Key facts
What makes a taxi wheelchair accessible?
Space for a passenger to travel seated in their wheelchair, a ramp or lift to board, and securement for the wheelchair plus a seatbelt for the passenger. Purpose-built London-style cabs and converted vans are the common types.
What must WAV drivers do by law?
In Great Britain, drivers of designated taxis and private hire vehicles hired by or for a wheelchair user must carry the passenger in the wheelchair (or the wheelchair if they transfer to a seat), carry mobility aids, ensure safety and reasonable comfort, give reasonable mobility assistance and make no additional charge.[3]
How many WAVs are there?
On 1 April 2026 England had 34,500 wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles, down 4% on 2024; every one of London's 13,713 licensed taxis is wheelchair accessible. In Scotland, 46% of licensed taxis were in 2025.[1][2]
How does dispatch handle WAV bookings?
By treating WAV as a vehicle class: the booking records that a wheelchair-accessible car is needed and the system only offers the job to drivers in a suitable vehicle.
See vehicle classes in TaxiDex.
Frequently asked questions
Can a taxi driver charge extra for a wheelchair?
Not for a designated vehicle in Great Britain: section 165 of the Equality Act 2010 bars any additional charge for carrying a wheelchair user and giving the required assistance.
What does WAV mean in taxis?
Wheelchair accessible vehicle: a taxi or private hire car that a passenger can travel in while staying in their wheelchair.
Sources
Fees and rules change. Each source is the official page we read, with the date we read it; check it before you apply or pay.
- [1] Department for Transport: Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2026 (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [2] Transport Scotland: Scottish Transport Statistics 2025, Table 1.4 (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [3] legislation.gov.uk: Equality Act 2010, section 165 (disabled passengers in wheelchairs: duties of drivers of designated vehicles) (read 2 Nov 2026)