TfL confirms Euro 5 TX4 taxis can stay licensed until 15 years old after retrofit approval
Transport for London has confirmed a major policy shift that will allow thousands of London Hackney carriage drivers operating Euro 5 London Taxi Company (LTC) TX4 vehicles to remain licensed for significantly longer.
In an official licensing notice dated 18 December 2025, TfL confirmed it has approved a retrofit exhaust emissions system developed by HJS Emission Technology Ltd, following two independent emissions tests and a 10,000-mile durability trial designed to replicate real London taxi operating conditions.
According to the TfL notice, once a Euro 5 TX4 taxi is retrofitted with the approved system and achieves Euro 6 emissions standards, it will be eligible to remain licensed up to the maximum 15-year age limit, in line with other Euro 6 taxis operating in the capital.
TfL stated that further information on the approved system and the installation process will be published on its official website.
DM News Commentary
This is huge news for London Hackney carriage drivers — and frankly, a rare example of TfL listening to reality on the ground.
For years, Euro 5 TX4 drivers have been staring down the barrel of forced vehicle replacement, often with no affordable route into a compliant replacement taxi. With new electric taxis costing tens of thousands of pounds, many drivers were facing being pushed out of the trade altogether.
This approval changes that.
By allowing Euro 5 TX4s to be retrofitted to Euro 6 standards and kept on the road until 15 years old, TfL has effectively given drivers:
- A cost-effective alternative to buying a new taxi
- Breathing space in a trade already under financial pressure
- Recognition that well-maintained vehicles can still meet emissions goals
- Protection for drivers who invested in TX4s in good faith
It also undermines the long-held assumption that older taxis are automatically “dirty” or unsuitable. The fact this system passed independent testing and a real-world durability trial is key — this isn’t a paper exercise.
For many drivers, this could mean years of additional working life from vehicles they already own outright, avoiding finance, debt, or early exit from the trade.
Why This Matters Beyond London
This decision may also have wider implications across the UK taxi trade.
Other licensing authorities will now be watching closely. If a Euro 5 TX4 can be proven to meet Euro 6 emissions in London — one of the strictest regulatory environments in the country — it raises serious questions about whether similar flexibility could (or should) be applied elsewhere.
It also sets a precedent: retrofit, don’t replace, where possible.
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