Changes to taxi transport regulation

The aim of the legislative changes is to improve and increase the professional competence of taxi entrepreneurs and taxi drivers and to harmonise the competence requirements in the sector. The changes also aim to make taxis easier to monitor and identify by introducing distinctive registration plates and a mandatory taximeter. The responsibilities for providing information on taxi fares will also be clarified.

Below you can find information on the most important changes and when they will enter into force.

What is changing – the most important legislative changes:

• Pricing of taxi services and providing fare information. The requirements for telling the customer the fare before the journey begins will apply to both the holder of the taxi transport licence and the driver. Breaching this obligation will become punishable. This change will enter into force on 1 September 2026.
• A wider range of criminal convictions will prevent the granting of taxi licences, and good repute will have greater importance. A taxi transport licence or taxi driving licence cannot be granted if the applicant has a criminal conviction that prevents the granting of the licence. The range of offences that prevent the granting of a licence will be expanded. This change will enter into force on 1 September 2026.
• Taxi transport training and examinations will change. 
  • The responsibility for organising the examination for taxi transport entrepreneurs will transfer to Traficom. Taxi transport training may only be provided by organisations whose training programmes have been approved by Traficom. This change will enter into force on 1 September 2026.
  • New taxi drivers will have to complete mandatory training of 21 hours before taking the taxi driver’s examination. This change will enter into force on 1 November 2026.
• Vehicles used in taxi transport will have distinctive registration plates. From 1 January 2027, vehicles used in taxi transport must apply for registration plates that differ from other registration plates. These so-called taxi plates will become mandatory on 1 July 2027.
• Taximeters will become mandatory in all taxis from 1 February 2027. At the same time, taximeters will start to be checked in periodic inspections.

Traficom is a key authority in the taxi sector. Our role includes granting licences required for taxi services, supervising drivers’ professional qualifications, registration, general guidance for the sector and ensuring safety. We are responsible for implementing the legislative changes. 

What is changing – Taxi transport training, examinations and the issuing of taxi driving licences

Taxi transport training and examinations
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom will become responsible for organising the examination for taxi transport entrepreneurs from 1 September 2026.

• To take the entrepreneur examination, you must first complete 21 hours of training for taxi transport entrepreneurs. The training must have been completed after 1 September 2026.
• New taxi drivers entering the sector will have to complete mandatory training of 21 hours. From 1 November 2026, you must complete this training before you can take the taxi driver’s examination.
• If you renew your taxi driving licence, you must complete 7 hours of further training for taxi drivers between 1 November 2026 and 31 August 2034. 

Applying for a taxi driving licence and attaching a medical report to the application
From 1 September 2026, you must attach a medical report to your taxi driving licence application. The report must be no more than 6 months old and must show that you meet the Group 2 fitness to drive requirements for taxi drivers.

However, you do not need to submit a medical report if you have already submitted one in connection with another matter during the 6 months before your application.

Conditions preventing the granting of a taxi driving licence become stricter
A wider range of the applicant’s criminal convictions will be taken into account when assessing whether a taxi driving licence can be granted. In future, a conviction for an offence against personal liberty, an offence against public finances, a fraud offence, a means of payment offence or a weapons offence may also prevent the granting of a licence. 

The aim is to protect customers’ personal safety and ensure that taxi drivers are reliable. The new conditions will enter into force on 1 September 2026.

Good repute of the licence applicant – changes to the conditions for granting a transport licence
When a taxi transport licence is granted, the applicant’s good repute is also checked from the register of fines and the criminal records. In future, offences related to homicide and bodily injury, sexual offences, fraud offences and means of payment offences will also be taken into account when good repute is assessed.

This change applies not only to applicants for and holders of taxi transport licences, but also to applicants for and holders of goods transport licences and passenger transport licences. The change will enter into force on 1 September 2026.

Change to the disclosure of public information on licence holders
An addition will be made to the provisions of the Act on Transport Services that concern the disclosure of information. Under the addition, anyone will be able to search for licence holder information in the public service also by using the vehicle registration number. It has been possible, and will continue to be possible, to access the information by using the Business ID, company name or licence number. The change will enter into force on 1 January 2027.
 

What is changing – Providing information on taxi fares

Pricing of taxi services and providing fare information before the journey begins
The holder of a taxi transport licence must provide the consumer with information on the fare for the journey. From 1 September 2026, the driver must also provide the fare information to the consumer orally or in writing if the consumer asks for it. Fare information must be presented so that the consumer can easily notice it. The consumer must receive this information before the journey begins.

For journeys that have not been booked in advance or where the fare may vary, the driver must also provide the fare information to the consumer orally or in writing before the journey begins if the consumer asks for it. The total fare for the taxi journey or the grounds for determining the fare must be given in a clear, unambiguous way that is easy for the consumer to understand. The total fare or the grounds for determining the fare must not change during the journey.

In future, a licence holder may be imposed a traffic penalty fee if they intentionally or negligently fail to comply with the provisions on providing fare information laid down in applicable legislation or in a regulation issued under it.
 

What is changing – Vehicles used in taxi transport

Registration plates for vehicles used in taxi transport, known as taxi plates
From 1 January 2027, vehicles used in taxi transport will be issued with registration plates whose colour makes them different from the registration plates of other vehicles. The registration plates will be ordered from an inspection station in accordance with the normal process. Orders can be placed from 1 January 2027, not in advance.

These so-called taxi plates will become mandatory for all vehicles used in taxi transport on 1 July 2027. 

Taximeters will become mandatory in all vehicles used in taxi transport
Taximeters will become mandatory in all taxis from 1 February 2027. If a taxi transport licence holder or taxi driver intentionally or negligently fails to comply with the statutory obligation to use a taximeter, a penalty may be imposed on them. 

The traffic penalty fee for failing to use a taximeter, for example if the taxi does not have a taximeter, is EUR 3,000 for the holder of the taxi transport licence. If a taximeter is not used during a taxi journey, a traffic penalty fee of EUR 100 may be imposed on both the taxi driver and the holder of the taxi transport licence.

Traficom will update its regulation on the technical requirements for taximeters in autumn 2026. The technical requirements for taximeters will remain equivalent to the current regulation.

Inspections of vehicles used in taxi transport

• Checks of mandatory taximeters in periodic inspections will begin on 1 February 2027.
• Checks of whether the conditions for taxi plates are met will begin in inspections on 1 July 2027.

Traficom will update its regulation on the assessment criteria for periodic inspections of vehicles in the autumn.

Linking a taxi vehicle to a transport licence
The holder of a taxi transport licence must ensure that any vehicle they use in transport is registered in the Transport Register and that its declared purpose of use is operation subject to a licence. 

In future, the licence holder must also ensure that they are the sole holder of the vehicle and that it has been linked to the licence holder’s valid transport licence. This requirement does not apply to replacement vehicles used for a short period, meaning less than 30 days.

A penal provision will also be added to the Act for situations where the licence holder intentionally or through gross negligence fails to comply with these obligations.

The change will enter into force on 1 January 2027.

Implementation of the legislative changes – More detailed regulations issued by Traficom

Traficom will issue further regulations on matters such as applying for approvals for taxi transport training organisations, organising training, carrying out examinations, the dimensions and technical requirements for registration plates and transfer badges, the assessment criteria for periodic inspections and the technical requirements for taximeters.

We will publish a separate notice whenever these regulations are issued.