Vehicle licensing
Current statutory ruleStatutory vehicle licence requirement
This establishes the regulated vehicle object and does not prove a current plate, waiting-list position, approval or commercial dispatch relationship.
- Taxi: A licence under section 10 is required to use a motor vehicle as a taxi.
- Private Hire Car: A licence under section 10 is required to use a motor vehicle as a private hire car.
- Separate Objects: The statutory vehicle licence is separate from the driver licence and from any booking-office licence.
Current statutory ruleStatutory processing duration renewal and appeal framework
These are statutory outer rules and effects, not a South Lanarkshire operational target or proof that a submitted application is complete.
- Relevant Date: the application date
- Application Consideration: within the three-month period beginning with the relevant date
- Final Decision: within the six-month period beginning with the end of the initial three-month period
- Extension: on a licensing-authority summary application made within the six-month final-decision period, the sheriff may extend that six-month period where good reason appears
- Missed Deadline Effect: the application is deemed granted or renewed
- Deemed Temporary Duration: the period sought, capped at six weeks
- Deemed Other Duration: one year
- Ordinary Duration: three years or a shorter period determined by the licensing authority
- Temporary Maximum: six weeks
- Timely Renewal Continuation: a timely renewal keeps the existing licence in effect until grant or renewal, expiry of the appeal period after refusal, or abandonment or determination of a lodged appeal
- Late Renewal: an application up to 28 days late may be treated as timely only where the authority considers that good cause is shown
- Appeal Eligibility: a person who may require reasons under the Schedule and who followed all available procedures for stating their case
- Appeal Method And Deadline: summary application lodged with the sheriff clerk within 28 days of the decision
- Late Appeal: the sheriff may hear a late appeal where good cause is shown
- Appeal Grounds: error of law; decision based on an incorrect material fact; action contrary to natural justice; unreasonable exercise of discretion
Current statutory ruleStatutory inspection testing and suspension powers
This is the national statutory framework and does not prove a local inspection result, booking slot or enforcement decision.
- Holder Duty: present the licensed vehicle for inspection and testing within the period and at the place reasonably required by authority notice
- Inspection Power: an authorised officer, authorised civilian employee or constable may inspect and test vehicle fitness and taximeter fitness or accuracy at a reasonable time
- Failure Response: written requirement for further inspection; licence suspension until the examiner is satisfied
- Twenty Eight Day Effect: if the examiner is not satisfied within 28 days of suspension, the licence is deemed suspended by the authority under Schedule 1 paragraph 11
Dated official source still linkedServed vehicle application process and council charges
These are the values served at retrieval, but the source metadata had expired and neither fee effective date nor grant-versus-renewal scope is stated.
- Application Route: The council page links to an online taxi or private-hire car operator licence application.
- Objection Period: 28 days
- Police Consultation: The council says it sends the application to Police Scotland for comments or objections.
- Charges Pounds: Taxi: 559.44; Taxi Transfer: 559.44; Private Hire Car: 549.26; Private Hire Car Transfer: 549.26; Substitute Vehicle: 66.11; Replacement Door Stickers: 19.06; Replacement Plates: 35.59
- Document Collection: The applicant must bring proof of identity; a collector needs their own photo ID and a signed permission letter, and email permission is not accepted.
Current official sourceInspection booking payment notice and general cycle
No booking was made and the page publishes no inspection price or complete pass criteria.
- General Cycle: annual inspections for all licensed taxi and private-hire vehicles, including vehicles with meters
- Test Hours: 6am to 9pm Monday to Thursday and 6am to 6pm Friday
- Payment: payment is required when booking
- Replacement Notice: at least two working days, which may become three working days during busy renewal periods
- Delivery: Fleet Services provides the inspection and the page links to an online appointment system
Current official sourceTaxi private hire use identification inspection and insurance summary
The March 2026 page is a public summary; the interval conflicts with wording elsewhere and is not treated as a complete inspection manual.
