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Blackpool Council
Customer First Centre
Municipal Building
Corporation Street
Blackpool
FY1 1NF

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Tel: (01253) 477477

Customer First Centre
Monday to Friday 8.30am-5.15pm
Saturday 10am-1pm

Customer First Telephone Line
8.30am-5.15pm Monday to Friday
Saturday 10am-1pm
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licence

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licence For a vehicle to be licensed as either a private hire or hackney carriage it should be on the Council's list of approved vehicles. It must pass a pit test at the Council's depot in Layton when it will be issued with a Certificate of Compliance, and the vehicle owner should provide valid insurance and the Vehicle Registration Document (or Bill of Sale to prove ownership).

Hackney carriages can stand on authorised taxi ranks and are available for immediate hire. The meter in the vehicle calculates the fares on journeys within the Blackpool boundary. On journeys outside of the boundary, the driver is able to charge a higher fare.

These vehicles display a plate on the front and rear of the vehicle that details the registration number and vehicle type and have an illuminated “taxi” sign on the roof.

The driver of a hackney carriage is issued with an identification badge with the photograph of the driver on it. This badge should be worn at all times when at work.

Private Hire Vehicles are usually saloon type vehicles, but can be minibuses taking up to eight passengers. These vehicles must be pre-booked. The insurance for the vehicle will not be valid if the driver takes you without a prior booking.

These vehicles do not display plates at the front and rear of the vehicle, instead they have a yellow badge on the windscreen. All private hire vehicles have door signs including the Blackpool Council logo, and the statement that all journeys must be pre-booked.

Like hackney carriage drivers, private hire drivers are issued with an identification badge containing a photograph of the licensed person. This must be worn at all times.

Consultation
Blackpool Council is currently seeking views on revisions to its Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. The document can be found by clicking in the 'Publications' section on the right of this page. This consultation closes on 4th May 2012.
Related Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Question
 Do limousines, chauffeur services and wedding cars etc need to licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle?
Frequently Asked Question
 Do I need an MOT if my vehicle has a Certificate of Compliance issued by the Council's testing station?
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