Key facts
- Licensing authority
- Oxford City Council
- Vehicles, 1 April 2026
- 108 taxis (108 wheelchair accessible), 1,137 private hire[1]
- Licences held
- 1,470 drivers, 50 operators[1]
- Per 1,000 residents
- 7.5 vehicles (England: 5.84)[1]
- Hackney carriage (dual) driver licence, new or renewal (3 years)
- £452.40[3]
- Hackney carriage cap
- Limited to 107 hackney carriage vehicles in the city[4]
How many taxis and private hire vehicles are licensed in Oxford?
The biggest change since April 2024 is in private hire vehicles: 755 then, 1,137 now. With 7.5 licensed vehicles per 1,000 residents, Oxford sits above the England figure of 5.84. 100% of its taxis are wheelchair accessible.[1]
| 2024 | 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxis | 109 | 108 | down 1% |
| Private hire vehicles | 755 | 1,137 | up 51% |
| Driver licences | 1,048 | 1,470 | up 40% |
| Operator licences | 36 | 50 | up 39% |
How does licensing in Oxford differ from other councils?
Oxford differs from most councils on 6 points in its 2026 return to the DfT. On vehicles, taxis face both an age limit and an emission standard and private hire vehicles an age limit, and drivers must carry out daily roadworthiness checks.[1]
- Taxi numbers capped: Oxford limits hackney carriage licences (108 in April 2026); about 1 in 4 councils do.
- No good-character certificate from Oxford applicants who lived abroad; about 84% of councils require one.
- Oxford operators' call-takers and dispatchers need no DBS check; about 2 in 3 councils require one.
- No convictions policy required of Oxford operators for their staff; about 3 in 5 councils require one.
- Fewer booking details required: Oxford asks operators to record 10 of the 12 details councils ask for, leaving out name of booker and name of dispatchers.
- Policy last updated: 2022, by Oxford's own account to the DfT.
What did Oxford report about operator licences?
12 new Oxford operator applications, 21 renewals, with 50 operator licences in force on 1 April 2026, in Oxford City Council's 2026 return to the DfT. See what Oxford operators must record.[1]
How much does a taxi licence cost in Oxford?
From Oxford City Council's fee page, read 02/11/2026.[3]
| Licence or charge | Fee |
|---|---|
| Hackney carriage (dual) driver licence, new or renewal (3 years) | £452.40 |
| Private hire driver licence, new or renewal (3 years) | £407.40 |
| Enhanced DBS / safeguarding and disability course / practical assessment | £66.99 / £57.39 / £74 |
| Knowledge and safeguarding test | £87 |
| Hackney carriage vehicle / ULEV hackney carriage | £472 / £354 |
| Private hire vehicle / electric / wheelchair accessible | £309 / £190 / £112 |
| Private hire operator (5 years): 3 vehicles or fewer / 4 or more | £2,886 / £5,772 |
Oxford City Council driver, vehicle and operator fee pages, read 2 November 2026.[3][4][5]
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Oxford driver licence?
Hackney carriage (dual) driver licence, new or renewal (3 years): £452.40, according to Oxford 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] Oxford City Council: Taxi driver licence fees and charges (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [4] Oxford City Council: Taxi vehicle licence fees and charges (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [5] Oxford City Council: Private hire operator licence fees and charges (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