TaxiCall - Licensing

TaxiCall Licensing Requirements for Private Hire

This information is based on the discussions we have had with our existing Private Hire customers, local Licensing Authorities, and the Licensed Private Hire Car Association. We recommend that you contact your own Licensing Authority to confirm that they have no other local requirements.

TaxiCall with Single Vehicle Operator's Licences

This is the simplest way for Private Hire drivers to work on a TaxiCall circuit.

Private Hire drivers who also hold a single vehicle Operator's licence can take bookings for themselves. So a group of one-man Operators could work together as a TaxiCall circuit, each taking bookings under their own licence. Each Operator would be responsible for complying with the conditions of his or her licence, including maintaining the record of bookings taken.

TaxiCall with a Multi-Vehicle Operator's Licence

In some cases, drivers may not be able or may not want each to take out a single vehicle Operator's licence. In this case, one member of the group may take out a multi-vehicle Operator's licence to cover bookings taken by other drivers who only hold a Private Hire driver's licence.

In this situation, the individual holding the multi-vehicle Operator's licence is taking on the additional responsibility of keeping records of all the bookings taken by drivers under the licence, and of the licences of those drivers and their vehicles.

Some Licensing Authorities have a standard condition for a multi-vehicle Operator's licence that the Operator must have suitable premises for an office, complete with planning permission for use as an office and sufficient parking. However, such conditions are required by law* to be 'reasonably necessary' and this is not so in the case of a TaxiCall circuit, since it can hardly be reasonable to require an Operator to have an office if it is not needed.

* The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976

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