Private Hire Operator Licences
Basildon Council issues Private Hire Operator's Licences. A Private Hire Operator's Licence permits you to advertise and accept bookings for private hire work.
The Licence
If you want to do Private Hire work on your own account, (not working for a local private hire firm but working for yourself), you will need:
- a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver's Licence
- Your car(s) will also need to be licensed and
- you will need a Private Hire Operator's Licence.
A Private Hire Operator's Licence is issued by Basildon Borough Council. The Operator's Licence allows you to advertise and accept bookings for private hire work.
You must have this licence before you can accept bookings.
Annual Fees for Licence
Please see Basildon Council - Schedule of Fees and Charges 2024-2025 (PDF, 510 KB)(opens new window) (see page 59) for the fees. The fees are correct at the time of publication, please contact the Licensing Team for information on up to date fees.
Rules and Restrictions
You can only hold a Private Hire Operator's Licence from the local council in whose area you intend to have your operating base.
If you intend to take bookings from an operating base outside Basildon Borough then you must apply for your Operator's Licence from the Licensing Department of the local council in which your operating base is situated.
You can only use vehicles and drivers who are licensed by the same local council who issue the Operator's Licence.
You can accept bookings made from anywhere, but the address where you take the bookings (your operating base) must be within the area of the local council that issued your Operator's Licence.
You may only pass work on to drivers who are declared on your Operator's Licence application form. These drivers and their cars must also be licensed by the local council who issued the Operator's Licence.
For full details please see downloadable document Licensing Conditions - Private Hire Operator - September 2020 (PDF, 225 KB)(opens new window).
Keeping Records
Once you have your Operator's Licence you must keep certain records of the cars and the drivers you use and the journeys they make.
You must keep records of all journeys undertaken and the person who made the booking.
You must keep records of the cars and the drivers who undertake journeys that you as the Operator's Licence holder have booked.
For full details please see downloadable document Licensing Conditions - Private Hire Operator - September 2020 (PDF, 225 KB)(opens new window).