Operator licences

Private Hire Operator licences once issued remain valid for a period of one or five years, unless they are surrendered or revoked during this period.

Before the Licensing Authority can grant a private hire operator's licence it must be satisfied that the applicant is a "Fit and Proper" person.

In order to assist the Licensing Authority to determine the above, the applicant is required to submit the following documentation in addition to the prescribed application form, and the applicable fee:

  1. proof of right to work in the UK.
  2. a basic DBS certificate, or an enhanced DBS disclosure certificate, or a DBS update service certificate, unless the individual is already licensed with the council as a driver.
  3. certificate of good conduct from your own embassy for any applicant who has not lived in the UK for the previous five years.
  4. a nine digit tax code, or a declaration that they are registered for tax (see 'Tax Conditionality' information under 'Further Information' below)

The Council will also need to see proof of employers and public liability insurance where the applicant intends to employ staff, and/or allow members of the public into a waiting area.

An application will only be considered valid once all the above items have been received. The Licensing Authority can only determine valid applications, and will aim to determine a valid application within ten working days of receipt of a valid application. If a Licensing Sub-Committee is required to determine an application this period may increase to 28 days.

Apply online

It is now possible to apply online for new and renewal operator licence applications via the council's self service portal. Before completing your application, your attention is drawn to our privacy and data retention policy (PDF)

Further information

Paper based application forms can be found in the related documents section along with the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy which contains more information on the application procedure.

Paper based application forms and payment can be submitted through the post, or at the customer services desk in the council offices. If you need to complete a DBS application form these can be obtained from the customer services desk. Please see the DBS section below.

DBS forms

The Disclosure Barring Service forms are all numbered, and East Cambridgeshire District Council can only process the forms it supplies. Due to this forms are not supplied to individuals, and any person wishing to obtain a DBS certificate through the council must visit the council with their supporting documentation.

The current list of acceptable documentation to support a DBS application can be found in the related documents section below.

If you have a DBS certificate and are registered on the DBS update service, you may submit this to the council with your access code to enable the council to complete a subject search.

Alternatively you can apply for a basic DBS certificate online at GOV.uk (external link).

If relying on paper DBS certificates, a new certificate will be required annually whilst the individual remains active on a licence.

Immigration Act 2016

The Immigration Act 2016 places a duty on the Council to ensure that no person obtains a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver and operator licence if they do not have a legal right to work in the UK. Upon first application (and upon first renewal after 1 December 2016 for existing licence holders) applicants will be required to prove their right to work in the UK by supplying one of the official documents listed in the document below. The applicant must be present when the document is supplied; it is not possible for the document to be presented by another person. A copy of the document will be retained in order at the instruction of the Home Office.

Also, please note, if you provide a document from list B you will be required to produce proof of right to work upon all future renewal dates.

Tax conditionality

If you are applying to renew an operator licence, or applying for a new licence which is the same type of licence you already hold with another authority, or it is for the same type of licence previously held with this authority, that ceased to be valid less than a year before the date of application, you must carry out a tax check via the online HMRC portal, and provide the authority with the nine digit tax check code it provides you. Without this code it will not be possible for the authority to grant a private hire or hackney carriage driver licence.

If you are applying for a new licence, and the points mentioned in the above paragraph do not apply, you will be required to sign a declaration confirming that you are aware of your need to register for tax purposes, and you will do so. This declaration will be contained on the application form.

For more information visit the HMRC guidance website (external link)

Licence renewals

Existing licensed operators who wish to renew their licence must do so by the expiry date of their existing licence. The Licensing Authority will notify licence holders two months prior to the expiry date of their licence, but the ultimate responsibility for submitting a renewal application remains that of the licence holder.

Renewal applications will only need to be supported by those documents that have expired, or are due to expire during the application period. Failure to renew by the expiry date will result in the licence expiring and you will be required to submit a new application and comply with the requirements of a new application.

Related documents