4. Vehicle licence applications
Any vehicle being used for public or private hire, and carries 8 passengers or less, must be licensed with the Local Authority of where it will be operating; in this case, the Borough of Oldham.
The only people permitted to drive a vehicle licensed in Oldham are those who hold a Dual Driver Licence with Oldham Council. This applies to both public and private hire vehicles. Anyone who is found driving a licensed vehicle, without holding a Dual Driver Licence, is liable for prosecution under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
To be eligible to licence a vehicle you must:
- Be 21 or over
- Complete the licence process within one month of the vehicle being tested
What you need to know about vehicle ages and testing requirements before you start:
All vehicles must be emission compliant in order to be licensed (Euro 4 Petrol / Euro 6 Diesel).
- Vehicles under 3 years of age are tested once per year
- Vehicles over 3 years of age are tested twice per year
You first test must be carried out at our approved vehicle testing station at Moorhey Street Depot, Moorhey Street, Oldham, OL4 1JF.
Mid-year vehicle tests can be carried out at any DVSA approved test station. A valid MOT certificate must be produced to the Licensing Service no earlier than 5 working days before the test is due.
For detailed information on vehicle requirements please refer to our Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy which can be found on the main taxi page.
New and Renewal Vehicle Applications
To apply to licence a vehicle, or renew a current vehicle licence, you must apply online:
You will be able to select your own vehicle examination date and time and pay the fee at the end of the process. If you have a private registration number on your vehicle, please email licensing@oldham.gov.uk to apply, as you will be unable to use our online booking system.
We encourage applicants to apply to renew as far in advance as possible, at least 6-8 weeks, to ensure there are plenty of tests available prior to your current licence expiring. If you are late renewing your vehicle and your licence expires, you must submit a new application. The system will no longer recognise your vehicle as a renewal.
Once you have submitted your application you will receive an email containing your vehicle examination test date and time.
You must email your documents to the licensing team at licensing@oldham.gov.uk as soon as you receive your confirmation email. This is so that the team can process your plates as soon as you pass your test (see below for documents required).
- V5C (Logbook) – pages 1 & 2
- Certificate of Insurance
If you have recently bought a new vehicle and are still waiting to receive your new logbook, you must also provide the following:
- New Keeper Slip
- Bill of Sale (receipt)
- Proof of Road Tax
If you fail to email your documents to us before you go to test, this will delay your plates being made.
You must attend our approved vehicle testing station for your vehicle examination to be carried out:
You first test must be carried out at our approved vehicle testing station at Moorhey Street Depot, Moorhey Street, Oldham, OL4 1JF.
Mid-year vehicle tests can be carried out at any DVSA approved test station. A valid MOT certificate must be produced to the Licensing Service no earlier than 5 working days before the test is due.
Important information - presenting your vehicle for test
- You must arrive at least 10 minutes early for your test - late arrivals will be sent away and must pay to re-book
- Ensure your engines are hot before attending so the tester can complete the emissions test
- Only one person per vehicle may attend - vehicles with more than one person will be sent away
- Drivers must remain in the waiting area and must not approach the tester at any point during inspection of the vehicle
- Test results are final - if you have a complaint please refer to our complaints procedure on our main hackney carriage and private hire webpage
- There is a strict no smoking policy on site
- Vehicle owners must remain on site for the duration of the test - vehicles cannot be left on site
Directions to the testing depot - here
Transfer of ownership
If you buy or sell a licensed vehicle you must notify the Licensing Office within 14 days. Failure to do so is an offence.
To apply to transfer a vehicle licence into your name, please complete the online form below. You can upload your supporting documents to the form as you apply.
Change of vehicle
If you want to change your vehicle mid-licence, you can do so using our online form below. You can use the online form to apply & upload your documents.
We will be notified of your application and a member of the team will contact you to notify you of the fee required and a link to make payment.
Once payment has been made, you will receive details of your vehicle test date and time.
IMPORTANT: You must return your old plates to the Licensing Service before your new ones will be given to you. If you fail to return your plates, you will not be issued with your new ones.
Complaints
If you have taken your vehicle for testing and you have a complaint or query to make in relation to specific testing issues, please refer to our complaints process on the main hackney carriages and private hire webpage.