Taxi drivers cannot charge you extra, bus drivers must let you on and trains carry assistance dogs free. But the strongest rules use a narrow definition of assistance dog, and that matters if your dog is owner-trained.
📖 8 min read·By the ADR Team·Updated October 2026
Getting from A to B is the point where many handlers are refused most often, and where the law is less simple than most guides admit. Here is what each rule actually says, and what to do when someone breaks it.
Section 168 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out what the driver of a licensed taxi must do when it has been hired by or for a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog. The driver must carry the dog and allow it to remain with the disabled person, and must not make, or propose to make, any additional charge for doing so. Failing to comply is an offence. On conviction the fine can be up to level 3 on the standard scale, which is £1,000.
A driver can be excused only by an exemption certificate. Section 169 says the licensing authority must issue one if satisfied it is appropriate on medical grounds, and the exemption applies only while the certificate is in force and the prescribed notice of the exemption is displayed on the taxi. A driver who says they are allergic, or just do not like dogs, has no exemption unless that certificate and notice exist.
Section 170 covers private hire vehicles, and it goes further, because the booking itself is protected. It is an offence for a private hire operator to fail or refuse to accept a booking because the passenger will be accompanied by an assistance dog. It is an offence for the operator or the driver to make, or propose to make, an additional charge for carrying the dog. And it is an offence for the driver to refuse to carry out an accepted booking for that reason. The fine is again up to level 3. Section 171 provides the same kind of medical exemption certificate, and the same requirement that the notice is displayed on the vehicle.
If you booked by app or phone and the driver cancelled when they saw the dog, that is the offence described in section 170. Note the time, the booking reference, the vehicle registration and the driver's licence number if it is displayed, then report it to the council that licensed the vehicle.
Government guidance on buses and coaches says the driver must let you on if you have an assistance dog. They can refuse only if there is no suitable space for the dog, letting you on would take the vehicle over its maximum seating or standing capacity, or you have bulky belongings, or something that is likely to annoy other passengers or that could injure someone or damage property. Your dog must sit under or in front of your seat and must not block the aisle or exit. Once you are on board, the driver is not allowed to ask you to get off early.
National Rail operates an Assistance Dogs Travel Scheme, supported by Assistance Dogs UK. It says assistance dogs always ride for free, and that no cleaning charge will be applied, whichever train company you travel with. An assistance dog may join you in the restaurant car if a suitable table and seat is available, and if not, staff will do their best to serve you at your seat or berth. Train companies can differ in details, so check your operator's page before a long trip.
Here is the part most guides skip. The criminal duties for taxis and private hire use the definition of “assistance dog” in section 173 of the Act. It covers four kinds of dog: a dog trained to guide a blind person; a dog trained to assist a deaf person; a dog trained by a prescribed charity to assist a disabled person whose disability is epilepsy, or affects their mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects; and a dog of a prescribed category trained to assist someone with another kind of disability that has been prescribed in regulations. The government's bus and coach guidance uses essentially the same list for the bus rules.
If you are an owner-trained handler, particularly if your dog helps with a condition such as PTSD, anxiety, autism or diabetes, your dog may sit outside that definition. We do not say that to discourage you. We say it because you should know which tool you are holding when you stand at a taxi rank.
A taxi firm, a bus operator and a train company are all providers of a service to the public. The Equality Act's general rules apply to them: they must not treat a disabled person worse because of their disability, and they must make reasonable adjustments, and carrying a disabled person's assistance dog is a typical example of a reasonable adjustment. Our rights page sets out the Commission's guidance and the remedies. The difference is the route. A civil complaint, and in the end a claim in the County Court, is for you to bring. A criminal offence can be reported to the licensing authority, who decide whether to act.
Not sure which category your dog falls into? Do not stay silent at the kerb. Say clearly that you are a disabled person travelling with your assistance dog and ask the driver or operator to confirm the reason for any refusal. A refusal given in writing, or a message you can screenshot, is worth far more than a disagreement at the door.
This guide describes the law as it applies in England and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own disability discrimination law, and Scotland has its own licensing arrangements for taxis. If you live or travel there, check the local position before you rely on the figures above.
Keep your rights in your pocket
A free digital law card you can show on your phone, with your dog's name on it, so the conversation starts calmly. It explains your rights in plain English and links to the official guidance. It is not proof or certification, it is just clear information.
Get the free law cardPrefer something physical with a photo and an ID number that can be checked? See the registration plans.
Written for handlers in the UK. It is general information, not legal advice about your own situation. The statutory wording is on legislation.gov.uk (Equality Act 2010, sections 168 to 171 and 173). If you need advice on your own case, the Equality Advisory and Support Service is free.
No. Under section 168 of the Equality Act 2010 a licensed taxi driver must carry a qualifying assistance dog, allow it to stay with the disabled passenger, and must not make or propose to make an additional charge. Failing to comply is an offence with a fine of up to level 3 on the standard scale.
Only if they hold a medical exemption certificate from their licensing authority and the prescribed notice of exemption is displayed on the vehicle. A driver who simply says they are allergic, or dislikes dogs, has no exemption.
No. Under section 170 it is an offence for a private hire operator to refuse or fail to accept a booking because the passenger will be accompanied by a qualifying assistance dog, for the operator or driver to charge extra, or for the driver to refuse to carry the passenger for that reason. A driver is excused only with a valid exemption certificate and the notice displayed.
Government guidance says the driver must let you on if you have an assistance dog, and may refuse only if there is no suitable space, you would take the bus over its capacity, or the passenger has bulky belongings or something likely to annoy or injure others. The dog must sit under or in front of your seat without blocking the aisle or exit, and once you are on, the driver cannot ask you to get off early.
National Rail says assistance dogs always ride for free, with no cleaning charge, whichever train company you use. An assistance dog may join you in the restaurant car if a suitable table is available. Operators can differ in small ways, so check yours before a long journey.
It depends on the dog. The criminal taxi and private hire duties, and the specific bus rules, use a narrow statutory definition of assistance dog: guide dogs, hearing dogs, dogs trained by prescribed charities for epilepsy or physical disabilities, and any categories prescribed in regulations. An owner-trained dog may fall outside that definition. You are still protected by the general duty on service providers not to discriminate against disabled people and to make reasonable adjustments, but the route is a civil complaint rather than a criminal offence.
