FIVE YEAR EXTENSION: Mid Sussex Council considers extending electric taxi licensing age limit to encourage EV investment
- Perry Richardson
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
Mid Sussex District Council is considering a significant change to its taxi and private hire licensing policy that could allow electric vehicles to remain licensed for up to 15 years instead of the current 10-year limit, following requests from within the trade to better reflect the higher purchase costs and longer expected lifespan of electric vehicles.
The proposal will be considered after a licensed private hire driver, Mr Baiju Cherukattu Paily, supported by Councillor Mockford, asked the authority to review its existing vehicle age restrictions. The report presented to the council’s Licensing Committee outlines two options for members. They can either retain the existing 10-year age limit for all licensed vehicles or amend the Taxi Licensing Policy so that fully electric hackney carriage and private hire vehicles can continue operating until they reach 15 years of age.
Mid Sussex first introduced vehicle age restrictions in October 2017, preventing vehicles older than 10 years from being licensed. The policy was based on the view that newer vehicles generally offer improved safety features while reducing the likelihood of deterioration associated with older vehicles.
Previous requests from the trade to relax the age limit to 15 years were considered before the policy came into force but were unanimously rejected by councillors at the time. Since then, the policy has remained unchanged despite three further reviews, including the latest version adopted in January 2025.
The latest request differs from previous appeals by focusing solely on electric vehicles. In his submission, Mr Paily argued that switching from petrol or diesel to an electric vehicle required a substantial financial commitment, often involving long-term finance agreements. He said the existing 10-year licensing limit leaves insufficient time for drivers to recover that investment despite purchasing electric vehicles to support the council’s environmental ambitions. He also warned that neighbouring authorities with more flexible policies could encourage drivers to license their vehicles elsewhere, potentially slowing the transition to lower-emission vehicles within Mid Sussex.
The committee report also references the Department for Transport’s Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Best Practice Guidance, updated in November 2023, which states that arbitrary vehicle age limits may be inappropriate and could increase costs for both drivers and passengers. The guidance suggests licensing authorities should instead focus on vehicle safety, emissions and accessibility objectives rather than relying solely on age restrictions. However, the report notes that the guidance is advisory, leaving each licensing authority responsible for setting its own policies.
The debate comes as Mid Sussex continues to pursue its wider environmental objectives. The council’s current Taxi and Private Hire Policy commits to achieving a non-fossil fuel licensed fleet by 2030 and states that it will work alongside the trade and other partners to support that transition. Officers note that extending the licensing life of electric vehicles could be viewed as supporting that commitment by providing drivers with greater confidence to invest in zero-emission vehicles.
Despite those ambitions, electric vehicles currently account for only six licensed hackney carriage and private hire vehicles across the district, representing just 1.75% of the combined licensed fleet. The report suggests the relatively low number highlights the financial challenge many drivers continue to face when replacing conventional vehicles with electric alternatives.
If councillors decide against changing the policy, electric vehicles will continue to face the same 10-year licensing limit as petrol and diesel models. If approved, the amendment would provide electric taxi and private hire drivers with an additional five years of potential licensed use, creating one of the more targeted incentives available to encourage electric vehicle adoption without directly providing financial support. The committee report does not recommend a preferred option, leaving the final decision to elected members.
