Transport for London has made the Pedicab Vehicles (London) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/136) under the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024. Most provisions commence on 9 March 2026; the central prohibition on using an unlicensed pedicab takes effect later, on 18 February 2027, creating a defined transition window for operators.
From 18 February 2027, a pedicab must not be used in any public place in Greater London without a London pedicab vehicle licence. Liability is broad: the driver and the operator each commit an offence, as does any licence holder who causes or permits unlawful use. A due‑diligence defence applies. The penalty on summary conviction is a fine up to level 4 on the standard scale (currently £2,500).
Any person may apply to TfL for a pedicab vehicle licence. Licences run for one year (or a shorter period if TfL considers it appropriate). Applications must be made in the form TfL requires and be accompanied by the appropriate fee as defined by the Pedicabs (London) (Fares and Fees) Regulations 2026. Applicants must supply specified information, including where the vehicle will be stored and, if fitted with a battery, where that battery will be stored and charged. TfL may share application information with other bodies where necessary (for example, fire safety considerations).
Applicants must present the vehicle for inspection and testing when required. Once licensed, the vehicle must undergo periodic inspections throughout the licence term. The licence holder must keep inspection and maintenance records and provide them to TfL on request, keep the vehicle compliant with all applicable construction and use law, seek TfL approval before any adaptations or modifications, notify TfL of any change of ownership within seven days, and report accidents or safety‑related incidents as soon as practicable and within 72 hours. A vehicle found unsafe or non‑compliant must not be used and must be presented for further testing if TfL directs.
TfL will issue a means of identification for each licensed vehicle and may specify how it is to be displayed in the Pedicab Vehicle Policy. The identifier remains TfL property and must be returned on expiry, surrender or if requested within seven days. It must not be altered, defaced, obscured or removed without TfL’s permission. Loss, theft or damage must be reported to TfL within 48 hours. Breach of these duties is an offence punishable by a level‑4 fine.
A licence holder must maintain insurance to carry passengers for hire or reward. Failure to do so without reasonable excuse is an offence carrying a level‑4 fine. This places pedicab vehicle cover on a comparable footing with other regulated passenger services in the capital.
TfL may grant a licence subject to conditions or refuse an application. Conditions may require further approvals before activities begin, govern equipment provision, maintenance, testing or operation, mandate record‑keeping and information returns to TfL, and restrict operating, standing or plying for hire at specified hours, on specified days, in specified areas or in other defined circumstances. TfL may add or vary conditions during the licence term on notice, including with immediate effect. Breach of a licence condition is an offence with a level‑4 maximum fine.
Eligibility is tied to technical standards. TfL may grant a vehicle licence only if the pedicab conforms to the London Pedicab Specification and has not been modified from the manufacturer’s design. A pedicab already licensed by another authority is ineligible for a London pedicab vehicle licence, ensuring a single regulatory line of accountability.
TfL may vary, suspend or revoke a licence for breach of licence terms. Specific grounds include where, since grant, the holder has been arrested and released, charged, cautioned or convicted in connection with a criminal offence; where false or misleading information was supplied (or required information withheld) at application or changes were not notified; or where conditions or other regulatory obligations have not been met. TfL may also act if, in its opinion, the vehicle’s safety, performance or regulatory compliance no longer meets the London Pedicab Specification.
Where TfL decides to suspend or revoke, it must serve written notice and give reasons. The decision normally takes effect seven days after service. If TfL states that public safety requires immediate effect and sets out reasons, the decision takes effect when the notice is served. A suspension remains until TfL directs that the licence is reinstated or revoked.
Non‑compliance with licence conditions under regulation 7 can be dealt with by fixed penalty. An authorised TfL officer may issue a fixed penalty notice, which pauses prosecution for 28 days; payment within that period discharges liability. TfL prescribes the notice form and receives the payment. TfL also sets the fixed penalty amount, taking account of the statutory maximum fine and reasonable administration costs, and must publish the figure on its website.
TfL may keep a public register of London pedicab vehicle licences showing the licence number, pedicab vehicle identification number, the name of the licence holder, grant date and expiry, alongside any other particulars TfL considers appropriate. A supplementary register may hold licence‑holder addresses; these may be disclosed only where TfL is satisfied there is sufficient reason.
Decisions are reviewable. A person may ask TfL to reconsider a refusal, variation, suspension, revocation, the imposition of conditions, or a penalty (other than a fixed penalty) within 28 days of the decision. There is a right of appeal to the magistrates’ court within 28 days. Where a decision requires work or action, or would make it unlawful to continue a business that was lawful at the time, it does not take effect until the appeal period ends or any appeal is determined or withdrawn-unless TfL has directed immediate effect on public safety grounds.
Policy Wire analysis: The staggered commencement dates matter operationally. From 9 March 2026, licensing infrastructure and standards can go live; from 18 February 2027, using an unlicensed vehicle in a public place becomes a prosecutable offence. Operators should treat 2026 as the build year: secure compliant premises for storage and battery charging, align fleets to the London Pedicab Specification, put inspection and record‑keeping systems in place, and budget for fees under the companion Fares and Fees Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/137). The identification rules and condition‑setting powers-especially time‑and‑area restrictions-signal targeted management of hotspots in central London. The fixed‑penalty route for condition breaches gives TfL an on‑street compliance tool short of prosecution, but unlicensed operation will still expose drivers, operators and licence holders to level‑4 fines from February 2027.