London’s private hire driver licence total rose by 124 to 113,166 in the week ending Sunday 4 October 2026, according to Transport for London. Private hire vehicle and operator totals also increased, while the number of licensed taxi vehicles fell by 17.
The weekly figures
| Licence category | Total | Weekly change | New licences issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi drivers | 15,668 | +1 | 2 |
| Taxi vehicles | 13,299 | −17 | 6 |
| Private hire drivers | 113,166 | +124 | 249 |
| Private hire vehicles | 94,517 | +119 | 1,014 |
| Private hire operators | 1,887 | +3 | 11 |
Taxi fleet and driver breakdown
TfL reports that 9,482 of London’s 13,299 licensed taxis are zero emission capable (ZEC).
The separately published driver breakdown lists 14,196 All London licence holders and 1,506 Suburban licence holders. That split is updated monthly and is dated 20 September 2026, so it relates to an earlier snapshot than the weekly driver total above.
New licences are different from net growth
The number of new licences issued should not be read as the increase in the overall total. For example, TfL issued 1,014 new private hire vehicle licences during the week, but the net weekly rise was 119. The published update does not break down all the other movements behind those totals.
These figures describe licence numbers. They do not show how many drivers were working on a particular day, how many journeys were completed, or what drivers earned.
Source: Transport for London — Licensing information. Figures cover the week ending 4 October 2026; the taxi driver category breakdown is dated 20 September 2026.
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