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Taxi or private hire companies in Edinburgh

646 taxi or private hire companies have a registered office in Edinburgh, and 104 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £4,434 in cash and owed £17,293 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Taxi operation” (SIC 49320).

The numbers

Taxi or private hire companies in Edinburgh compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureEdinburghUK
Registered companies64620,081
Formed in 2025 or 2026104 (16%)31%
Being struck off or in liquidation40 (6.2%)11%
Typical cash at year end£4,43444 accounts£4,852
Typical amount owed at year end£17,293191 accounts£9,535
Typical number of employees1209 accounts1

What this means if you’re starting one

Edinburgh already has more of these businesses than most places

Taxi or private hire companies are 1.2% of companies registered in Edinburgh, against 0.37% UK-wide (3.1× the national share).

Demand here is proven, but so is choice. Customers can compare you with several nearby options.

Cash is tight in this trade

At year end the typical taxi or private hire company in Edinburgh holds £4,434 in cash and owes £17,293; that cash figure is lower than 98% of UK industries.

Typical operators end the year holding less cash than they owe, so there is little slack if takings dip or a big bill lands early.

You will be up against established operators

16% of the 646 taxi or private hire companies in Edinburgh were formed in 2025–26, against 23% of all companies in Edinburgh. Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 89% of UK industries.

Few new companies are entering, so your customers will compare you with businesses that have years of reviews and regulars.

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What these figures can’t tell you

Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.

Taxi or private hire in other places

Other businesses in Edinburgh

All business benchmarks in Edinburgh