Taxis and private hire vehicles can still work. But government advice is clear - people should stay at home if possible. Members of the public should avoid travelling unless it's absolutely essential. The government website has a list of acceptable reasons to leave the house.
If it's absolutely necessary to travel by taxi or private hire vehicle, the guidance should be followed as much as possible, including washing your hands as soon as you get home.
Critical Worker status
Taxi and private hire drivers should not generally be considered Critical Workers. Those undertaking Home to School transport or the transport of 'extremely vulnerable' people may be considered Critical Workers on a case-by-case basis. Critical Workers should also whenever possible make suitable arrangements for their children to stay at home; requests for children to attend school should be discussed with the school.
Taxi licensing process changes
We've made some temporary changes to our taxi licensing process as a result of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Application forms and information
| Hackney Carriage / Private Hire driver licence |
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| You must apply for a HC/PH driver’s licence online. See guidance and apply now. |
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Vehicle licence |
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You must apply for a HC/PH vehicle licence online. See guidance and apply now. View the engineer report and JIG report approved providers list |
| Private hire operator licence |
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| Private hire vehicle operator - application (new licence) |
| DBS policy and procedure |
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| Middlesbrough Council DBS policies (handling of DBS certificate information, Licensing service privacy policy, and suitability of ex-offenders for employment policy) |
| Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) privacy policy |
| Guidance on convictions |
| Equality Act 2010 |
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| List of wheelchair accessible vehicles |
Public registers
The council is required to maintain and publish a list of all licensed taxi drivers and licensed hire vehicles. You can use the online form to search for any licences which have been granted, suspended or reinstated in a particular month.