| Taxi at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Size and Suitability | Check the vehicle is listed as acceptable in the Suitable Vehicle List, see the Forms and Guides page for the make, model, body style and year noting any restrictions in passenger capacity (not all seats may be licensed). |
| Doors | 4 doors are required. |
| Glass Tint | Dark glass is not allowed except behind the passenger. In practice this means that privacy glass, even where standard manufacturer supplied is only allowed in the rear screen for most saloons. See the Initial Suitability Inspection Manual for how to check this. |
| Modified vehicles | Where the seats are not original the Technical Assessor’s Full Report and supporting in-vehicle test data are required, see Technical Assessor’s Full Report guidance. Please understand the detailed requirements for any non-standard vehicle are considerable and you risk never being able to license the vehicle unless you have all the required proof. Note: all Technical Assessor’s Reports to be less than 60 days old. |
| LPG conversions | LPG is acceptable but the simple Technical Assessors LPG Report is required. |
| Age | Under 10 years calculated from date of first registration regardless of where it was first registered. See box ‘B’ in the Vehicle Registration Certificate, or box ‘I’ or box ‘B’ is blank. See Age Rules |
Requirements
NTA has produced a list of vehicles, sorted by make and model, that indicates whether or not a vehicle may meet statutory requirements. This is known as the ‘Suitable Vehicle List’. Before you buy any vehicle to use as a taxi or hackney, you must check the Suitable Vehicle List and the Initial Suitability Inspection Manual to satisfy yourself that the vehicle is likely to be suitable. If there is no information listed for the vehicle you are considering, or the entry in the Suitable Vehicle List does not appear complete, you should contact the Industry Information Line – 076 1064 000.
Size of vehicle
- The vehicle must incorporate a luggage area of at least 420 litres secured by a guard or cover, including space capable of accommodating a folded wheelchair.
- It must be available for luggage
- It must not contain any other unsecured items, or be dirty or damp. The luggage capacity requirement may be reduced for certain vehicles, such as electric or hybrid vehicles, and it does not apply to vehicles associated with local area hackney licences.
Windows
The front windscreen must allow at least 70 per cent visible light transmission. It may have a darker band at the top, not exceeding 125mm in depth.
All passenger (side) windows must be clean and readily operable.
In order for a vehicle to be used as a taxi (standard and wheelchair accessible), side windows next to passengers must allow at least 70 per cent visible light transmission. In practice this means that only glass behind the passenger area can be darker. Check the approval number on the glass: if there is a Roman numeral V next to the European approval number, the glass is too dark and will not pass the Initial Suitability Inspection.
Cleanliness
The vehicle must be in a good, clean condition. The seats must be properly upholstered, clean and in a hygienic condition. The exterior paint must be consistent. The vehicle must not have paint or bodywork repairs in progress.
Taximeter
The vehicle must be fitted with a taximeter calibrated and verified with the current National Maximum Fare Order and connected to a working printer;
Roof sign
The vehicle must be fitted with a regulation roof sign
Branding
The vehicle must have prescribed taxi branding applied to its front doors.
Using your roof sign
You must have your roof sign in place when operating a taxi and you must remove it when the vehicle is in a public area and not being operated as a taxi. Keep the roof sign light switched on when your vehicle is available for hire (including when standing at a rank), and switched off when not available for hire (for example, while carrying a passenger, or while driving to pick up a pre-booked customer).
Tamper-proof licence discs
The tamper-proof licence discs specify licence and vehicle details. These include the vehicle licence number and expiry date, the vehicle registration number, colour and type, and how many passengers the vehicle is licensed to carry. These discs are placed on the front and rear windows of your vehicle when it is licensed and remain the property of NTA at all times.