Taxi tariff
- Approved replacement; commencement conflict
Cabinet approved a replacement scale after considering consultation responses on 14 September 2026. Appendix A sets initial fares of £3.70 daytime (06:00–23:59), £5.30 night/bank holidays and Christmas/New Year's Eve from 18:00, and £7.00 on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, covering 125.7 yards. Subsequent units: 20p/30p/40p per 125.7 yards up to one mile, then per 153 yards. Waiting: 20p/27.7 seconds, 30p/40 seconds, 40p/51.4 seconds. Extra passengers: 40p each beyond one; dogs: 30p except assistance dogs. The final decision names 6 October; Appendix A is headed 5 October. The passenger hub still links the superseded 2023 card. Confirm the final operative card with licensing; no calculator model is inferred from conflicting commencement documents.
- Mandatory qualifications
- Official evidence found; detail still to confirm
Dual applicants need an eligible full driving licence held 36 months, local knowledge test, and practical taxi assessment (current PCV holders exempt). Since 1 April 2024 safeguarding, disability-awareness courses and a customer-care questionnaire are mandatory. Accepted course options include Blue Lamp, Learning Curve or Green Penny. An English test is needed without secondary-level English qualification evidence. Group 2 medicals are required at renewal, annually after 65. Fixed training-refresher intervals are not established here.
Withheld or still needing confirmation
- Full driver/vehicle requirements not extracted. Replacement fare scale approved by Cabinet; final operative-card commencement remains to be reconciled.
- Applicants should confirm current appointment sequencing, providers and case-specific overseas evidence with licensing.
- Verified qualification subset; no exhaustive current/refresher checklist claimed.
- Rechecked 22 October 2026: Cabinet approved the replacement after considering consultation responses. Final decision says 6 October; Appendix A says 5 October. Council passenger hub still links the historical 2023 card.
- Distance/waiting rounding not explicit; guide evidence is not an automatic calculator adapter.
- Full technical/CCTV specification and exceptional classic-vehicle criteria not exhaustively extracted. Fees are application amounts, not a claim to include garage costs.
- Preserve prior verified fields.