Boston Borough Council has now recommenced granting new licences for Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles.
To ensure that this can be done with the minimum of risk to all parties the following process MUST be followed by applicants for a new vehicle licence.
Applicants must submit their application, accompanying paperwork and fee either in hard copy via the council letter box or electronically. If submitted electronically please telephone the council on 01205 314214 to arrange payment. Please send electronic applications to licensing@boston.gov.uk
An MOT, less than 1 month old and undertaken at an MOT testing station within the Boston Borough Council area must be provided with new vehicle licence applications. In the case of a wheelchair accessible vehicle, IVAs are not currently being undertaken by the DVSA testing station so we are unable at present to licence wheelchair accessible vehicles.
If a vehicle of the same make and model has not previously been licensed by the council, the applicant will be required to submit a video to licensing@boston.gov.uk showing that the measurements of the vehicle comply with our vehicle specification. A copy of this specification can be found on our website at
Hackney carriages https://www.mybostonuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Hackney_Carriage_Full_October_2017_v4.1.pdf
Private Hire Vehicles https://www.mybostonuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/PH_Full_October_2017_v4.1.pdf
The applicant will be contacted by an officer of the council to make an appointment to present their vehicle at the carpark at the rear of the Municipal Buildings.
On arrival at the appointed time, the applicant must ring the offices to confirm their arrival.
If the vehicle is fitted with a meter, a video must be taken to evidence that the meter is correctly calibrated with the Hackney Carriage Tariffs. The video must then be emailed to the council (Licensing@boston.gov.uk)
The applicant or their representative will then fully open all of the vehicle doors and boot, ensuring that the fire extinguisher can be visually inspected.
The applicant or their representative must then stand a minimum of 2m from the vehicle and await the officer attending to inspect the vehicle.
The vehicle will then be visually inspected (condition of interior and exterior of the vehicle)
The officer will return to the office to process the application in the usual way.
Your licence and plate will be posted to you by Royal Mail, Second Class.
Please bear in mind Taxi Licensing Officers are currently only available at the Municipal Buildings one day per week so a same or next day service for licensing vehicles is not achievable. Please ensure that you submit your application at the earliest opportunity so that we can book the vehicle in to be inspected on the next occasion that an officer is available.