Coronavirus (COVID-19): Arrangements for Licensing Service

In light of recent government advice about COVID-19 we have had to make some changes to the licensing service. Some of these may affect you and your business.

These temporary changes have been made to help minimise the risk and spread of the virus, and to keep our staff and our customers safe.

Please be assured that we are working to deliver our services, but in some circumstances, we have had no choice but to temporarily suspend the service.

Our priority will be to ensure that existing licence holders and businesses can continue to operate, where possible.

We will continue to monitor this difficult situation and this webpage will be kept up to date with all changes, including when normal service will resume.

Staffing and telephones

At the moment, our officers are working from home as advised by the Government and this will unfortunately impact on the services we can offer, in particular telephone calls.

If you have an urgent query please email the Licensing Team (licensing@gateshead.gov.uk) and we will aim to respond to you within 5 working days.

Face to face appointments

All face to face appointments have been suspended until further notice.

Taxi licensing

Knowledge tests

All knowledge tests have been suspended until further notice.

Vehicle Inspections (both annual and 6 monthly)

Vehicle inspections are due to resume from Tuesday 9 June 2020. A member of the team will be in touch regarding missed tests and to arrange an alterative when it is possible to do so.

Renewals (Driver and Vehicle)

The following arrangements have been put in place to ensure that we can continue to deliver a service which allows you to continue to operate at this time.

Drivers

During this current situation, all licence holders who wish to renew an existing private hire/hackney carriage/dual licence must fill in the relevant renewal form and forward it electronically to the Licensing email address: (licensing@gateshead.gov.uk).

Only those that submit their application form will be entitled to continue to use their licence (after the expiry date has passed). All applications will be acknowledged, and you will receive your paper licence in due course after making payment by bank transfer. All the usual checks with be completed remotely by a member of the Licensing Team. You must keep this paper licence with you when driving a private hire/hackney carriage vehicle as evidence of your entitlement to continue to drive, as you will not receive a new badge at this time.

Once the Licensing Section returns to normal service you will be required to submit a satisfactory medical certificate (if required).

Vehicles

During this current situation, all licence holders who wish to renew an existing private hire/hackney carriage/vehicle licence must fill in the relevant renewal form and forward it electronically to the Licensing email address: (licensing@gateshead.gov.uk).

Only those that submit their application form will be entitled to continue to use their licence (after the expiry date has passed). All applications will be acknowledged, and you will receive your paper licence in due course after making payment by bank transfer. You must keep this paper licence with you when driving a private hire/hackney carriage vehicle as evidence of your entitlement to continue to drive, as you will not receive a new plate at this time.

You will then be contacted with a date and time for your vehicle to be tested.

Please continue to check this page for any updates. If you have any questions that haven't been covered please email licensing@gateshead.gov.uk and we will aim to respond to you in 5 working days.