How to apply for a private hire licence in Manchester

To become a private hire driver in England or Wales, you need a suitable car and a licence. In fact, you will need two licences: one for you – and one for the vehicle.

The driver licence lasts three years, whereas the private hire vehicle (PHV) licence is usually renewed each year.

In London, both types of licence are run by TfL (Transport for London). Outside of the capital, things are more complex but this post explains all the options on driver licensing to get your career moving.

Where do you get a private hire licence?

Here is where the fun begins. For starters, the Greater Manchester area consists of ten Local Authorities (see below) many of which have slightly different licensing rules for the driver or the vehicle.

This matters because both your private hire licences must be issued by the same council. So, if you get a driver licence from an area that won’t accept your car (eg due to its age or colour) you are in trouble.

Licensing links for Greater Manchester

• Bolton
• Bury
• Manchester City
• Oldham
• Rochdale
• Salford
• Stockport
• Tameside
• Trafford
• Wigan

The good news is the Greater Manchester Combined Authority says that it has agreed a new unified approach, known as the Minimum Licensing Standard (MLS). However, it’s unclear what these new rules are – or when they come into effect.

Each council currently lists its own application process online (see above) but you can also book a universal driver assessment here. This test result is accepted by all ten Greater Manchester councils.

For added confusion, drivers don’t even need to be licensed by the same area that you live or work. At the moment, a licence from any Local Authority in England or Wales allows you to work wherever you like, outside of London.

This is called cross-border hiring and explains why you see lots of private hire drivers have licence plates or stickers from completely different parts of the country. It’s a mess.

The Wolverhampton dilemma

Inevitably, many people choose the easiest source. Wolverhampton is the best-known example, as it allows drivers to work from the age of 18 and register a car that’s almost 12 years old. The cost of its driver licence is only £49 per year, which is low.

One-in-five private hire vehicles in England now have a licence from Wolverhampton City Council says the BBC.

Of course, this is tempting but it might not be the smart move. If you value your personal safety (and your passengers) it’s wise to invest in your professional knowledge and get a car that is fit for the job.

The new Labour Government says it is looking at changing the law, perhaps by setting out a national standard. Either way, it feels sensible to have your licences from the place where you live and work.

Did you know?

Uber says its drivers must be 21 and the vehicle no more that 10 years old (7 in London). See here.

How to apply for a private hire licence in Manchester

Despite the current lack of clarity, the process is largely the same in most of the ten Greater Manchester districts. A summary of the key steps that you will need to take is outlined below.

In fact, these steps also apply to the majority of Local Authorities in England or Wales. Aside from a few specific requirements on, say, driver age and car eligibility, the main differences tend to be in the level of testing that is expected.

For instance, the Greater Manchester councils mostly expect these training assessments to be done separately, albeit some of them are combined. By contrast, in Wolverhampton all of them can be completed in a single day. Draw your own conclusions.

1. Eligibility check

These are the basic criteria for private hire drivers:

• Aged 21+ (in most areas)
• Held a full UK driving licence for 12+ months*
• Legal right to work in the UK
• Good standard of English
• Medically fit to work
• Clean criminal record

* Some non-UK licences can easily be swapped especially if this is from a European country.

2. Send application

To begin the licence application, you’ll complete a form and provide the following documents:

• Passport-style colour photograph
  (Taken against a plain background)
• Criminal record check
  (Enhanced DBS certificate. Drivers nust also register with the DBS Update Service)
• Medical Examination
  (DVLA Group II certificate from a GP with access to your medical records. See here)
• Driver Licence
  (Scan of a UK licence – and usually the DVLA driving licence check code)
• Proof of address
  (eg utility bill dated within three months)
• Proof of right to work in the UK
  (eg passport or biometric residence permit)
• Proof of tax responsibilities
  (eg National Insurance Card and HMRC tax check code)
• Certificate of Good Conduct
  (Mostly if you lived abroad for 3 months at once in the past five years. See here)

3. Complete training and tests

Once the above documents are checked, applicants take some basic tests in these topics:

• Local area knowledge (eg routes)
• Licensing laws (eg rules on how to ply for trade)
• Road safety (ie practical driving skills and Highway Code)
• English language (ie both spoken and written)
• Passenger safeguarding (eg disability rights or illness)

4. Vehicle licensing

The biggest factor when deciding which Local Authority to apply to is its vehicle licensing rules.

Remember, your private hire driver and vehicle licences must both match. Within Greater Manchester, the rule differences between the ten districts are subtle but do pay close attention to any specific local regulations – and fees. For instance, Manchester City Council is £148 per year for a vehicle licence, whereas Rochdale charges £339.

Aside from costs, there can be other subtle but important points. One is the tint-level of the rear windows. The newly agreed MLS does now clarify this point, even if the ten districts have not yet updated their websites. Another is whether larger cars can be black (i.e. to prevent confusion with Hackney Carriage taxis).

Did you know?
A proposed new rule for all private hire vehicles in Greater Manchester to be white is abandoned.

A big concern for drivers is the age of the car. Across the Manchester districts, this is typically 5 years for the date of its first registration as a private hire vehicle and then up to 10 years for the maximum age on the road. There is an exception for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV), which is 7 years onto fleet and 15 years off.

The new MLS aims set out a common age restrictions across the region but some Local Authorities still want to allow older cars. This is because Wolverhampton will licence cars for almost 12 years.

What is the best car for private hire work in Manchester?

In terms of the type of private hire car you drive, it’s tempting to go cheap (eg older petrol models). Even though the plan for a single Clean Air Zone across Greater Manchester is on ice, the MLS states its clear ambition is to move to zero emission capable (ZEC) vehicles as soon as possible. This means either an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid (e.g. Toyota Prius).

Once again, the national position adds confusion. In the short term, there are plenty of options but if you want to buy a car, the direction of travel is clear. As with London, the future is greener ZEC cars.

Did you know?
If your private hire car is off the road, any replacement vehicle must be licensed by the same council and this takes up valuable time. This is why it’s so important to invest in a reliable car.

How much does a private hire driver licence cost in Manchester?

It depends on which district you apply to. As a guide, here are the costs for Manchester City Council:

• Driver licence application fee £255 (For 3 years)
• Basic skills assessment £42
• Knowledge test fee £74
• DBS application fee £50 (Then £13/yr for Update Service)
• Medical certificate £40

Total cost = £461

Don’t forget the cost of a matching private hire vehicle licence and other costs (eg plate fees and matching front/back plate-holders).

About Otto Car

Getting started can feel complex but you are not alone. Otto Car is the UK’s largest community of private hire drivers. Since 2015, we’ve helped over 20,000 people to become their own boss.

Every Otto Car comes with free smart dashcams to protect your income and keep you safe. Our simple Rent 2 Buy + ownership plan includes insurance as standard and 8 weeks payment break each year.

Taking the next step…

We offer easy access to excellent private hire cars with no credit checks thanks to our popular Rent 2 Buy + plan that’s launched in Manchester for the first time. You can now see the full list of private hire vehicles available in Manchester.

If you need some advice about the licensing rules in Manchester or which private hire car makes most sense for you, simply leave an enquiry. A member of the Otto Team will get in touch to help.

Be part of something big. Join the family.

//ENDS ALL