Legal Basis for Private Hire Operator Licensing
For anyone to invite or accept bookings for private hire within Knowsley, it is necessary to obtain a Private Hire Operator licence issued by Knowsley Council for premises located within Knowsley.
Planning Approval
For existing Private Hire Operators planning approval or a planning waiver will already have been seen.
If you are expanding beyond the existing business, you might need planning approval. You would need to obtain planning permission or a Certificate of Lawful usage for the premises you intend to use. To apply to Planning for a Proposed Use approval, please use this form. An application fee is payable to planning for approval.
Renewal Private Hire Operator Applications
Applications must now be made by accessing the Renewal Operator portal and completing the form online. Your reminder will provide a unique reference number which you must use when applying. You must pay the appropriate fee by card at the time of applying for a licence.
If you need to submit further evidence via the Council Upload Evidence Portal, you must quote the unique reference number from your application when submitting the documents.
If you need help with uploading your evidence, watch the video below:
Private Hire Operator Licence Fee Table
Knowsley sets fees to recover the cost of issue and compliance in respect of Operator fees. Fees will depend on how many vehicles you wish to operate. Each licence can be issued for a one year or a five-year period.
The 2022-23 Fees as from the 1 April 2022 are:
Number of vehicles |
1 Year Renewal |
5 Year renewal |
1 Car |
£210 |
£730 |
2-10 Cars |
£270 |
£945 |
11-50 Cars |
£400 |
£1,405 |
51+ Cars |
£480 |
£1,670 |