TfL consults on BANNING all salvage vehicles from London’s taxi and private hire fleet
- Perry Richardson
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Transport for London (TfL) has launched a consultation proposing to ban all salvage vehicles from London’s licensed taxi and private hire fleet as part of wider efforts to improve passenger and driver safety.
Under the proposals, any vehicle that has previously been recorded as salvage by insurers would no longer be eligible for a taxi or private hire vehicle licence. The changes would apply regardless of whether the vehicle had been professionally repaired and returned to the road.
TfL says the move supports commitments set out in its Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan 2025, which aims to improve safety across the capital’s licensed fleet while supporting London’s Vision Zero ambition to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on the transport network.
If approved following consultation, the changes are expected to come into force in autumn 2026. The consultation remains open until Sunday 13 September 2026.
The proposal would affect vehicles previously classified under insurance salvage categories S and N, which are currently permitted to return to the road after appropriate repairs and inspections. Category S vehicles have suffered structural damage, while Category N vehicles have sustained non-structural damage that may still affect important safety systems such as steering, brakes or airbags.
TfL said the aim is to ensure that only vehicles with no previous salvage history operate as licensed taxis and private hire vehicles in London. Where licensing officers have concerns about a vehicle’s condition or history, they would continue to request a vehicle history check to verify it has not previously been recorded as salvage.
Alongside the salvage vehicle proposal, TfL is also seeking to tighten proof of ownership requirements for every vehicle licence application.
The licensing authority proposes accepting only the full DVLA V5C registration certificate as proof of ownership. Applicants would no longer be able to rely on a V62 application, an online ownership transfer confirmation or the V5C/2 green new keeper slip when presenting a vehicle for licensing.
The proposal would not affect brand new vehicles entering service, with TfL continuing to accept confirmation through the DVLA Register a Vehicle service. Fleet operators using the DVLA’s V5C on Demand service would also continue to be able to provide a DVLA View Vehicle Record as evidence of ownership.
TfL acknowledged the changes could lengthen the licensing process for some applicants. While online V5C updates are typically completed within five to seven days, applications requiring postal documentation, such as registration number or colour changes, can take up to four weeks before a replacement V5C is issued.
For taxi drivers, private hire drivers, fleet operators and vehicle suppliers, the proposals could reduce the pool of second-hand vehicles available for licensing, particularly those that have previously been categorised as repairable insurance write-offs. Drivers purchasing replacement vehicles would need to ensure prospective vehicles have no recorded salvage history before committing to a purchase.
