Private Hire Operator licences

You need a private hire operator licence if you want to take bookings for private hire vehicles.

A private hire operator is the person, business, company, or partnership that accepts bookings from passengers and arranges for licensed private hire drivers and vehicles to carry out those journeys.

Private hire vehicles cannot be hailed in the street or wait at taxi ranks. They must be pre-booked through a licensed private hire operator.

Before you apply, you should read this page and the taxi licensing policy for the licensing authority you are applying to. This will help you understand what information and documents you need to provide, and what standards you must meet.

The taxi licensing policy sets out the rules that private hire operators must follow. These rules help make sure that bookings are handled properly, records are kept, complaints can be investigated, and passengers are protected.

As part of the application process, the council must be satisfied that the applicant is suitable to hold a private hire operator licence. This may include checks on the applicant, any directors or company secretary, partners, and anyone involved in the management of the licensed business.

Before you start your application, you should read this page and the taxi licensing policy for the licensing authority you are applying to.

This will help you understand what information, checks, certificates, and documents you need to provide, and whether you are likely to meet the licensing requirements.