- Taxi Use: street hail; taxi rank; advance booking
- Taxi Identification: taxi roof sign; white front and rear licence plates; door stickers; fare meter and fare card
- Private Hire Use: must be pre-booked and cannot be street hailed or used from a taxi rank
- Private Hire Identification: yellow rear licence plate; door stickers; no roof sign
- Inspection Summary: every year, or every six months if over five years old
- Insurance Summary: all vehicles must be insured to carry passengers
Current official sourcePost licensing vehicle age testing certificate and missed test guidance
The page is currently served but sits under the driver-licence pathway and conflicts with the dated operator criteria; both limitations are explicit gaps.
- First Licence Age: under five years old
- Non Purpose Built Replacement Age: after ten years
- Purpose Built Hackney Age: no age limit, subject to passing all tests
- Testing: annual test for every vehicle and an extra check around six months after the annual test for vehicles over five years old
- Random Test: the holder must attend if invited
- Passed Annual Test: certificate of compliance for the next year
- Missed Test: the page says the licence may be suspended if a test is missed without notice
Dated official source still linkedDated vehicle age capacity configuration and luggage criteria
The official source remained linked after its metadata expiry and conflicts with a still-current council vehicle-guidance page.
- First Licence Age: under seven years old
- Saloon Type Upper Age: 12 years
- Purpose Built Taxi Upper Age: no upper age limit stated
- Six Monthly Inspection: over five years, except a purpose-built taxi from seven years
- Passenger Capacity: at least four and no more than eight adult passengers excluding the driver
- Doors: four or five doors, with two rear passenger windows for an estate or hatchback
- Left Hand Drive: not permitted
- Luggage: enough space for the number of people carried
Dated official source still linkedDated taxi vehicle holder maintenance inspection insurance identification and operating duties
These operator duties are retained as dated still-linked evidence because the page metadata had expired before retrieval.
- Maintenance: keep the taxi safe, fully working, clean and tidy subject to road conditions
- Inspection: annual inspection, with an additional random inspection for a non-purpose-built vehicle over five years or a purpose-built vehicle over seven years
- Damage: report damage as soon as possible and, if requested in writing and still roadworthy, present the vehicle within two working days
- Notifications: notify an accident immediately; notify a conviction immediately
- Insurance: maintain valid insurance and supply current and requested historic evidence
- Identification: display council plates and signs; display an approved taxi roof sign
- Meter: approved, sealed or stamped, and retested at least annually
- Accepted Hire: take reasonable steps to meet an accepted time and place unless prevented by reasons beyond control
- Fire Extinguisher: carry an approved securely fastened extinguisher
Dated official source still linkedDated private hire vehicle holder maintenance inspection insurance identification and operating duties
These operator duties are retained as dated still-linked evidence because the page metadata had expired before retrieval.
- Maintenance: keep the private-hire car safe, serviceable, clean and tidy subject to road conditions
- Inspection: annual inspection and, for a vehicle over five years, one random inspection each year
- Damage: report damage as soon as practicable and, if requested in writing and still roadworthy, present the vehicle within two working days
- Notifications: notify an accident immediately; notify a conviction immediately
- Insurance And Registration: maintain current insurance and hold the registration document and insurance in the holder name or one joint-holder name
- Identification: display council plates and insignia; do not display a roof sign; obtain prior written approval for service signage
- Meter If Fitted: use only a council-approved type and position and notify removal within two working days
- Business Address: carry on business from the licensed South Lanarkshire zone address and notify prescribed changes or cessation
Dated official source still linkedDated two way radio or similar communication device control point condition
This vehicle condition does not identify a provider or establish commercial radio, dispatch, subscription, pricing, coverage or onboarding evidence.
The condition says the holder must not install a two-way radio or similar communication device if the taxi control point is outside the zone in which the taxi is licensed to work.
Current official sourcePublic vehicle licensing testing contact and office
This is the current public contact route, not evidence of an available test slot or a completed application.
- Office: Licensing office - Fleet Services
- Address: 4 Livingstone Boulevard, Hamilton International Technology Park, Blantyre, G72 0BP
- Telephone: 01698 717728
- Opening: Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 4.30pm and Friday 8.45am to 4pm, by appointment only
- Remit: taxi and private-hire operator and driver licensing, vehicle testing and related applications
Booking-office licensing
Current statutory ruleStatutory premises and vehicle count threshold
The threshold concerns booking premises and does not itself license a vehicle, driver or commercial dispatch account.
