Taxi and private hire vehicles

Apply for a vehicle licence

Complete our application form for new vehicle licence, or to transfer an existing vehicle licence to a different proprietor.

• Application for a new vehicle licence(PDF, 256KB)
• Application to transfer existing vehicle licences (PDF, 202KB)

If you cannot use the forms

If you cannot use the forms, email taxiprivatehire.licensing@leeds.gov.uk.

Rental companies

Rental companies must register with us if they wish to licence a fleet of vehicles, please use our contact details to get in touch.

A driver must be an existing licence holder in the Leeds district and you need to produce a letter of permission to use a vehicle containing both the driver and vehicle details.

The driver must also produce a valid insurance document in the rental company’s name, order a new set of door stickers if needed, display their operator stickers and be issued with a new window disc.

Approved vehicles, safety shields, taxi meters and CCTV

Private hire vehicles

There isn't an approved list of private hire vehicles as each make and model is assessed individually; the vehicle must be inspected on site by one of our vehicle examiners.

All private hire vehicles must meet set conditions to be considered for a licence.

Find more information in our:

• private hire vehicle conditions page
  
• executive private hire vehicle conditions page

Hackney carriages

We do have an approved list for hackney carriage vehicles.

You don't have to purchase vehicles of the type listed but you should be aware that if you buy a vehicle which has not previously been inspected and found to comply with our conditions, your vehicle will be subject to a detailed inspection by our vehicle examiners.

This is to ensure that the vehicle meets our licensing conditions and complies with the appropriate EC certificate of conformity.

Approved hackney carriages

Approved Hackney Carriages

Make and model	Date approved	Authorising officer
Ford Mondeo	21 September 1993	Licensing Committee
Vauxhall Vectra (excluding 2.5 24 valve)	12 February 1995	Licensing Committee
Chevrolet Epica (2.0 VCDi LS, 2.0 VCDi LT, 2.0 VCDi LT Auto)	24 June 2008	Phillip Hatch - Acting Senior Vehicle Examiner
Honda Accord	31 May 1999	Peter Marrington - Section Head
Toyota Avensis	1 July 2000	David Everatt - Development Officer
Volkswagen Passat	4 October 2000	David Everatt - Development Officer
Skoda Octavia	8 December 2000	David Everatt - Development Officer
Mercedes C Class	29 July 2001	David Everatt - Development Officer
Mercedes E Class (E200 CDI and E220 CDI - not sport model)	25 November 2008	Phillip Hatch - Acting Senior Vehicle Examiner
Skoda Superb	27 October 2004	Martyn Johnson - Contracts Manager
Mazda 6 (not sports model)	2 August 2006	Martino DePlacido - Senior Vehicle Examiner
Volkswagen Passat 2005 (1.9 TDI S and SE model and 2.0 TDI S and SE model)	17 November 2008	Phillip Hatch - Acting Senior Vehicle Examiner
Volvo S60D5 and 2.4D (not sport models)	4 February 2008	Phillip Hatch - Acting Senior Vehicle Examiner
The new Volkwagen Jetta (1.6 TDI S and SE and 2.0 TDI S and SE model)	23 September 2011	Phillip Hatch - Principle Vehicle Examiner
BMW 5 Series (excluding M5 and sports models)	7 September 2012	John Mulcahy - Head of Licensing and Registration
Diesel powered Audi A6 S and SE (excluding S6 and sports models)	14 November 2012	John Mulcahy - Head of Licensing and Registration
Toyota Prius Hybrid	2 July 2013	Des Broster - Section Head
Diesel powered Peugeot 508 (excluding the GT and sport models)	16 October 2013	Des Broster - Section Head
Toyota Auris Estate Hybrid	5 February 2008	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
Lexus IS 300 Hybrid Petrol	28 March 2018	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid	12 November 2018	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
Toyota Avensis Estate	9 July 2019	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
Honda Civic Estate	9 July 2019	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
Kia Optima Hybrid Estate	9 July 2019	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
Kia Optima Estate	9 July 2019	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
Lexus GS300 Saloon	9 July 2019	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager

Find more information on our hackney carriages conditions page.

