Private Hire Operator licensing

A Private Hire Operator Licence is issued to an individual or company that offers a service of pre-booking fares. The licence is issued for a maximum period of 5 years.

Step 1 – Check the criteria and obtain certificates for courses

1. Planning Permissions

As part of the process, you need to be able to demonstrate that the premises (Operator) address, where you will be based, either has planning permissions or confirmation that planning permissions are not required.

There is more information about how to apply for planning permissions on the Council’s website.

2. Local Knowledge and Safeguarding Test
   Provided by Oxford City Council. Please call 01865 252565 to book the test (£75.00). This test can be booked and completed at any time / before submitting your full application to the Council.
    
3. Safeguarding and Disability Awareness Course

Provided by Oxfordshire County Council, to book you will find the information under (£50 fee paid directly to the County Council)

Step 2 - Prepare all the necessary documents

Complete all the forms (some require you to generate online codes) and have all the documents listed below. All the forms and how to generate the share codes are in the full Operators Application Forms.

1. The completed Private Hire Operator Application Form
2. The completed Business Partner Form (if applicable)
3. Completed HMRC Tax check code form (for each Business Partner)
4. Completed Right to Work share code form (if applicable) (for each Business Partner)
5. Local Knowledge and Safeguarding Test pass letter
6. Safeguarding and Disability Awareness course certificate
7. Basic Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) certificate – must be dated no earlier than 28 calendar days before submitting the application to the Council (copy of front and back) (for each Business Partner)
8. Evidence of Right to Work in the UK (usually a UK/Irish Passport if not completing a Right to Work share code form) (for each Business Partner)

Step 3 - Submit the application to the Council

Send all the documents listed above via email to taxiapplications@oxford.gov.uk.

You must attach to the email ALL the Certificates, Forms and Documents listed above to the application email. You can spread the documents over few emails, as long as they are all sent one after the other.

You will receive an automated response that we have received your application. Once you have submitted your application via email we will assess it. If your application is not complete, we will email you back with the advice on what needs to be corrected or what you have missed. If your application is valid, we will move to the next step.

Step 4 - Payment and booking a Right to Work appointment

• We will call you to take a payment over the phone via secure line using your Debit/Credit card
• Once the payment has been completed, we will email you the receipt and the online Right to Work appointment booking confirmation with the list of the documents you will need to have with you during the online appointment.
• Online video appointment is carried out via Zoom portal. You do not need to download any software to attend this meeting. You can join using a computer, laptop or a smartphone.
• If you have provided a Right to Work Share Code with your application, we will redeem the code during the appointment

Step 5 – Receiving the Paper Licence

Once you have submitted the final documents, the final checks will take few days. Please be patient and wait until we contact you. Once the licence is issued, we will email your Paper Licence (counterpart) document.

Please be aware that this is only a ‘Quick Guide’ to assist on how to apply for a New Hackney Carriage and / or Private Hire Driver Licence and you must refer to the full Operator Application Terms and Conditions to find full details and guidance on all the Licensing criteria and conditions that must be met under ‘Fit and Proper’ person with this Authority.

• Operator Application Forms
• Operator Application Terms and Conditions