Changes affecting hackney carriage vehicle owners from 1 September 2026
We are making changes to our hackney carriage and private hire policy in September 2026.
If you own a Hackney carriage vehicle that is not wheelchair accessible (non-WAV), there are some important changes that affect you.
Your vehicle can now be licensed for longer
If your non-WAV vehicle will already have a licence on 1 September 2026, the age limit will increase from 10 years to 12 years.
So you can keep using your vehicle for 2 extra years.
Replacing your vehicle when it's 12 years old
When your vehicle turns 12 years old, you must replace it with a wheelchair accessible vehicle.
Longer age limits (and no age limits) for WAVs
A standard WAV can be licensed until it is 15 years old.
If your WAV meets the enhanced standard, you can keep it with no age limit, as long as it passes a vehicle test every 6 months.
The new enhanced WAV specifications
We're currently drafting the new detailed specifications for enhanced WAVs. We'll confirm them within 12 months of the new policy starting.
This is so we can:
- understand the needs of disability groups
- discuss suitable vehicle models with manufacturers
- work with taxi trade representatives to share information with the wider trade
We're committed to ensuring that the final enhanced WAV requirements are fair and meet the needs of our community.
Our aim is to:
- support hackney proprietors with these changes
- make the transition as smooth as possible