{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010/section-173",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010/section-173.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2010/15",
  "legislation_title": "Equality Act 2010",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010",
  "path": "section/173",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "173",
  "heading": "Interpretation",
  "text": "(1) In this Chapter—\n“accessibility requirements” has the meaning given in section 167(5);\n“assistance dog” means—\na dog which has been trained to guide a blind person;\na dog which has been trained to assist a deaf person;\na dog which has been trained by a prescribed charity to assist a disabled person who has a disability that consists of epilepsy or otherwise affects the person's mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects;\na dog of a prescribed category which has been trained to assist a disabled person who has a disability (other than one falling within paragraph (c)) of a prescribed kind;\n“operator”, in relation to a private hire vehicle—\nmeans a person who holds a licence under—\nsection 55 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976,\nsection 3 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, or\na provision of a local enactment equivalent to the provision mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) or (ii); and\nin section 167A, also includes a person who holds a licence under Part I of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in relation to the use of premises for the carrying on of a business which consists to any extent of the taking of bookings, by any means of communication, from members of the public for the hire of a private hire car licenced under section 10 of that Act;\n“private hire vehicle”—\nmeans a vehicle licensed under—\nsection 48 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976,\nsection 7 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, or\na provision of a local enactment equivalent to the provision mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) or (ii); and\nin sections 164A to 167A, also includes a private hire car licensed under section 10 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982;\n“taxi”—\nmeans a vehicle which is licensed under section 37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 or section 6 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869, and\nin sections 162 and 164A to 167, also includes a taxi licensed under section 10 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982,\nbut does not include a vehicle drawn by a horse or other animal;\n“taxi accessibility regulations” has the meaning given by section 160(1).\n(2) A power to make regulations under paragraph (c) or (d) of the definition of “assistance dog” in subsection (1) is exercisable by the Secretary of State.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 173(1) inserted (28.6.2022) by Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 (c. 29), ss. 5(5)(a), 6(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in s. 173(1) substituted (28.6.2022) by Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 (c. 29), ss. 5(5)(b), 6(2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/173",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T17:03:45.890819+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}