Tightened taxi license criteria to enter into force from September

The newly amended taxi law, which tightened criteria for obtaining taxi transport licence will enter into force by phases from 1 September 2026 and from 1 January 2027.

The government on Thursday submitted the proposal to the President seeking approval of the law and the President is scheduled to approve the legislative amendments on Friday, said the Ministry of Transport and Communications in a press release.

The law will mainly enter into force on 1 September this year and amendments to the Vehicles Act will take effect on 1 January 2027.

“We are now taking decisive action to address the problems in taxi services. We will tighten the licence conditions, improve the skills of drivers and give the authorities better tools for supervision. Our goal is to bring back safe taxi rides and restore trust in the taxi industry,” said Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne in the press release.

The amendments to the law aim to improve taxi drivers' professional skills, reinforce control and prevent abuse, said the government.

A person’s good reputation also included in the criteria and conviction of offences against life or health, sexual offences, or fraud‑related or payment‑instrument offences will impact on obtaining licence.

Additional grounds for refusing a taxi driver’s licence would include certain offences against personal liberty, tax fraud, fraud, payment‑instrument offences and firearms offences.

Training requirements and the supervision of tests would be improved. New taxi drivers would be expected to attend 21 hours of training. Those already working in the sector would need to complete 7 hours of continuing professional education when renewing their taxi driver’s licence. The continuing education requirement would be in place for a fixed term.

Controlling and identifying taxis would be made easier. Taxi transport licence holders would have to register the vehicles they own or operate as taxis and link each vehicle to their licence in the register.

Taxis would have new number plates in a distinctive colour. The public would have access to the licence holder details linked to the vehicle registration number.

All taxis would need to have a taximeter for collecting the data to control the taxi services. Not only the taxi transport licence holders but also drivers would be required to provide information on the pricing of taxi rides.