Reporting an accident or defect

You must report any accident to us that affects the safety, performance or appearance of your licensed vehicle. You must tell us within 72 hours.

If your vehicle has a mechanical fault that means you will need to rent a temporary vehicle, you must report it to us.

If you have an accident/vehicle defect you must:

1. Report an accident or defect
2. If the damage/defect is severe the vehicle licence will be suspended
3. If using a temporary replacement vehicle, your plate must be handed to a licensing officer in exchange for a temporary plate
4. When the damage/defect has been repaired, contact licensing@reading.gov.uk to arrange to swap the temporary plate for your own plate. The suspension of you vehicle licence will be lifted. You must not use your vehicle for work until the suspension has been lifted.

If you do not return the temporary plate your plate will not be returned and the licence will remain suspended.

Requesting a temporary replacement vehicle

The system of issuing temporary replacement vehicle plates has changed. If requested, we will now keep temporary plates on hold rather than refunding the licence after each use. This will speed up the process for temporary vehicles that already have an RBC licence. If you would like to keep the vehicle plate on hold, please let the licensing team know.

Please follow the relevant process outlined below depending on whether the temporary vehicle you wish to use already has a valid RBC licence or not.

All these steps must be completed before a temporary plate will be issued or released. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the process.

Temporary vehicles with a valid RBC licence

1. Accident/defect has been reported online by driver/owner
2. Complete request for a temporary replacement vehicle form
3. Pay the £51 plate release fee via the miscellaneous payments form
4. Temporary plate is handed to driver in exchange for the plate of the damaged vehicle
5. When vehicle is repaired, return the temporary plate in exchange for the plate of the repaired vehicle
6. Temporary plate is kept on hold until required again (when the licence expires a renewal application will need to be made)

Temporary vehicles not previously licensed/no current licence

1. Accident/defect has been reported online by driver/owner
2. Apply to licence temporary vehicle – hackney carriage information or private hire information
3. Complete request for a temporary replacement vehicle form
4. Driver hands over their plate for the damaged vehicle at the Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading
5. Licence issued and plate posted to driver
6. When vehicle is repaired, return the temporary plate in exchange for the plate of the repaired vehicle
7. Temporary plate is kept on hold until required again or a refund can be issued (at most 6months)

Vehicle plates are no longer produced or held by Reading Borough Council. This means the temporary plate you apply for may take longer to reach you than before. Plates are now sent by post rather than made available at the Civic Offices for collection by the driver.