Key facts
How many taxis and private hire vehicles are licensed in Leeds?
The biggest change since April 2024 is in driver licences: 6,029 then, 7,051 now. With 6.04 licensed vehicles per 1,000 residents, Leeds sits above the England figure of 5.84. 50% of its taxis are wheelchair accessible.[1]
| 2024 | 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxis | 537 | 530 | down 1% |
| Private hire vehicles | 3,932 | 4,574 | up 16% |
| Driver licences | 6,029 | 7,051 | up 17% |
| Operator licences | 61 | 73 | up 20% |
How does licensing in Leeds differ from other councils?
Leeds differs from most councils on 7 points in its 2026 return to the DfT. On vehicles, taxis and private hire vehicles face both an age limit and an emission standard.[1]
- Taxi numbers capped: Leeds limits hackney carriage licences (530 in April 2026); about 1 in 4 councils do.
- Two tests for Leeds taxi drivers, local knowledge and navigation, as in about 1 in 5 councils.
- No knowledge test for Leeds private hire drivers, as in about 2 in 5 councils.
- No good-character certificate from Leeds applicants who lived abroad; about 84% of councils require one.
- Leeds operators' call-takers and dispatchers need no DBS check; about 2 in 3 councils require one.
- No convictions policy required of Leeds operators for their staff; about 3 in 5 councils require one.
- Policy last updated: 2022, by Leeds's own account to the DfT.
What did Leeds report about operator licences?
10 new Leeds operator applications, 46 renewals, with 73 operator licences in force on 1 April 2026, in Leeds City Council's 2026 return to the DfT. See what Leeds operators must record.[1]
How much does a taxi licence cost in Leeds?
From Leeds City Council's fee page, read 02/11/2026.[3]
| Licence or charge | Fee |
|---|---|
| Driver application: admin fee + application | £30 + £120 |
| DBS check / customer care course / English comprehension test | £70 / £55 / £25 |
| Driver renewal: 1 year / 3 years | £150 / £390 |
| Vehicle application + inspection | £135 + £45 |
| Vehicle renewal / age-criteria inspection | £135 / £110 |
| Operator application (including executive and limousine operators) | £500 |
| Operator renewal, 1 year: 0-10 / 11-100 / 101+ drivers | £350 / £450 / £600 |
| Operator renewal, 5 years: 0-10 / 11-100 / 101+ drivers | £1,500 / £2,000 / £3,000 |
Leeds City Council licensing costs page, read 2 November 2026.[3]
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Leeds driver licence?
Driver application: admin fee + application: £30 + £120, according to Leeds City Council's fee page when we read it.
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, data tables TAXI0104, TAXI0105 and TAXI0108-TAXI0112 (figures at 1 April 2026) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [2] GOV.UK: Driver licences for taxis and private hire vehicles (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [3] Leeds City Council: Taxi and private hire licensing costs (read 2 Nov 2026)
Related
- Taxi licence costs across UK councils
- Private hire operator licence explained
- Taxi knowledge test: what councils test
- Taxi dispatch software in Leeds
- Hackney carriage vs private hire: what is the difference?
- How long does it take to get a taxi licence?
- Taxi and private hire licensing in Wolverhampton
- Taxi and private hire licensing in London