Any person accepting or offering to accept bookings for private hire vehicles must hold a private hire operator's licence issued by the Licensing Authority.
Operator Licences
Only the holder of a Private Hire Operator's Licence may accept bookings for a Private Hire Vehicle. The Operator's Licence must be issued by the same Licensing Authority as issued the Private Hire Vehicle and Driver Licence.
Before a Private Hire Operator Licence is granted, the applicant must satisfy the Council that the address from which they intend to operate is suitable. In some cases, they must also satisfy any conditions that may be attached to the licence in order not to cause a disturbance.
Applicants should have obtained any necessary planning permission for their premises.
A private hire operator must keep a written record of all bookings, which must include
- The time of the booking
- The name of the customer
- The pick-up point
- The destination
- The details of the vehicle assigned to the booking
Once taken, the booking can be passed onto the appointed driver. Private Hire vehicles must not accept bookings themselves. If they do, they may be committing an offence.
This is the case even if the driver also holds authority to drive a hackney carriage vehicle.
Once licensed, the vehicle is always a private hire vehicle. It can only be driven by the holder of a private hire driver's licence, which must be issued by the same licensing authority.
An authorised officer has the right to visit an operator at any time to examine these records and it is an offence not to allow reasonable access to the information.
Applications
To submit an application the following documents are required:
- Completed application form
- Fee
Apply for a Private Hire Operator Licence
Fees
For fees please see the Licensing Fees page.
Renewal of Licences
Private Hire Vehicle Licences must be renewed each year. A reminder will be issued by the Licensing Authority in advance of the expiry date.