Apply for a taxi licence
Would you like to transport people commercially by taxi? Then you need a taxi licence.
New applicants receive the licence for a maximum of two years.
You will receive an extension for a maximum of five years.
Holders of a taxi licence have the following obligations:
- Duty to operate
You must maintain operations, including at night if necessary. - Duty to provide transport
You may only refuse journeys (even short ones) if the driver cannotreasonably be expected to provide transport. This is the case, for example, if a person is heavily intoxicated. - Compulsory fare
Within the compulsory fare area that applies to you , the price for a journey is based on the locally prescribed transport charges.The compulsory fare area is usuallythe city or district in which thecompanyis based.
The equipment of the taxis is prescribed. The following regulations apply:
- The vehicle must be fitted with a roof sign.
- In the rear window, you must display the licence number issued by the licensing authorityenumber issued by the licensing authority in the rear window.
- The colour scheme for taxis is generally prescribed by law (light ivory).
In Baden-Württemberg, you can change this colour due to the generallylthe regional council (Regierungspräsidicouncils, you can replace it with any other colour.
You must notify the responsible approval authority of the deviation in writingiauthority.
This will be noted in the authorisation certificate.
Weifurther information on this can be found in the general decree of the Stuttgart Regional Council on the approval of exceptions to the prescribed taxi colour of 11.11.2005. - You must display the company address in a clearly visible place inside the vehicle.
- The fare indicator must display the fare visibly to the passengers.
Taxis may be parked at the designated taxi ranks and requested by passengers on the street or at the operator's place of business.
If you want to transport passengers in hire cars, you need a hire car licence.
Responsible department
- if your future place of business is located in a city district: the city administration
- if your future place of business is located in a district: the district office
Details
Prerequisite
- The entrepreneur or the persons appointed to manage the company must be reliable and professionally qualified.
- The company must be secure. For example, there must be no arrears in taxes or social security contributions and vehicle maintenance must be impeccable.
- The company must be financially viable.
- The company's business locations entered in the commercial register or register of co-operatives must be in Germany.
Note: In contrast to hire car transport, taxi licences are not available indefinitely. The number of licences available depends on local conditions.
Further information can be obtained from the district office or the municipal administration.
Procedure
You can apply for a taxi licence online from the competent authority.
In the consultation procedure, the competent authority requests comments from, among others
- Municipalities
- Trade supervisory authorities
- the Chamber of Industry and Commerce
- the relevant trade unions and professional associations
After the deadline for comments has expired, it decides decides on the application and informs the applicant of the result in writing.
Deadlines
none
Required documents
- Proof of personal reliability (not older than three months at the time of application), for example:
- Extract from the Federal Central Criminal Register(certificate of good conduct)
- Information from the central trade register
- Extract from the central traffic register
- Extract from the commercial or co-operative register (certified copies)
- Copy of the articles of association and list of shareholders
- for legal entities: Proof of authorisation to represent the company
- Proof of financial standing (not older than three months at the time of application):
- Clearance certificates from the tax office
- Clearance certificate from the responsible municipality
- Clearance certificate from the social insurance organisation:
- from health insurance funds with which you insure or have insured employees and
- for yourself, if you are or were voluntarily or privately insured.
- Clearance certificate from the Employer's Liability Insurance Association for Transport and Traffic (not older than three months at the time of application)
- Equity certificate and, if applicable, additional certificate (not older than twelve months at the time of application)
- The amount of equity capital depends on the number of vehicles intended for use: For the first vehicle you must provide proof of equity capital of EUR 2,250, for each additional vehicle of EUR 1,250.
- Proof of professional suitability:
- Examination certificate from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or
- Certificate of professional competence from the IHK for at least three years of managerial activity in a taxi company or
- Certificate of the recognised equivalent final examination (e.g. commercial examination in rail and road transport with a focus on passenger transport)
- if you appoint other persons to manage the company, you must submit the following documents for them:
- Certificate of good conduct
- Information from the central trade register
- Extract from the central traffic register
- Proof of professional suitability
- Proof of employment (employment contract)
Note: The competent authority may request further documents.
Costs
Framework fee for the authorisation: EUR 100.00 - EUR 1,465
For standard cases it is
- for the first vehicle: EUR 150.00
- for each additional vehicle: EUR 40.00.
These amounts are not binding for the authorising authority. In the event of excessive administrative costs, the licensing authority may deviate from these amounts up to the maximum amount of the framework fee.
Note: You will incur additional costs for register information and other supporting documents.
Processing time
The competent authority will usually decide on your application within three months.
The period can be extended by a maximum of a further three months.
The prerequisite is that the competent body has announced this in a written interim decision within the first three months.
Miscellaneous
Taxis must be equipped with a fare display ("taximeter") and an alarm system.
Advertising is permitted on all body parts of taxis.
Legal basis
Personenbeförderungsgesetz (PBefG):
- § 13 Absatz 4 Voraussetzung der Genehmigung
- § 47 Verkehr mit Taxen
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart, 28.05.2025