# How long does it take to get a private hire operator licence?

> How long it takes to get a private hire operator licence depends on your council and on how ready you are. Wigan aims to decide within 5 working days of a complete application, Bristol says up to 4 weeks, and Hertsmere and TfL up to about 16 weeks. Before that you need a basic DBS check, right to work evidence, policies and, if your base needs it, planning permission, usually decided within 8 weeks.

By Joe, founder of Dispatch AI. Updated 2026-10-22. The web page: https://dispatchai.co.uk/guides/how-long-to-get-a-private-hire-operator-licence/

You want a date for your first paid job, and the licence decides it. This guide gives the processing times councils actually publish, the steps you have to finish before you can apply, how long each one takes, and the things that make applications stall. It ends with a worked timeline you can copy. What the licence is, what it costs and the conditions that come with it are in our guide to [getting a private hire operator licence](https://dispatchai.co.uk/guides/private-hire-operator-licence-uk/).


## How long does it take to get a private hire operator licence?

Anything from about a week to four months once the council has your complete application, depending on the council. Each one publishes its own target, and they start the clock at different points.

| Licensing authority | What it says | When the clock starts |
|---|---|---|
| Wigan | Aims to decide within 5 working days | Once the application is complete |
| Kirklees | 10 working days | Once your DBS certificate has arrived and an officer has your form, which can take up to 3 working days |
| Runnymede | Aims to decide within 10 working days, "frequently quicker" | When it receives the application |
| Bristol | Up to 4 weeks | When you apply |
| Calderdale | Six weeks for the initial processing | When you apply |
| Hertsmere | Around 16 weeks, "but may be longer" | When you apply |
| TfL (London) | Up to 16 weeks for a typical application | When the full application fee is paid |

Hertsmere tells people not to apply at all if they can't wait that long. Kirklees warns that a DBS certificate can take up to 12 weeks to come back, and its 10 working days only start once it has one.

So ask your own council two questions before you plan anything: how long, and from when. Licensing differs by council, and these seven are examples, not a national figure. No national average processing time is published.


## What do you have to do before you can apply?

Most of the waiting happens before the form goes in. Here's each step, with the time the official source gives for it.

| Step | How long it takes | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Register a limited company, if you're using one | Usually within 24 hours online for £100, or 8 to 10 days by post for £124 | Companies House, on GOV.UK |
| Basic DBS check for each applicant or director | Usually up to 3 days to process, then a paper certificate is posted. £20 | GOV.UK |
| Right to work evidence | A Home Office share code, valid for 90 calendar days | Home Office guidance for licensing authorities |
| Tax, on a first application | You confirm on the form that you've read HMRC's guidance on your tax responsibilities | HMRC |
| Planning permission for your base, where it's needed | Most applications decided within 8 weeks; 13 weeks for unusually large or complex ones in England | GOV.UK |
| A knowledge test or interview, where your council sets one | Runnymede holds its operator test once a month; Buckinghamshire assesses knowledge mainly by interview | Council pages |
| Training, where your council requires it | Buckinghamshire wants its approved safeguarding and equalities training within the last 3 years | Buckinghamshire Council |
| Written policies | Hertsmere asks for six: complaints, lost property, data protection, criminal record (employment), safeguarding, and disability and equalities | Hertsmere Borough Council |

The tax step is quick on a first application. Since 4 April 2022, first-time applicants in England and Wales confirm they're aware of HMRC's guidance, and the council won't issue the licence without that confirmation. The full tax check code comes in at renewal.

Some councils add their own documents. Sheffield asks for employers' liability insurance, planning consent or a letter saying it isn't needed, and proof that you've paid the data protection fee to the ICO. Redcar and Cleveland asks for your policy on checking booking and dispatch staff.


## Which steps take the longest?

Planning permission, when you need it, is usually the longest step. GOV.UK says most planning applications are decided within 8 weeks, and that comes before the council's licensing team starts its own clock. Calderdale asks for planning permission or a Lawful Development Certificate where one applies, and TfL wants planning evidence for every operating centre. Whether a home office or a small unit needs permission is covered in [private hire operator premises requirements](https://dispatchai.co.uk/guides/private-hire-operator-premises-requirements/).

A knowledge test can add weeks. Redcar and Cleveland's form says all new operator applicants must pass one, and Runnymede runs its test once a month. Miss a sitting and you wait for the next.

Your own record matters too. Sheffield says that if your DBS check shows certain convictions, your application may go to its Licensing Sub-Committee to decide. That adds a hearing to the process. Sheffield doesn't publish how long it takes.