- Licensable Premises: premises used for a business taking public bookings by any means of communication for four or more relevant taxis or private hire cars
- Equivalent Threshold: more than three relevant vehicles
- Vehicle Licence: each relevant vehicle has an in-force section 10 taxi or private hire car licence
Current statutory ruleStatutory processing duration renewal and appeal framework
These are statutory outer rules and effects, not a South Lanarkshire operational target or proof that a booking-office application is complete.
- Relevant Date: the application date, or where Finance Act 2021 tax-check confirmation rules prevent consideration on that date, the date that prevention ends
- Application Consideration: within the three-month period beginning with the relevant date
- Final Decision: within the six-month period beginning with the end of the initial three-month period
- Extension: on a licensing-authority summary application made within the six-month final-decision period, the sheriff may extend that six-month period where good reason appears
- Missed Deadline Effect: the application is deemed granted or renewed
- Deemed Temporary Duration: the period sought, capped at six weeks
- Deemed Other Duration: one year
- Ordinary Duration: three years or a shorter period determined by the licensing authority
- Temporary Maximum: six weeks
- Timely Renewal Continuation: a timely renewal keeps the existing licence in effect until grant or renewal, expiry of the appeal period after refusal, or abandonment or determination of a lodged appeal, subject where applicable to the Schedule 1 tax-check blocking branch
- Late Renewal: an application up to 28 days late may be treated as timely only where the authority considers that good cause is shown
- Appeal Eligibility: a person who may require reasons under the Schedule and who followed all available procedures for stating their case
- Appeal Method And Deadline: summary application lodged with the sheriff clerk within 28 days of the decision
- Late Appeal: the sheriff may hear a late appeal where good cause is shown
- Appeal Grounds: error of law; decision based on an incorrect material fact; action contrary to natural justice; unreasonable exercise of discretion
Current official sourceTax check conditionality and code
HMRC guidance supplies the national conditions; no tax-check code was generated and no live application flow was tested.
- In Force From: 2023-10-02
- Scottish Scope: booking-office licences, not Scottish taxi or private-hire vehicle licences
- Tax Check Required: renewal; same licence type held and expired less than one year ago; same licence type already held with another licensing authority
- New Applicant Route: a genuinely new applicant, or one whose same-type licence expired at least one year ago, confirms tax responsibilities rather than completing a tax check
- Code: nine-character code
- Code Validity: 120 days
- Personal Completion: the applicant must complete their own tax check
- Ordinary Renewal Without Valid Code: an existing Scottish licence expires on the later of 28 days after the licensing authority asks for the code or the existing licence expiry date
- Temporary Licence Without Valid Code: a temporary Scottish licence expires on the later of seven days after the licensing authority asks for the code or the existing licence expiry date
Current statutory ruleRight to licence eligibility duration and cessation
The current consolidated Schedule supplies the limited-leave and cessation rules; the 2017 instrument records their application to booking-office licences.
- Grant Or Renewal Rule: the authority must be satisfied that an individual applicant is not disqualified by immigration status
- Ordinary Limited Leave: where section 3C does not apply, the licence period must end at or before the end of the person's limited leave
- Section3 CLeave: where limited leave has been extended by section 3C, the licence period must not exceed six months
- Renewal: the same duration rules apply to renewal
- Cessation: a booking-office licence ceases to have effect if its holder becomes disqualified by immigration status
Current official sourceRight to licence prescribed checks and supplemental verification
The checked South Lanarkshire pages do not identify the current prescribed right-to-licence checking method used locally.
- Stage: new, renewal and extension applications by an individual
- Prescribed Methods: manual check of original acceptable documents; right-to-work check using a Digital Verification Service for a British or Irish citizen, with the digital route limited to a valid passport or Irish passport card; Home Office online right-to-work check for a non-British or non-Irish citizen
- Supplemental Status Verification Enquiries And Checking Service: SVEC can verify specified cases such as an outstanding application, administrative review or appeal, a non-digital Certificate of Application or status needing Home Office verification; it is not a fourth prescribed method
- Separate Legal Entity: a limited company or limited liability partnership is outside the individual check described by the guidance
Current official sourceNational booking office applicant structures
This national guidance does not verify South Lanarkshire form acceptance, approval, availability or service timing.