Wheelchair accessible vehicles

It is illegal to discriminate against wheelchair users. Licensed drivers are obliged by law to:

• transport wheelchair users in their wheelchair
• provide passengers in wheelchairs with appropriate help
• charge wheelchair users the same as non-wheelchair users

Under Section 167 of the Equality Act 2010, local authorities must produce a list of wheelchair accessible vehicles and you can view ours on Leeds Data Mill.

Approved wheelchair accessible vehicles

Wheelchair accessible vehicles approved for use as a Hackney Carriage

Make and model	Date approved	Authorising officer
Fiat Euro Cab 2000 With approved conversion from: Jubilee Automotive Group, Wednesbury, West Midlands (Six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	4 June 1997	Licensing Committee
Mercedes Euro Cab With approved conversion from: Jubilee Automotive Group ,Wednesbury, West Midlands (Six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	4 June 1997	Licensing Committee
Volkswagen Sharran With approved conversion from: Automotive Group, Newcastle-Upon Tyne (Four seats plus capacity for one wheelchair)	25 March 1999	Licensing Committee
Peugeot Euro 7 With approved conversion from: CAB Direct/ Allied Vehicles, Glasgow (Six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	25 July 2003	The approval for this vehicle was to the specification marketed by Cab Direct/Allied. There is dispute regarding legal and technical issues between two companies. In the meantime only that vehicle (originally approved, on 2.5.02) as marketed by Cab Direct/Allied is approved, until the issues are clarified. D P Broster Section Head
TX2 manufactured by LTI Vehicles LTD, Coventry(six seats plus capacity for one wheelchair)	2002	David Everatt - Development Manager
Peugeot European With approved conversion from: Cmak Coventry (six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	20 August 2003	D P Broster - Section Head
Fiat TW 200 With approved conversion from: Patons of Glasgow (six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	9 January 2006	Licensing and Regulatory Panel
Fiat Doblo Montblanc With approved conversion from: Automotive Group, Newcastle-upon Tyne (four seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	19 October 2006	Licensing and Regulatory Panel
TX4 Manufactured by LTI Vehicles LTD, Coventry (six seats plus capacity for one wheelchair)	10 November 2006	Martino DePlacido - Senior Vehicle Examiner
Mercedes T1 Euro Cab M1 With approved conversion from: Jubilee Automotive Group, Wednesbury, West Midlands (six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	7 June 2007	D P Broster - Section Head
New Peugeot E7 With approved conversion from: CAB Direct/ Allied Vehicles, Glasgow (six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)	1 August 2007	D P Broster - Section Head
Peugeot G8 E7 S and SE With approved conversion from: CAB Direct/ Allied Vehicles, Glasgow (six seats including capacity for one wheelchair)		D P Broster - Section Hea
Peugeot Premier With approved conversion from: CAB Direct/ Allied Vehicles, Glasgow (four seats or one wheelchair and one seat)	30 September 2010	John Mulcahy - Head of Licensing and Registration
Citroen Berlingo 5 With approved conversion from: Automotive Group (four seats plus capacity for one wheelchair)	30 September 2014	D P Broster - Section Head
Peugeot Eurotaxi With approved conversion from: CAB Direct/ Allied Vehicles, Glasgow	19 February 2013	John Mulcahy - Head of Licensing and Registration
Ford Pro Cab 7 seater With approved conversion from CAB Direct/Allied Vehicles, Glasgow	13 June 2018	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
FORD Pro Cab Euro 6 2018 model 8 seater With approved conversion from CAB Direct/Allied Vehicles, Glasgow	1 August 2018	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager
TX Electric Cab vehicle by LEVC (formerly known as the London Taxi Company)	18 December 2018	Andrew White - Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager

Find more information in our:

• wheelchair accessible vehicles conditions page

Guide dogs

The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on taxi and private hire drivers to carry guide and other assistance dogs at no extra cost. Guide dogs and other assistance dogs can not be refused on religious grounds.

