Taxi operator licence in Northern Ireland
Who needs a taxi operator licence in Northern Ireland under the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, how to apply through the Driver and Vehicle Agency, the fees, the conditions and record-keeping duties, and the penalties.
In Northern Ireland you must hold a taxi operator licence to run a taxi service. "Operating a taxi service" means accepting taxi bookings, or providing taxis to stand or ply for hire or to carry passengers for hire, in the course of business (Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, section 1). A driver who works for a licensed operator does not need an operator licence of their own, but does need a taxi driver's licence. Operating a taxi service without an operator licence is an offence.
The licence is granted by the Department for Infrastructure, and you apply through the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). Applications are online only.
- Statutory source
- Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, Part 1; SR 2012/316
- Who needs one
- Anyone who operates a taxi service, apart from affiliated drivers (section 1)
- Types
- Small operator (1 or 2 taxis) or large operator (3 or more)
- Test
- Fit and proper person, any prescribed requirements, and immigration status for individuals (section 2(4))
- Application fee
- £140 (Regulations, Schedule 1)
- Grant fee, small operator
- £15 (1 year), £45 (3 years), £75 (5 years)
- Grant fee, large operator
- £40 (1 year), £220 (3 years), £360 (5 years)
- Per-vehicle fee, first 25
- £40, £120 or £200 a vehicle (1, 3 or 5 years)
- Per-vehicle fee, after the first 25
- £10, £12 or £20 a vehicle
- Variation fees
- £5 to vary; £200 to add or change an operating centre
- Length of licence
- 1, 3 or 5 years, chosen on the application (section 2(7); regulation 3)
- Timescale
- Apply at least 8 weeks before you want to start operating
- Penalty for operating without a licence
- Summary offence, fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale
- Contact
- TaxiandBusLicensing@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
How to apply
- Choose your operator type. You cannot change between small and large once the licence has been approved. You would have to send a completely new application.
- Have the right people and vehicles ready. To complete the grant stage you need at least one person available who holds a valid taxi driver's licence and at least one vehicle with a valid public service vehicle licence. Every taxi you use must hold a taxi licence, and every driver must hold a taxi driver's licence (sections 3(1), 12 and 22).
- Name your operating centre. The application must give the address, in Northern Ireland, of any premises you intend to use as an operating centre (section 2(2)). The licence lists the centres you may use.
- Apply online through DVA. Verify your identity through a nidirect account, hold a current driving licence, and pay the £140 application fee. Choose a 1, 3 or 5 year licence. The Department grants the licence if it is satisfied on the fit and proper test.
- If you are refused or disagree with a condition, you can appeal to the Department within 21 days of the decision, and then to a court of summary jurisdiction (section 2(8) to (12)).
Conditions and duties once licensed
- Use only listed taxis and drivers. Do not use more taxis than your licence specifies, a vehicle that is not specified, or a driver who is not specified as an affiliated driver (Regulations, regulation 7(9) and (10)). You must secure that each taxi is licensed and driven by a licensed driver (section 3(1)).
- Accept bookings at your operating centre. There are limited exceptions, including Class A and B licensed taxis (section 3(2); regulation 9(2)). Display a copy of your licence at any centre the public can enter (section 3(3)).
- Keep insurance. For any operating centre that the public can reach you must hold public liability insurance with a minimum indemnity of £5,000,000 for any one event (regulation 7(2)).
- Keep records in writing, or in a form that can be transcribed easily (regulation 8). Enter the particulars of each booking before the journey starts: the date, the passenger's name or other identification, the collection time and place, the main destination, any fare or estimate quoted, the driver, any operator it was sub-contracted to, and the vehicle's registration (regulation 9). Keep particulars of each vehicle, including its insurance and taxi or PSV licence (regulation 10), of each affiliated driver, including a copy of the driving licence, a copy of the taxi driver's licence and a photograph (regulation 11), of complaints (regulation 12) and of lost property (regulation 13). Produce them on request to a constable or authorised officer (section 3(3)).
- Deal with complaints under a procedure you establish and maintain (regulation 7(7)).
- Tell the Department within 7 days if you or, for a firm, any partner is convicted, if any information in your application changes, or if a driver stops being available to you because of unsatisfactory conduct in driving a taxi (regulation 7(4)).
- Keep the old records. Preserve all records relating to an operating centre for 6 months after you stop using it (regulation 7(6)).
- Charge no more than the meter. Where you provide a taxi with a taximeter, the fare must not exceed the fare shown on it, except for executive and tour services (regulation 7(8)).
- Apply to vary the licence to add or remove an operating centre or change the number of taxis (section 28).
Enforcement
The Department can suspend or revoke an operator licence if it is no longer satisfied that you are fit to hold it, or if you have failed to comply with a condition or another obligation under the Act. It can also curtail the licence by removing taxis from it or reducing the maximum number (section 26). The main offences and penalties, all on summary conviction, are: operating without a licence, level 5; operating a service using an unlicensed taxi or a driver without a taxi driver's licence, level 5 (you have a defence if you exercised all due diligence); breaching other operator duties, level 3; and keeping or making false records knowingly or recklessly, level 3.