## In what order should you do the steps?

Start the long steps first and the ones that expire last. A basic DBS certificate and a share code both have a shelf life, so getting them too early can mean doing them twice. Bristol wants the basic DBS no more than 2 months old when you apply, and Buckinghamshire no more than 3 months old.

1. **Read your council's policy and ring the licensing team.** Ask the processing time, when the clock starts, test dates and any training.
2. **Sort your premises and any planning application.** It's the longest step, so it goes first.
3. **Register the company**, if you're trading as one.
4. **Write the policies** your council asks for. Use its templates where it offers them: Redcar and Cleveland includes one for checking booking and dispatch staff.
5. **Book the knowledge test and any training.**
6. **Pay the data protection fee to the ICO**, if your council wants proof.
7. **Order the basic DBS check** so it's inside your council's age limit on the day you apply.
8. **Get a fresh share code** and submit everything in one go, with the fee.


## Why do operator licence applications get delayed?

Missing paperwork is the most common reason councils give for delays. Sheffield says it won't process your application until it has seen every document it needs. Kirklees returns incomplete applications to the applicant. TfL doesn't process an application until the application fee is paid in full.

Other things that hold applications up:

- **An address outside the council's area.** Bristol needs a physical address inside its boundary before it can issue your licence, and Hertsmere only licenses operators working from inside the borough.
- **Out-of-date documents.** A DBS certificate older than your council's limit has to be done again.
- **Chasing too early.** Calderdale asks applicants not to ask for a progress update in the first six weeks and says chasing could extend the wait.
- **A new kind of service.** TfL says applications for new, novel or ridesharing services that need more information can take longer.
- **Convictions.** A referral to a committee, as in Sheffield, adds a hearing.

Runnymede is blunt about it. It says delays only happen where there are errors in the application form or enquiries to be made with third parties.


## How is a London application different?

Transport for London licenses operators in London, and its process has four stages: an initial check of the forms, a detailed analysis of whether you meet the law and the licensing requirements, a compliance inspection of your operating centre, and a final decision on the licence's length and conditions. TfL says a typical application can take up to 16 weeks.

You pay in two parts. For 0 to 10 vehicles, TfL charges a £400 application fee when you apply and a £1,600 grant of licence fee before the licence is issued, £2,000 in all for five years. And TfL says an operator can't begin until it has the physical licence and has displayed it at the operating centre. The rest of the London picture is in [starting a private hire firm in London](https://dispatchai.co.uk/guides/starting-a-private-hire-firm-in-london/).


## Can you take bookings while you wait for the licence?

No. Section 46 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 makes it an offence to operate private hire vehicles in a council's area without an operator licence. A booking taken the day before the licence arrives is still an offence.

You can use the waiting time well, though. Line up drivers who already hold your council's licence (see [finding drivers for a new taxi company](https://dispatchai.co.uk/guides/finding-your-first-drivers/)), set your prices, build the website and sort out the phones. Leave the software until you know your date, because it's the quickest part. Dispatch AI is booking and dispatch software for taxi and private hire firms, and its phone agent and booking go live within 24 hours, often within two hours. The one piece to start earlier is your drivers' app: jobs go to your drivers on your own branded app, and Apple and Google usually approve it within one to two weeks.


## Example: a timeline for a new firm

**Example, with stated inputs.** Say your council quotes up to 4 weeks to process, your office needs planning permission, and the council runs a monthly operator knowledge test. Here's how the weeks might fall:

| Week | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Read the policy, ring the council, submit the planning application, register the company |
| 2 to 4 | Write the policies, book the knowledge test and training |
| 6 | Sit the knowledge test |
| 8 | Order the basic DBS check, so it's under 2 months old when you apply |
| 9 | Planning decision, about 8 weeks after you applied |
| 10 | Get a share code and submit the complete application |
| 10 to 14 | The council processes it, up to 4 weeks |
| 14 | Licence issued, first bookings |

That's about 14 weeks. With no planning application and no test, the same council could get you licensed in 5 or 6 weeks. With a council quoting 16 weeks, add three months. Our [first 90 days of a new taxi firm](https://dispatchai.co.uk/guides/first-90-days-of-a-new-taxi-firm/) picks up from the day the licence arrives, and if the trade is new to you, read [starting a taxi company with no experience](https://dispatchai.co.uk/guides/start-a-taxi-company-with-no-experience/) while you wait.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does an operator licence renewal take?

Councils ask you to apply well ahead. Kirklees advises renewing up to 12 weeks before expiry, Buckinghamshire accepts renewals up to three months ahead, Wigan up to 8 weeks and Bristol up to 6 weeks. You'll also need an HMRC tax check code, which expires after 120 days.

