Operator FAQs - general

Private hire is when a vehicle is hired with a driver to carry passengers.

A private hire vehicle cannot be hired on its own as a self-drive vehicle. The hire must include a licensed driver, and the journey must be pre-booked through a licensed private hire operator.

Private hire vehicles cannot be hailed in the street or wait at taxi ranks. They can only be used for journeys that have been booked in advance.

The licensed private hire operator is responsible for accepting the booking and arranging for a licensed private hire driver and licensed private hire vehicle to carry out the journey.

Yes, if you want to accept bookings for private hire vehicles.

This includes bookings made by phone, online, through an app, by email, or in person. If you are only driving a licensed vehicle and not accepting bookings, you may need a driver licence, but not an operator licence.

No.

A driver licence allows a person to drive licensed hackney carriage and/or private hire vehicles.

An operator licence allows a person or business to accept and dispatch private hire bookings.

You may need both licences if you intend to accept bookings and drive private hire vehicles yourself. Both licences (and the vehicle licence) must be issued by the same council.

No.

Operator licences relate to private hire vehicles. Hackney carriages operate under a different licensing system and can usually be hired immediately, including from a taxi rank or by being hailed in the street.

An individual, company, or other business can apply for a private hire operator licence.

The applicant must usually:

• have the right to work in the United Kingdom;
• be over 18;
• be considered a ‘fit and proper person’ by the council.

This means the council must be satisfied that you can be trusted to run a private hire booking service properly.

The council will consider whether it would be comfortable trusting you with sensitive information, such as passengers’ travel arrangements, holiday plans, family movements, and other personal details. It will also consider whether you can be trusted to run a reliable service and help protect passengers and the public.

You will need to provide:

• a completed application form;
• a basic criminal record disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service;
• proof of your right to work in the United Kingdom;
• the application fee.

If you have lived outside the United Kingdom for three or more continuous months after turning 18, you will usually need to provide criminal record information or a certificate of good character from each country where you lived.

If the applicant is a company, the checks usually apply to all company directors.

This means each director will normally need to provide a basic criminal record disclosure certificate, proof of right to work in the United Kingdom, and overseas criminal record information where this applies.

If you are already licensed by the same council as a hackney carriage and/or private hire driver, you will usually not need to provide a basic criminal record disclosure certificate or overseas certificate of good character for the operator application.

This is because the council has already assessed your suitability as part of your driver licence.

A private hire operator licence is normally issued for five years.

A shorter licence may be issued where the council thinks this is appropriate, or where required, for example if the licence holder’s right to remain in the United Kingdom is time-limited.

To renew an operator licence, you must:

• continue to have the right to work in the United Kingdom;
• continue to be considered fit and proper;
• submit a completed renewal application form;
• provide a basic criminal record disclosure certificate (if applicable);
• provide proof of right to work in the United Kingdom;
• pay the application fee.

Yes.

Where the operator licence is held by a company, the renewal checks usually apply to all directors. This includes basic criminal record disclosure certificates, proof of right to work in the United Kingdom, and overseas criminal record information where this applies.

Usually, yes, if you are not already licensed by the same council as a hackney carriage and/or private hire driver.

The standard operator conditions require a basic disclosure certificate each year, within a four-week period starting on the anniversary of the date the operator licence was issued.

The council will consider whether you have met the application requirements, information from your basic disclosure certificate, information from the police, checks on the National Register of Refusals and Revocations, and complaints or other information about you.

The National Register of Refusals and Revocations is a national database used by licensing authorities to record and check taxi and private hire licence refusals and revocations.

For operator applications, the policies allow councils to take account of information revealed during checks on the register when deciding whether the applicant is fit and proper.

If there are no concerns over the applicant's fitness to hold a licence, officers will be able to grant the licence.

If the checks reveal concerns, the application may need to be considered by a committee or sub-committee. This can include cases involving relevant convictions, police information, previous refusals, or previous suspensions or revocations.

Yes.

If information later raises concerns about whether you remain fit and proper, your licence may be reviewed. This can include information from criminal record checks, police disclosure, immigration penalties, right to work checks, National Register of Refusals and Revocations checks, complaints, or information you provide yourself.

What can happen after a review of a licence?

Depending on the case, the council may:

• issue a warning;
• require further training or assessment;
• suspend the licence;
• revoke the licence.

The council will consider each case on its own merits.

Usually, no.

Financial and other personal circumstances will not be taken into account when deciding whether a person is fit and proper to hold an operator licence.