2. Apply for a private hire operator licence
Private hire operator licences are issued for 1 year on first application. After you've been a private hire operator for 1 year, you have the option to apply to renew your licence for either 1 year or 5 years.
How to apply
Before applying for a Private Hire Operator licence you'll need to make sure that you can meet the conditions of our hackney carriage and private hire licensing policy.
Once you have read this, you can apply online by clicking on the blue Start button below. You will need to have the following documents ready to upload:
- Document/s proving your right to work in the UK The Immigration Act 2016 now means that we have to check that all applicants for a private hire licence have the right to work in the UK. Alternatively, if you have a UK Visas and Immigration Account, status under the EU Settlement Scheme or a Biometric Residence Card or Permit, you can use the Home Office online service to prove your right to work in the UK.
- A Basic DBS Certificate. If you don’t already hold a hackney carriage or private hire driver licence with ourselves, you will need to provide us with a basic disclosure criminal record certificate.
- Proof of right to occupy the operating premises such as a lease, tenancy agreement or copy of title deeds (if this is not your home address).
- Your declaration that you know and understand your obligations with regard to HMRC tax and self-assessment - you'll need to read and understand the following guidance from HMRC about tax registration obligations:
https://www.gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment
https://www.gov.uk/corporation-tax
https://www.gov.uk/income-tax/how-you-pay-income-tax
And if you have held this type of licence within the last year, you will need to supply us with a 9-digit tax check code from HMRC. This is to check that you are registered with HMRC for tax and self-assessment, if necessary, and is required by all authorities as part of the application. You’ll need to provide this check code every time you renew.
Please note that if you are applying as a company or formal partnership, each of the company directors and secretaries, or partners, will need to provide a basic DBS certificate and proof of their right to work in the UK.
If you are not able to apply online using the Start button, you can download, complete and sign a private hire operator's application form and send this to us along with the documentation above to licensing@eastdevon.gov.uk or by post to Blackdown House, Border Road, Honiton EX14 1EJ.
After we have received your application
When we have received your application, we will send you an appointment date and time for an interview which will be held at one of our offices. You will need to bring originals of all the documents listed above to this interview.
If a vehicle proprietor or private hire operator does not already hold a hackney or private hire driver licence, that person will have to provide a basic DBS certificate no less than 1 month old.
Payment
There is a fee of £130.00 for applying for a 1 year private hire operator licence. You will not need to pay for the application when you submit the form and we will ask you to make a payment once your application is complete. When the time comes we accept payment by cheque, over the phone by card, or we can email you a payment link that you can use to make payment online with a card. There is further information available on our website about how much private hire licences cost.
Data Protection
Any personal information which you provide will be held and used by East Devon District Council for the purpose of the Licensing Service to process your private hire licence application(s) and administer any licence(s) which are granted. Your information may also be shared within East Devon District Council for the purposes of carrying out our lawful functions. Otherwise your personal information will not be disclosed to anybody outside East Devon District Council without your permission, unless there is a lawful reason to do so, for example disclosure is necessary for crime prevention or detection purposes. Your information will be held securely and will not be retained for any longer than is necessary. There are a number of rights available to you in relation to our use of your personal information, depending on the reason for processing. Further detail about our use of your personal information can be found in the relevant Privacy Notice.
Start the journey
More info about the journey
Before we can consider your application, we'll need to have:
- your signed and completed application form
- A document demonstrating your right to work in the UK
The application will be reviewed by a Licensing Officer who will contact you to let you know if there is any further information we need from you at this stage, or to invite you to an interview.
Once we have all of the information we need, your operator's licence will either be granted by a licensing officer or it may need to be considered by the licensing sub committee. If your application needs to be considered by the licensing sub committee we will let you know and you'll be sent notice of hearing documentation so that you can attend the hearing.