New Driver Application Fee introduced from 25th November 2024
This change affects all new driver applications only. All New Drivers must pay a non-refundable £50 Application Fee before an application can be submitted. This is to cover whatever administrative work is required to process the application, whether successful or not.
PLEASE NOTE: This fee cannot be refunded in any circumstances.
The Taxi Licensing portal
To access our Taxi Licensing portal, you will need to have an e-mail address and be able to make payments for licences and other fees on-line. If you are invited into Bootle One Stop Shop you will need to be able to access your e-mails and make on-line payments when you are on site.
How to sign up to the new system
You can use this link to access the new system.
Our first priority since introducing the portal, has been to ensure that all current Sefton licence holders continue to be licensed in a timely manner. We encourage all customers to read the letters that they receive very carefully as these have been changed. When accessing the portal, please follow the scripts and answer all questions that are marked as mandatory. It is vitally important that you only upload documents that are specifically requested, submitting incorrect or unnecessary documents may delay how quickly we deal with your application.
Online support will be provided at Bootle One Stop Shop should it be needed. Please remember to bring in all the required evidence with you, however you may experience long waiting times to receive support.
We also request that you do not visit our One Stop Shops to check on progress or enquire when we will be dealing with your application as this will only delay how quickly new driver applications will be processed.
Attendance at the One Stop Shop
Please note that attendance at Bootle One Stop Shop is strictly by appointment only, except for ‘Driver Renewals’. Anyone attending without an appointment, other than Driver Renewals will not be seen. Any person becoming abusive or aggressive to staff within the OSS will likely be refused a licence.
Please also note that if you are waiting to arrange an appointment for a New Driver Application then a member of the OSS will contact you via your online portal once an application has been submitted and is being processed.
Once received we will check all documentation and start the process. We will correspond with you by e-mail within your portal with the next steps in the application process.
Application Process
Any operator wanting to apply for or renew their licence should submit an application via our online portal.
Tax regulations in force since April 2022
Since 4th April 2022, it has been necessary to complete a tax check to renew a taxi, private hire, taxi operator or scrap metal licence, or to apply for the same type of licence with a different licensing authority.
We cannot process your application without your tax check code. You can complete this by visiting the gov.uk website.