.jpg)
Northern Ireland taxi fleet reaches highest level since 2021 as driver numbers post fifth straight quarterly rise
Northern Ireland’s licensed taxi driver total rose for a fifth consecutive quarter to 7,586 at the end of June 2026, according to the Driver and Vehicle Agency’s latest statistics.
The increase extends a gradual recovery in driver numbers. The DVA said licensed taxi driver stock had “more than halved” from the 15,802 recorded in 2013/14, and described the latest rise as the “fifth quarter on quarter increase” in the figure.
The number of taxi driver licences issued during the 2025/26 financial year fell, however. The DVA issued 1,574, down 464, or 22.8%, from the 2,038 issued in 2024/25. Licences issued over a year measure licensing activity, while the June figure counts licences in force at that point.
The report said the number of taxi licences issued has fallen since the start of its series in 2013/14 and has remained below pre-pandemic levels since 2020/21. It did not give a reason for the latest annual fall in driver licences issued.
Licensed taxi vehicle numbers also increased. The fleet reached 7,440 at the end of June, up 169 vehicles, or 2.3%, from a year earlier. That was the highest vehicle stock recorded since September 2021.
Taxi operator numbers stood at 1,131 at the end of June, an increase of 18, or 1.6%, from the end of March. The DVA said operator numbers remain substantially below levels seen earlier in the series.
The figures form part of the DVA’s report covering April to June 2026. They show driver numbers continuing to recover, but still far below their 2013/14 level.
