No person shall act as driver of any hackney carriage licensed in pursuance of this or the special Act to ply for hire within the prescribed distance without first obtaining a licence from the commissioners, which licence shall be registered by the clerk to the commissioners, F1and such fee as the commissioners may determine shall be paid,for the same; and every such licence shall be in force until the same is revoked, except during the time that the same may be suspended as after mentioned.