### Does a limited company take longer than a sole trader?

There are more people to check. The Statutory Standards ask councils to apply the fit and proper test to every director, and Redcar and Cleveland wants a basic DBS check for each one. The Home Office says its right to a licence rules apply to individuals, not to a company, but Sheffield still asks for right to work documents from all business owners.

### Will the council inspect my premises before granting the licence?

TfL does. Its compliance officers visit your operating centre, confirm it meets local planning conditions and go through your record keeping duties. Other councils vary, so ask yours.

### What can I do if my application is refused?

You can appeal to the magistrates' court. Section 55(4) of the 1976 Act gives the right of appeal against a refusal or against a condition, and GOV.UK says the same. Ask the council for its reasons in writing first.


## Sources

- [Apply or renew an operator licence (Bristol City Council)](https://www.bristol.gov.uk/licences-permits/apply-for-an-operator-licence) up to 4 weeks, DBS no more than 2 months old, address in the boundary, renew up to 6 weeks ahead
- [Private hire operators (Wigan Council)](https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Business/Licensing-Permits-Registrations/Taxi-and-Private-Hire/Private-Hire-Operators.aspx) 5 working days from a complete application, renewals up to 8 weeks ahead
- [Private hire and hackney carriage licensing service standards (Kirklees Council)](https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/licensing/private-hire-hackney-carriage-licensing-service-standards.aspx) 10 working days after the DBS, DBS up to 12 weeks, incomplete applications returned
- [Private hire operators in Runnymede (Runnymede Borough Council)](https://runnymede.gov.uk/taxi-licenses/private-hire-operators-runnymede) 10 working days, monthly knowledge test, causes of delay
- [Private hire operator licence (Calderdale Council)](https://new.calderdale.gov.uk/business-services/licences/private-hire-hackney/apply/private-hire-operator-licence) six weeks initial processing, planning or Lawful Development Certificate
- [Private hire operator licence (Hertsmere Borough Council)](https://www.hertsmere.gov.uk/business/licensing/private-hire-hackney-carriage-licensing/private-hire-operator-licence) around 16 weeks, six policies
- [Private hire operator licence (Transport for London)](https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/private-hire-operator-licence) four stages, up to 16 weeks, £400 plus £1,600, the physical licence
- [Private hire vehicle operator licences, policy from 1 September 2026 (Buckinghamshire Council)](https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/taxis-and-private-hire/taxi-licence-applications/hackney-carriage-and-private-hire-licensing-policy/private-hire-operator-licences) interview, training, DBS no more than 3 months old, renewals
- [Apply for a new private hire operator licence (Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council)](https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/Operator%20new%20application.pdf) knowledge test, staff policy, DBS for each director
- [Apply for a new private hire operator licence (Sheffield City Council)](https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/taxi-licensing/private-hire-operator/new-private-hire-operator-licence/apply) documents, and no processing until all are seen
- [Private hire operator DBS checks (Sheffield City Council)](https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/licences-permits-registrations/taxi-licensing/private-hire-operator/applying-new-private-hire-operator/dbs) referral to the Licensing Sub-Committee
- [Request a basic DBS check (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record) £20, usually up to 3 days to process
- [Register your company (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/limited-company-formation/register-your-company) £100 online within 24 hours, £124 by post in 8 to 10 days
- [Planning permission: after you apply (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/planning-permission-england-wales/after-you-apply) 8 weeks, 13 for large or complex applications
- [Guidance for licensing authorities to prevent illegal working in the taxi and private hire sector, 1 October 2026 (Home Office)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/licensing-authority-guide-to-right-to-work-checks/guidance-for-licensing-authorities-to-prevent-illegal-working-in-the-taxi-and-private-hire-sector-in-the-uk-1-october-2026-accessible) share codes valid 90 days, companies
- [Confirm your tax responsibilities when applying for a taxi, private hire or scrap metal licence (HMRC)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/confirm-your-tax-responsibilities-when-applying-for-a-taxi-private-hire-or-scrap-metal-licence) first applications since 4 April 2022
- [Complete a tax check for a taxi, private hire or scrap metal licence (HMRC)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-a-tax-check-for-a-taxi-private-hire-or-scrap-metal-licence) renewals, codes expire after 120 days
- [Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards (Department for Transport)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-standards/statutory-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-standards) section 8.1, directors and basic DBS checks
- [Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, section 46 (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/57/section/46) operating without a licence
- [Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, section 55 (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/57/section/55) fit and proper, appeals
- [Operator licences for private hire vehicles (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/operator-licence-private-hire-vehicle) refusals and appeals

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