- Eligible Applicant Structures: individual person; partnership; limited partnership; limited company
- Route Description: the national licence finder describes a booking-office licence for premises in Scotland where public bookings are taken for four or more taxis or private-hire cars
Current official sourceNational booking office records and reasonable steps
The as-made order states these duties and the current GOV.UK page repeats them; this is not represented as a fully consolidated copy of the order.
- Records: particulars of every booking; registration number of the vehicle hired; name of its driver
- Reasonable Steps: the licence holder must take reasonable steps to ensure that a vehicle hired as a result of a public booking is a licensed taxi or private-hire car driven by a person holding the corresponding driver licence
Current official sourceLocal booking office threshold application fee objection and collection process
The published booking-office charge has no effective-from date or express grant-versus-renewal scope, and the linked form was not opened or submitted.
- Threshold: premises taking public bookings for more than three taxis or private-hire cars
- Route: the page links to online application for a new licence or a change to existing licence terms
- Published Fee Pounds: 830.25
- Objection Period: 28 days
- Consultation: Police Scotland receives a copy for comments or objections
- Collection: proof of identity is required; another collector needs written permission and their own identification, and email permission is not accepted
Current official sourceLocal booking office application inputs site notice consultation start and transfer guidance
The council labels this page guidance only; the older conviction wording is excluded from claims pending current verification.
- Listed Inputs: four recent colour passport photographs of each regular manager; proof of identity; proof of at least £500,000 third-party insurance; a copy of the proposed hire record sheet; proof of national insurance number
- Planning: the guidance suggests checking planning-permission restrictions before applying
- Site Notice: display the site notice and a full application copy where the public can see them 24 hours a day for 28 days after the licensing office receives the application
- Consultees: Police Scotland; Scottish Fire and Rescue; Planning and Building Services; Environmental Services; local councillor
- Start Before Decision: the guidance says work cannot start before approval
- Sale: the licence cannot be transferred to the buyer; the new owner must apply afresh
Current official sourceLocal booking office mandatory and operating conditions
The page is still within its metadata validity period, but no separate effective date is stated and an internal condition-number cross-reference is unclear.
- Mandatory Records: every booking; registration number of the hired vehicle; driver name at the time of hire
- Reasonable Steps: ensure a public booking results in an in-force section 10 taxi or private-hire vehicle driven by a person holding an in-force section 13 driver licence
- Premises: trade only from the licensed premises; display the licence; maintain suitable third-party insurance
- Fulfilment: fulfil every accepted booking at the specified time and place unless prevented by sufficient cause, and record reasons for non-fulfilment
- Complaints: maintain a complaint procedure and records of complaints and outcomes
- Records: retain all records for one calendar year; where the records identified by the page are electronic, provide a printed version within 24 hours of a specified official enquiry, subject to the preserved numbering conflict
- Zone Vehicles: use only relevant vehicles licensed by the council for the zone and displaying required identification
- Vehicle Display: display the licensed premises name and telephone number on the rear window in an approved size and position
- People List: keep an up-to-date list of operator and driver names, addresses and licence numbers
- Conviction Notification: give full details to the licensing authority within 28 days of a conviction during the licence
Current official sourceLocal booking office tax check notice
The local notice is read with current HMRC guidance; no code was generated or submitted.
- Applies From: 2023-10-02
- Local Scope: booking office licence
- Stated Triggers: renewal; same licence reapplied for within one year of ending; same licence application to another council
- Application Input: obtain a tax-check code from HMRC and include it with the application
- Effect Of No Code: the council says it cannot make a decision without the code when a tax check is required
Current official sourcePublic booking office contact and appointment route
These are published public contacts and do not establish application status, appointment availability or advice for an individual case.
- Licensing Email: licensing@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
- General Telephone: 0303 123 1015, option 7
- Specialist Telephone: 01698 717728
- Specialist Office: Fleet Services, 4 Livingstone Boulevard, Blantyre, G72 0BP
- Appointment: booking-office work is handled at Fleet Services by appointment