Pet taxi and UK pet transport business

Drive dogs and cats safely to new homes, vets, groomers and kennels for owners who can't.

A dog in a travel carrier being loaded into a van for a long journey.

Startup cost£500 to £3k

Monthly revenue£600 to £3.5k

Time needed8+ h/week

First incomeWeeks

£500-3k
Side hustle
Out and about

Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.

Official data

64,527 UK companies in this field, 34% registered in the last 2 years

SIC 49410 “Freight transport by road”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.

What it is

A driving service that moves pets by car or small van. Jobs include home moves, trips to vets or boarding, rehoming runs for rescues, and longer UK journeys when owners can't travel with their pet.

Your first three steps

Fit out your vehicle with secure, well-ventilated crates or a dog guard, and check what your insurer needs for carrying animals for payment
Check with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) or GOV.UK whether your planned journeys need transporter authorisation or a certificate of competence, as this can depend on journey length and distance
Set simple per-mile prices and contact local rescues, vets and groomers to offer your service

Who pays

Pet owners who are moving house, ill, working away or travelling, plus breeders, rescues and boarding kennels.

How it makes money

A fixed price per journey, usually based on distance, time and the number of animals. Longer or one-off trips bring in more per job, and repeat work from rescues or vets can fill quiet days.

Skills that help

Calm and confident with animals
Safe, reliable driving
Planning routes and timings
Clear communication with worried owners

Watch out for

Standard car insurance may not cover carrying animals for hire and reward, so check your policy
Transporting animals as a business falls under animal transport welfare rules. Whether you need authorisation before taking jobs depends on the length of your journeys, so confirm with APHA or Defra before accepting longer trips
Public liability and animals-in-your-care insurance
Animal welfare duties: breaks, water, temperature control and safe restraint
Anxious, unwell or aggressive animals, so agree what you will and won't take

Deep research report · UK

Everything you need to start: pet taxi and UK pet transport

Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.

Startup costs with real prices
Licences, registration and rules
Pricing: what others charge
Break-even example
Finding your first customers
30-day launch plan
Risks and how to reduce them

Ready in about 2 minutes · one-off payment, tax included

See a full sample report

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start a pet taxi?

Startup costs are typically estimated at around £500 to £3,000, depending on your vehicle, how you restrain pets safely and your insurance. Whether you use your own car or a small van will affect where you land.

What rules should I check before running a pet taxi?

Check whether your car insurance covers carrying animals for hire and reward. Animal transport welfare rules apply, and whether you need authorisation depends on journey length, so confirm with APHA or Defra before accepting longer trips. Also check public liability and animals-in-your-care insurance.

How much can a pet taxi earn?

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £600 to £3,500, depending on how many jobs you take and how far you travel. That is revenue, not profit. The estimate assumes at least around 8 hours a week.