Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy 2021 to 2026

The Council is responsible for licensing Private Hire Operators (currently 24). Any person who operates private hire vehicles must apply to the Council for a private hire operator licence which permits the operator to make provision for the invitation or acceptance of bookings for a private hire vehicle. A private hire vehicle may only be despatched to a customer by a private hire operator who holds an operator licence. A private hire operator must ensure that every private hire vehicle despatched is licensed and driven by a person who holds a private hire driver licence issued by the Council. It is a criminal offence to operate a private hire vehicle without an operator licence.

As with driver licensing, the objective in licensing private hire vehicle operators is to protect the public, who may be using operator premises and trusting that the drivers and vehicles dispatched are above all else safe and the private hire vehicle operator also pose no threat to the public and have no links to serious criminal activity. Although private hire vehicle operators may not have direct contact with passengers, they are still entrusted to ensure that the vehicles and drivers used to carry passengers are appropriately licensed and so maintain the safety benefits of the driver licensing regime.

• Private Hire Operator Licence Conditions refer to Appendix P.
• Consideration of Convictions, Cautions, Reprimands, Warnings, Complaints and Character refer to Appendix E.
• Enforcement, Discipline & Offences refer to Appendix F.

Application Procedure

Apply online with the following documents:

• Application form, including signed statutory declaration.
• Proof of right to work documentation (applicants who are not licensed drivers)
• DBS Basic Disclosure of proprietor / directors / partners (applicants who are not licensed drivers)
• Planning consent, where necessary, for the premise they intend to operate from. Any planning conditions will be included on the licence.
• Licence fee appropriate to the number of vehicles to be operated.

Officers may require a site visit prior to the determination of the licence application. Applicants will be interviewed regarding their knowledge of the legislation and conditions relating to private hire work.