Consumer law and taxis / hackneys
Whenever you hire a taxi or a hackney, you have a verbal contract with the driver. This contract gives you various consumer rights, and they cannot refuse you service "unreasonably".
Taxi fares
Taxi prices are calculated by the length of the journey, the time involved, a "minimum fare", and other charges or "extras".
The fare structure for taxis consists of:
- An initial charge
- A charge for further travel based on either distance travelled or the time elapsed and calculated across three graduated tariffs
- A premium at certain times (8pm to 8am and Sundays / public holidays and on certain days)
- Extra charges, where applicable
These extras include:
- A booking charge when a taxi is booked by telephone, email, fax, SMS or any method other than by hailing in the street or engaging at a taxi rank
- An extra passenger charge for each additional passenger. Two children under 12 are charged as one adult
- Any road toll charges
No additional charge is permitted for any type of luggage.
Taxis are not allowed to charge for guide dogs, wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Charges for extra stops, and charges for hiring at the rank at Dublin Airport are not permitted under the National Maximum Taxi Fare regulations.
Taximeters and receipts
All taxis have to have a taximeter. This device measures, calculates and displays your fare. Taxis also have to show their fare card in the dashboard area. This is a list of all tariffs and extras.
A taxi will leave the National Taximeter Area if your journey involves crossing the border to Northern Ireland. In this case it becomes a private hire, and before you leave the taximeter area you will need to agree on the fare for this leg of the journey.
At the end of your journey you have the right to a printed receipt. The taxi must not charge more than the metered fare on the taximeter - or the agreed fare if the journey goes outside the taximeter area.
Taxi drivers may, at their discretion, offer discounts. You have the right to request a discount before engaging the taxi. But in the absence of an agreement in advance, customers are liable to pay the amount calculated by the meter in full.
Hackney fares
While taxis are allowed to pick up passengers at a rank or on the street, you cannot hail a hackney - it can only be pre-booked on a private hire basis.
There is no regulatory control over hackney fares, so hackneys don't have taximeters and you have to agree the fare before the journey begins. At the end of your journey the hackney cannot charge more than the agreed fare, and you are entitled to a receipt.
Your obligations
You have various obligations as a passenger. For example you should behave in a civil and orderly way, and not consume food or drink in the cab.
The driver may ask for proof of your ability to pay the fare or give a deposit, and can make a reasonable request to leave or not enter the cab. Never ask the driver to exceed the maximum number of passengers allowed.
How to complain
Complaints about taxi or hackney drivers are dealt with by the Commission for Taxi Regulation. The complaint can be about the price you were charged, but it could also be about the driver's failure to comply with the regulations.
For example, taxis and hackneys are obliged to keep their vehicles clean and roadworthy, and they are breaking the law if they fail to display their licence details.
Your complaint should include:
- The time and date
- The name of the taxi or hackney company (if appropriate)
You will also need to identify the driver from the vehicle's number plate, the licence number on the driver's badge, or their vehicle licence number.
For taxis, this is on the taxi's roof-sign, as well as on the fare card and its printed receipts. For hackney vehicles, the vehicle licence number is displayed on the front and rear.
You may have a complaint about the service of a taxi/hackney firm's dispatch centre and how it handled your booking. In this case go directly to the company manager with your complaint.
Learn more
Read the Commission for Taxi Regulation's information for consumers