How much does it cost to apply for an SPSV Licence in Ireland?

For you to drive a Taxi, Limousine or Hackney in Ireland you must obtain an SPSV Driver Licence. There are a few costs involved in the application process, as described below.

• SPSV Entry Test fee: €90
  It is necessary to pay that amount each time you sit your test, which means that if you do not pass first time you will have to pay the same fee again to re-sit your exam.
• SPSV Driver Licence fee: €250
  That fee is paid to the National Transport Authority (NTA) once you have passed the SPSV Entry Test. After arranging payment, you can apply for the SPSV Driver Licence at your local Garda Station.

For a Taxi, Limousine or Hackney, the licence is valid for 5 years. For a Local Area Hackney it is valid for 3 years.

Renewal cost is €250.

Check out more information on how to obtain your SPSV Driver Licence on the NTA website.

SPSV Vehicle Licence

Our advice is that you rent a vehicle at the beginning of your career until you get familiar with the business. It does not require a big initial investment and you will be driving a full licenced and insured vehicle. However, if you wish to get your own vehicle licenced as an SPSV, the first step to be taken is to make sure that you have chosen the right vehicle to operate as an SPSV. Check out the NTA`s Suitable Vehicle List and the Guidance for Limousine Vehicle Choice. An SPSV can carry a maximum of eight passengers.

A vehicle can be licenced in only one category at a time. The licence is granted only to the person who is the registered owner of the vehicle or is legally entitled to its use and possession. Fees are as follows.

• Wheelchair accessible taxis: €125 (maximum vehicle age for new licences: 6 years)
• Wheelchair accessible hackneys: €125 (maximum vehicle age for new licences: 6 years)
• Limousines: €1,000 (no vehicle age limit)
• Local Area Hackneys: €50 (maximum vehicle age for new licences: 10 years)

The NTA is currently not issuing new SPSV Vehicle Licences to taxis and hackneys that are not wheelchair accessible.

You can pay the relevant fee by ringing the NTA on 0818 064 000 and informing your credit/debit card details or with a bank draft or a postal order.

The completed VL1 Form and the receipt you have received from the NTA after payment must be sent to the following address:

National Transport Authority

PO Box 436

City North Business Park

Tuam Road

Galway

If the application is approved, you will be sent a Conditional Offer Letter by the NTA. That letter is valid for 90 days during which you must complete the remaining steps of your application.

The Conditional Offer Letter is not a licence that allows you to operate the vehicle as an SPSV. For taxis, the provisional licence number on this letter is needed for programming the taximeter and purchasing the matching roof sign and taxi branding.

The next step is to ensure the vehicle is equipped in accordance with SPSV regulations. According to the NTA, “all SPSVs are required to carry fire extinguisher, first aid kit, advance-warning triangle, torch and pen and paper. Taxis must have a taximeter and printer installed and calibrated, a regulation roof sign, and carry the approved taxi branding.”

Initial Suitability Inspection

Continuing your application for an SPSV Vehicle Licence it is time to focus on the Initial Suitability Inspection, that demands the following documents:

• Original certificate of insurance in the identically spelled name of the prospective licence holder specifying that the vehicle is covered for use as an SPSV

• NCT certificate for the vehicle you propose to license, issued within 90 days of the date of your inspection appointment
• Technical Assessor’s Report if relevant (only for a wheelchair accessible vehicle or a limousine licence relating to a modified vehicle)

Then you can ring the NTA on 0818 064 000 to book your Initial Suitability Inspection. The fee is €45 for wheelchair accessible taxis, wheelchair accessible hackneys, and limousines. There is no Initial Suitability Inspection on Local Area Hackneys. The SPSV Vehicle Licence will be granted if the vehicle is approved in the Initial Suitability Inspection.

Licences are usually valid for 12 months. Renewal costs are as follows:

• Taxis: €150
• Wheelchair accessible taxis: €75
• Hackneys: €150
• Wheelchair accessible hackneys: €75
• Limousine: €150
• Local area hackney: €150

Late renewals (up to 24 months after the expiry date) cost €500 for all categories of SPSV. It is not possible to renew a vehicle licence that has expired for more than 24 months.

Taxischool have the expertise to help you pass your SPSV Exam and obtain or Taxi, Limousine or Hackney Licence. Contact us on 01 617 4810 or on WhatsApp on 089 459 0500 and we will be happy to assist you.

Posted by Taxischool on 02/06/2023