If you want to take bookings for vehicle private hire, you need to apply for a private hire operator licence. This includes for day-to-day private hire work (such as taking customers to the shop, taking people home after a night out), and for longer trips such as taking customers to and from an airport.

We'll grant a private hire operator licence if:

• we're satisfied that you're a fit and proper person to hold such a licence and meet the necessary application criteria
• the physical base of operations is within the Barnsley borough
• we're sure that the operation of the business won't cause a nuisance or obstruction problems to neighbouring premises (you need to provide proof of planning permission to use the premises for a private hire operator business)
• the name of the operator is suitable

If you're a taxi driver who works for other companies (not your own private hire business), you don't need an operator licence. However, you must hold a taxi driver's licence.

What an operator licence doesn't cover

A private hire operator licence doesn't allow you to drive a licensed vehicle yourself - only to operate as a private hire business. If you want to drive a licensed vehicle as well, you must also hold a taxi driver's licence with our authority.

An operator licence doesn't allow you (or any drivers you employ) to ply for hire; all customers must have pre-booked. You aren't allowed to use the taxi rank or pick up customers without booking.

Any vehicle used for private hire must also have its own vehicle licence.

Charges

A one-year private hire operator licence is £138.60. A five-year licence is £279.40.

The same fee applies regardless of the number of vehicles in use.

Operator names

To prevent any confusion to members of the public, when choosing a private hire operator name this cannot:

• include the words 'cab', 'taxi' or any variation of these (singular or plural), or any other word similar in meaning or appearance, whether alone or as part of another word
• be the same or substantially similar to any other currently licensed operator

Apply for or renew an operator licence

To apply for an operator licence you need to:

• Have premises in Barnsley which is accessible to us for inspection.
• Pass a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, issued within 28 days of the date you submit your licence application. (If you're already a licensed taxi driver with our authority, you don't need to provide this.)
• Confirm your tax responsibilities by either:
  • confirming you're aware of your tax registration obligations (Pay As You Earn, Self Assessment and/or Corporation Tax). This applies if you're applying for a licence for the first time. You can also do this if you've previously held a licence but this ceased to be valid over a year ago.
  • providing a tax check code from the GOV.UK website. This applies if you've previously held an operator licence that ceased to be valid less than a year ago. You can also do this if you already hold an operator licence with another licensing authority.
• Provide proof of your right to work in the UK (for example: birth certificate, valid passport or Home Office share code). If you're not a UK national you may need to provide two forms of evidence - see the list of evidence you can use as proof of your right to work in the UK.
• Have permission from the landlord if you're going to run the business from a council house or other rented property.
• Provide evidence that planning permission has been granted, or is not required, for the premises you want to use. Any fees for this are separate to the operator licence fee.

If you already have an operator licence and want to renew it, your existing basic DBS check certificate must be valid on the date your current licence expires. If not, you must have a new basic DBS check and upload a copy of your new certificate as part of your renewal. You'll also need to provide a tax check code from the GOV.UK website to confirm you're registered for tax.

The online form should be completed in one person's name only. If more than one person is applying for the licence, fill in the additional name consent form for each extra person you want to add to the licence. You'll need to upload the consent form(s) as part of your application.

Before applying, please read through our taxi and private hire licensing policy.

What happens next

If your application's successful we'll email your new licence to you, you'll usually receive this within 10 working days. We'll email you if we need any more information from you to process your application.

If your application's not successful we'll email you to let you know the reason for our decision.