Section 170 — Assistance dogs in private hire vehicles
Extent: E+W+S
This version in force from 2022-06-28
Snapshot: 2026-08-24
Reproduced from legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). Amendments made after 2026-08-24 may not be reflected — always check the official text .
(1) The operator of a private hire vehicle commits an offence by failing or refusing to accept a booking for the vehicle—
(a) if the booking is requested by or on behalf of a disabled person or a person who wishes to be accompanied by a disabled person, and
(b) [F1 the reason for the failure or refusal is—]
(i) [F1 that the disabled person will be accompanied by an assistance dog, or]
(ii) [F1 to prevent the driver of the private hire vehicle being made subject to a duty which would otherwise be imposed on the driver by this section.]
(2) The operator [F2 or driver of a private hire vehicle] commits an offence by making [F3 , or proposing to make,] an additional charge for carrying an assistance dog which is accompanying a disabled person.
(3) The driver of a private hire vehicle commits an offence by failing or refusing to carry out a booking accepted by the operator—
(a) if the booking is made by or on behalf of a disabled person or a person who wishes to be accompanied by a disabled person, and
(b) the reason for the failure or refusal is that the disabled person is accompanied by an assistance dog.
(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
(5) In this section—“driver” means a person who holds a licence under— section 13 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 ..., section 51 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 ..., or an equivalent provision of a local enactment; “licensing authority”, in relation to any area in England and Wales, means the authority responsible for licensing private hire vehicles in that area; ... ...
Amendment notes
- F1 S. 170(1)(b) substituted (28.6.2022) by Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 (c. 29), ss. 5(3)(a), 6(2)
- F2 Words in s. 170(2) inserted (28.6.2022) by Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 (c. 29), ss. 5(3)(b)(i), 6(2)
- F3 Words in s. 170(2) inserted (28.6.2022) by Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 (c. 29), ss. 5(3)(b)(ii), 6(2)