Drivers that cannot carry assistance dogs must carry a certificate of exemption, issued by the local authority, which confirms they have permission to refuse on medical grounds.

Safety shields, taxi meters and CCTV

We have an approved list of suppliers for safety shields, taxi meters and CCTV.

Safety shield suppliers

Approved safety shields

Manufacturer	Date approved	Approving officer
Driver Shields UK 01792 479 872	24 April 2020	P Hatch
Mount Panels 0113 236 0360	8 June 2020	P Hatch

Taxi meter suppliers

Tariff meters may only be fitted to a licensed vehicle by an approved supplier.

The council has to be assured that the supplier has a full technical and working knowledge of the meter and the requirements in terms of its security (anti-tampering), tariff setting and correct fitting and sealing to the licensed vehicle.       

An application to become an approved supplier must be made in writing and will be subject to consultation.       

Any appropriate expenses incurred during the consultation and approval process will be borne by the applicant.

Approved taxi meter suppliers

Supplier	Date approved	Approving officer
Brian Begbie: Euro MK11 01943 863514	8 June 2005	Des Broster - Section Head
Stanley P Autos: Digitax 0113 2721947	8 June 2005	Des Broster - Section Head
Mann and Overton: LTI 0113 3888600	8 June 2005	Des Broster - Section Head
Mr Ali Asghar: Halda 07815 091140	17 August 2005	Des Broster - Section Head
Mr Dave Oddie: Digitax 0113 2564069	17 August 2005	Des Broster - Section Head
AB Systems Solutions: Halda 07908 110919	31 May 2006	Des Broster - Section Head
Mr Roger Proctor: Halda 07884 378751	31 May 2006	Des Broster - Section Head
Mr Tahir Riaz: Viking and Euro Taximeters 01274 496527	11 December 2009	Philip Hatch - Principal Vehicle Examiner
Mr C A Anderson: Taximeter Services Mobile 07710 728778 01482 501370	29 June 2012	Philip Hatch - Principal Vehicle Examiner

CCTV suppliers

All CCTV systems to be fitted must as a minimum, meet the requirements set by Leeds City Council Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Service. Only CCTV systems meeting these requirements and approved by Leeds City Council can be installed into licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles. CCTV systems installed in licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles will be inspected prior to use and as part of any vehicle inspection to ensure they do not pose a risk to the safety of the passengers or the driver and are fitted safely and securely.

Approved suppliers

SAFE Systems CCTV

Unit 12, New Hall Hey Business Park, Rawtenstall, Rossendale, BB4 6HL.

Phone: 01706 551 212        

Email: info@safesystemscctv.co.uk

Vehicle restrictions

Age

Different age restrictions apply depending on the type of vehicle.

Vehicles being licensed for the first time

The age of a vehicle is determined by the date of first registration on the log book. A vehicle will only be accepted for licensing if the date of first registration is less than 5 years from the date of application. The vehicle must be licensed for use within one month from the date of application.         

Executive vehicles will only be accepted for licensing if the date of first registration is less than one year old on the date of first application.         

Existing licensed vehicles

A currently licensed saloon vehicle will continue to be re-licensed for up to seven years from the date of first registration providing that all other licensing requirements relating to that vehicle have been complied with.         

Wheelchair accessible vehicles

A licenced wheelchair accessible vehicle must normally not be more than eight years old. A replacement vehicle must be less than five years old at the date of application.         

Extending a licence beyond 7 years

A currently licensed vehicle may continue to be re-licensed beyond 7 from the date of first registration. Find out about the extension to the vehicle age criteria condition.         

Apply for a vehicle age extension online

Tinted windows

It is considered necessary to ensure that council enforcement officers, the Police and members of the public can always see into a licensed vehicle in outside lighting conditions.

Irrespective of the type of glass fitted by the vehicle manufacturer, we will not licence a vehicle unless the glass has a minimum light transmission as determined by regulation 32 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.