Taxi test certificate and vehicle requirements

Do you plan to provide taxi services in the Netherlands? Then your vehicle must be suitable for the transport of people. You must have the vehicle inspected and registered as a taxi by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW).

Registering your taxi

Do you want to use a vehicle to provide taxi services? If the vehicle has a European type approval for taxi use, you can have it registered as a taxi by the RDW (in Dutch). RDW will check if the car is suitable and safe for the transport of people. You must have your vehicle inspected by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) before you start using it to provide taxi services (in Dutch). You can make an appointment online using DigiD or eHerkenning. 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).

If your vehicle does not have a European type approval for taxi use, the vehicle must always be inspected before it can be registered. If you change or modify your taxi, RDW may have to inspect it again.

When approved, your vehicle will be registered as a taxi in the vehicle register. Your vehicle registration card will show you are allowed to use the car as a taxi, and the maximum number of passengers you may transport.

Blue licence plates

A taxi must display blue licence plates. When your vehicle is registered, RDW will send you a letter with permission to apply for blue licence plates. With this letter you can purchase your blue licence plates with an RDW-recognised vendor (in Dutch).

Periodic technical inspection (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 (in Dutch).

Is your taxi fitted with a a tailboard or a passenger lifting device for wheelchair users? Such devices are not included in this inspection. You must have these devices 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

You must register the data of each journey, the working hours, the driving times, and the rest periods in the Central Database Taxi transport (CDT, in Dutch). You register the data through a standalone device or app of your choice. You can find the affiliated suppliers on ILT’s website (in Dutch). You must register in the CDT by January 2028. 

If you are not yet registered in the CDT, your taxi must be fitted with a taxi on-board computer (BCT, in Dutch). The driver must use their driver's card to register their data in the BCT. 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.

Deregistering a taxi

Do 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 to the RDW (in Dutch). You must also replace the blue plates with yellow licence plates.

If you only want to temporarily stop using the vehicle as a taxi, you can choose to suspend its registration instead. 

Only the registered owner of the vehicle can request deregistration or suspension.