Vehicle licence
Type of vehicle
A private hire vehicle licence is required for a vehicle that wishes to be pre-booked. All private hire vehicles must be driven by a person who holds a HCV/PHV drivers licence.
We can only issue a private hire vehicle licence for vehicles that operate within the district.
A hackney carriage vehicle licence is required for a vehicle which can:
- ply for hire
- stand on a rank
- be hailed in the street
- be pre-booked
All hackney carriage vehicles must be driven by a person who holds a HCV/PHV drivers badge. We can only issue hackney carriage vehicle licences for vehicles that operate within the district.
All vehicles will be subject to inspection.
For information on Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, see our Licensing Public Register page.
Approved garages
Before making an application your vehicle must pass an MOT and a council vehicle test at one of our approved garages.
The test is to ensure your vehicle meets the specifications of our licence conditions and passes a UK MOT test. This will then be required every 6 months.
As a renewal applicant, you should ensure your vehicle completes and passes these tests by the expiry date of your current licence.
You must make the appointment and payment for all tests directly to the garage.
Garage information | MOT test price | Price per vehicle for council test |
---|---|---|
Bulls 44 London Road Daventry NN11 4DB 01327 879063 | £45.00 | £25.00 |
Churchills A5 Garage Watling Street Potterspury NN12 7QD 01908 542655 | £50.00 | £30.00 |
Jacksons Westbridge Depot St James Mill Road Northampton NN5 5JW 01604 750330 | £54.85 | £25.13 |
VAT and retest fees may be applied.
Apply for, renew or transfer a vehicle licence
You can apply for a vehicle licence using our online form:
Change of details
Notify us of any change of details or request a replacement licence, badge or plate.
Report a collision or damage
You can report a collision or damage using our online form.
Please note you will be required to have an account to report your collision to enable you to save your form and come back to it at a later time.
Policy
See our Licensing Policy page for our current Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy that came into force on 1 April 2024.
Last updated 01 May 2025