Taxi or Private Hire Car operators who wish to change vehicle during the course of their licence are required to complete a change of vehicle form. The form can be obtained by submitting an email request to licensing@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Operators must ensure that the proposed vehicle is suitable for use as a taxi or private hire car in compliance with the Council’s current policy.
Once the form has been received you should forward the completed form with a copy of a valid MOT certificate which has been carried out within the last 30 days, copies of pages 1 and 2 of the vehicle registration document and a current certificate of insurance to licensing@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
The Vehicle Registration Document (Log Book/V5) should be in the name of the licence holder or, in the case of a taxi partnership, one of the licence holders. If the document is to remain in another name then they will need to provide a letter giving permission for the vehicle which is registered in their name to be used as a taxi or private hire car by the licence holder(s).
The certificate of Insurance MUST be in the name of the licence holder or, in the case of a taxi partnership, one of the licence holders. For those licences held in a company name, the insurance policy MUST be in the name of the company.
You should also provide the calibration certificate from your meter provider (e.g. Digitax, Patons etc.) You may have to request this at the time when your meter is being updated. Taxi meters are NOT interchangeable between vehicles, even where the vehicle is of the same make and model. You will therefore be required to produce the calibration certificate in almost all circumstances.
The only circumstances where this might not be the case is where the specific vehicle that is being proposed has been used by another licensed West Dunbartonshire taxi or private hire car operator. Here we can check when the meter calibration and/or the meter check was last carried out and advise if a new meter calibration certificate and meter check is required.
Once the vehicle is operating we will contact you to arrange a meter check where your meter will be checked and sealed. A separate fee is applicable for meter checks. Details on how to pay for the meter check will be provided separately.
The fee to change the vehicle is currently £168.50 and the payment should be made by going to the Pay It section of the website.
You should then enter the details requested in each field. Please quote the plate number and vehicle registration of the new vehicle in the reference number field in the format e.g. CB456ABC123D (CB or DT denotes the zone, 456 denotes the plate number and ABC123D denotes the new registration)
Staff will then process your application for a change of vehicle and will contact you to make arrangements to collect the new plates for the vehicle. Vehicles cannot operate until the identification plates have been issued, are attached to the vehicle in accordance with the taxi/private hire car conditions and all necessary documentation has been received.