A new private hire operator must:
- have an office based in Guildford Borough, and
- choose a company name.
It is worth checking with our planning department to see if your proposed office will need any planning permission.
The company name cannot be the same as or similar to an existing company. You should also check that the name you are interested in is not a domain name for an existing company, as this could lead to litigation. The company name cannot include the words "taxi" or "cab" as these imply Hackney Carriage Vehicles.
The cost of the private hire operator's licence is dependant on the number of vehicles working for the operator. Please see the hackney carriage and private hire fees and charges information for the relevant fee (paying for your licence).
By law, a private hire vehicle must be driven by a licensed private hire driver who works for a licensed private hire operator, and all three licences must be issued by the same licensing authority.
Please contact the Licensing Team for further information:
Licensing Team
Guildford Borough Council
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 4BB
Tel: 01483 444371
Fax: 01483 444546
Email: licensing@guildford.gov.uk