Posted on the 24th September 2026 in PHTM News

SPHA SECURES UPDATE TO BOOKING OFFICE RULES IN GLASGOW

The Scottish Private Hire Association has achieved a significant victory for small-scale and independent operators in Glasgow.

Following negotiations with Glasgow Licensing, the authority has confirmed they will accept applications for Booking Office Licences when operating from a domestic property. This is a change from previous practice where booking office licence applications were only accepted for commercial office spaces.

The SPHA's formal proposal highlighted that the regulatory framework focused too narrowly when defining physical premises and failed to account for modern practices. It was argued that because many modern booking offices can function entirely online, the authority's assumption of a bricks-and-mortar office placed an unfair burden on the trade.

The SPHA also pointed out that the current "Sui Generis" classification for taxi businesses found in planning legislation didn't match the definition or practices of a modern booking office and that the same planning legislation already provided a lawful pathway to allow domestic based booking offices to exist.

The detailed proposal was reviewed by both the licensing and planning departments of Glasgow Council and all parties agreed with the SPHA's proposal and suggested pathway.

The council confirmed that applications for domestic based booking offices will now be accepted alongside a Certificate of Lawfulness from the planning department to satisfy planning and use class requirements.

The SPHA claim this removes an unnecessary barrier to market entry and modernises how the trade is regulated. They say it is a development that will encourage regulatory compliance alongside organic business growth and that it also helps promote the self employed nature of the trade by allowing growing independent operators to operate safely, legally and affordably from home.


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