Key facts
How many taxis and private hire vehicles are licensed in Luton?
The biggest change since April 2024 is in private hire vehicles: 959 then, 1,046 now. With 5.07 licensed vehicles per 1,000 residents, Luton sits below the England figure of 5.84. 100% of its taxis are wheelchair accessible.[1]
| 2024 | 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxis | 165 | 165 | about the same as in 2024 |
| Private hire vehicles | 959 | 1,046 | up 9% |
| Driver licences | 1,689 | 1,560 | down 8% |
| Operator licences | 48 | 40 | down 17% |
How does licensing in Luton differ from other councils?
Luton differs from most councils on 10 points in its 2026 return to the DfT. On vehicles, taxis and private hire vehicles face both an age limit and an emission standard, and drivers must carry out daily roadworthiness checks.[1]
- Taxi numbers capped: Luton limits hackney carriage licences (165 in April 2026); about 1 in 4 councils do.
- Two tests for Luton taxi drivers, local knowledge and navigation, as in about 1 in 5 councils.
- Two tests for Luton private hire drivers, local knowledge and navigation, as in about 1 in 6 councils.
- No English test for Luton drivers, as in about 1 in 5 councils.
- DBS Update Service optional for Luton drivers; about 86% of councils make it compulsory.
- No disability awareness course for Luton private hire drivers; about 71% of councils require one.
- Luton operators' call-takers and dispatchers need no DBS check; about 2 in 3 councils require one.
- No convictions policy required of Luton operators for their staff; about 3 in 5 councils require one.
- Fewer booking details required: Luton asks operators to record 10 of the 12 details councils ask for, leaving out name of booker and name of dispatchers.
- Policy last updated: 2026, by Luton's own account to the DfT.
What did Luton report about operator licences?
6 new Luton operator applications, 18 renewals, with 40 operator licences in force on 1 April 2026, in Luton Borough Council's 2026 return to the DfT. See what Luton operators must record.[1]
How much does a taxi licence cost in Luton?
From Luton Borough Council's fee page, read 02/11/2026.[3]
| Licence or charge | Fee |
|---|---|
| Private hire operator licence (5 years, the standard term) | £3,550.50 |
| Private hire vehicle licence, 1 year (total) | £393.65 |
| Hackney carriage vehicle licence, 1 year (total) | £471.40 |
| Change of vehicle ownership | £125.00 |
Luton Borough Council operator application pack (2026/27) and vehicle application pack. Driver fees are in the council's driver licence pack.[3][4]
What does Luton require before granting an operator licence?
Luton requires an operator to hold a driver licence before applying, and the booking office must be suitable for the area: premises used as a booking office need planning permission. The application needs photo ID, a basic DBS disclosure and the fee.[5]
What is Luton's knowledge test like?
Luton's knowledge tests are electronic and multiple choice, and a driver who fails pays the test fee again for the next attempt.[6]
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] Luton Borough Council: Operator licence application pack 2026/27 (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [4] Luton Borough Council: Vehicle application pack (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [5] Luton Borough Council: Private hire operator's licence (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [6] Luton Borough Council: Private hire and hackney carriage FAQs (read 2 Nov 2026)
Related
- Taxi licence costs across UK councils
- Private hire operator licence explained
- Taxi knowledge test: what councils test
- 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