Taxi or private hire car operator licence

07 September 2023

Important update about tax checks

From 2 October 2023, the government are introducing a simple tax check that will take place when people renew the following licences:

taxi and private hire drivers
booking offices
scrap metal dealer sites
mobile or itinerant scrap metal collectors

Find out more and how the changes affect you in our licence tax checks bulletin.

Under the terms of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, a taxi or private hire car operator must be licensed to allow the licence holder to operate within the licensed area.

Before applying for a taxi or private hire car operator's licence, the applicant must have held a driver's licence for at least one year.

Taxi operator licence

Please note we have restricted the number of taxi operator licences.

Any person submitting an application for the grant of a taxi operator’s licence would be invited to attend a Local Government Licensing Panel to put a case forward should they consider there is an unmet demand in any locality within East Ayrshire.

Private hire car operator licence

There is currently no restriction on private hire car operator licences.

A private hire car operator’s licence would allow you to operate by only taking advance bookings, as an uplift of a hire from the street is prohibited.