Taxi test certificate and vehicle requirements

Do you plan to provide taxi services in the Netherlands? Then your vehicle should be suitable for the transport of people, and it must also meet several other requirements. You must have the vehicle tested.

Inspection

You must have your vehicle inspected by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) before you start using it to provide taxi services. You can make an appointment for an inspection online. You need to provide the following documents:

• the original vehicle registration card.
• an extract from the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce’s Business Register (Handelsregister, in Dutch) showing the owner of the vehicle is registered as a taxi business.
• your taxi operator licence (vergunning voor taxivervoer).

RDW will check if the car is suitable and safe for the transport of people. If the vehicle is approved for this purpose by RDW, it will be registered as a taxi in the vehicle register. Your vehicle registration card will show you may use the car as a taxi and the maximum number of people you may transport. If you change or modify your taxi, RDW may have to inspect it anew.

Periodic motor vehicle test (APK)

Your vehicle needs to have a periodic technical inspection (Algemene Periodieke Keuring, APK). This test must be done by an RDW approved garage or testing station.

Is your taxi fitted with a passenger lifting device for wheelchair users? This device is not included in this inspection. You must have the lifting device tested by an approved LPK testing station.

Taximeter

Taxis must be fitted with a certified taximeter (taxameter, in Dutch). The taximeter must be inspected annually by the Netherlands Metrology Institute (Nederlands Meetinstituut, NMi). You do not need a taximeter if you agree upon a price beforehand.

Taxi on-board computer

Each taxi must be fitted with a taxi on-board computer (BCT, in Dutch). Only a BTC with RDW type-approval is valid (in Dutch). The BCT automatically registers the date of each journey, the working hours, the driving times and the rest periods. The driver uses his driver's card for this. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) enforces the presence and use of the BCT. You can be fined if you violate these rules.

Do you own a taxi company with more than 1 taxi? With your taxi operator licence you can access the data from all on-board computers.

Blue number plates

A taxi must display blue number plates (in Dutch). After RDW has inspected your vehicle, you must have blue plates fitted on your taxi.

Deregistering a taxi

If you sell your taxi, or do you want to stop using the vehicle as a taxi? You must have your taxi registration removed from the vehicle register. You apply for deregistration of your taxi (in Dutch) to the RDW. You must also replace the blue number plates with yellow number plates.

Please note: only the registered owner of the vehicle can request deregistration.