Become a taxi driver

Verified 28 March 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Want to become a taxi driver? It is essential to have your driving license, a medical certificate, training in 1ers relief and one clean criminal record. You must pass an exam, the certificate of professional competence (CCPCT), then apply for a business card. Next, you need to get a license, called ADS (parking authorization). We provide you with the necessary information.

Step-by-step approach

Make sure you fill in all the following conditions:

  • Have a driving license (category B) for 3 years minimum (or 2 years if you have been driving with a driver)
  • Have a blank criminal record on bulletin 2 (no conviction criminal law)
  • Have undergone a medical examination which has given rise to a positive medical opinion approving that you can practice this occupation (cerfa no. 14880). Only a licensed medical practitioner may carry out this check. He's not your primary care doctor. You can find the list of accredited doctors on the website of your prefecture.
  • Having followed a level 1 civic prevention and relief training (less than 2 years)

Please note

The prefecture checks all these documents and attestations when you apply for a professional card.

Anticipating Difficulties

These courses are optional, but recommended for your success.

  • Plan for difficulties
    • Make a financial reserve to deal with unforeseen events
    • Get ready for steady rate of work

Please note

Find out more about the job. For example, on the differences in exercise between taxi drivers and VTC driver.

Make a business plan

It is advisable to make a business plan of your future company.

It's a essential file for convince the banks to support you.

He's also a management tool over the first 3 years.

We'll explain how to develop it.

Who can help you?

FYI  

We offer you tips and tools to prepare for entrepreneurship.

You can also request different accompanying solutions.

Get closer to the CCI: titleContent from your region.

Each KIC offers a training (3-5 days) to succeed your company creation project.

The KICs also each offer a personalized follow-up on your project.

Who shall I contact

1st possibility: being a craftsman

Characteristics of your status as a craftsman

As a craftsman, you are self-employed.

Your profit they come back to you entirely.

You must be owner of your license (either purchased or obtained free of charge).

You are responsible for your vehicle, its maintenance and insurance.

Creating your company

You must build your company :

  1. To do this, you must first choose the legal form of your company.
    • If you're going it alone: micro-entrepreneur, EI, EURL or SASU
    • If you want to create a business with partners: SARL or SAS
  2. Then you have to register your company at RNE: titleContent.

Warning  

Since 1er january 2023, it is no longer possible to carry out your procedures in a company Formalities Center (CFE). You must make them on the website of the company formalities office.

Company Formalities Window

You must create personal account. Then you need to click on the column “ Company ” and then click on “File a company”. One interactive online form 8 pages is offered; you must fill it out step by step. A user manual is available on this Single Window website.

As a craftsman, your interlocutor is here chamber of trades and crafts from your region. The advisers of the CMA: titleContent are here for you accompany and you advisor in your efforts.

You can call or contact them by mail :

2nd possibility: be a lessee of license

You must to rent a license with a specialist company in the rental of taxi licenses.

You sign a management leasing agreement with the company.

The minimum contract duration is 1 year.

You must pay a monthly rent for the license.

The price of the rent depends on the rental company.

Example :

In Paris, the monthly rent for a taxi license is about €3,500.

Characteristics of your status

You're an independent contractor.

It is the rental company that must maintain your car.

You receive all of your revenues.

You are not covered by unemployment insurance if you stop working.

Creating your company

You must build your company :

  1. To do this, you must first choose the legal form of your company.
    • If you're going it alone (micro-entrepreneur, EI, EURL or SASU)
    • If you want to create a business with partners (SARL or SAS)
  2. Then you have to declare your activity as a craftsman
  3. You must register your company to RNE: titleContent.

3rd possibility: being an employee

You can practice the trade by being an employee of a taxi company.

You have an employment contract with your employer.

You do not have a license personally.

You're getting a fixed wage.

You also receive a percentage of your monthly revenue on your meter.

Please note

The company maintains your car and pays for its insurance.

What training?

Training to become a taxi driver is highly recommended to have a chance of pass the exam.

It is not mandatory.

Training lasts between 50 hours and 300 hours about. The duration varies depending on the training center and where you do it.

The content of the training is intended to prepare for the exam, called certificate of professional competence (CCPCT).

It trains you in theoretical written tests (regulations) and practical tests (driving, behavior, etc.).

Where can I find a taxi course?

You find the list of approved training centers on the website of your prefecture.

Who shall I contact

France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) offers a search tool to find the training who suits you :

Where can I find my training as a taxi driver?

How much does the training cost?

It costs between €400 and €1,500 about. Its price varies depending on the training center.

It is payable either online at the training center site or on site.

You can use your personal training account.

You can get aid for its financing by seeking advice from France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).

Who shall I contact

  • France Work for jobseekers (formerly Pôle emploi) - 3949

    By telephone 

    39,49

    • To update your situation, report a change of situation, inform you of a payment: automated service 7 days a week, 24 hours a day - Free service + call price
    • To be put in contact with an advisor to register, to inform you, to modify an appointment: service accessible at the times set by each agency France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) - Free service + call price

    From the foreigner: + 33 1 77 86 39 49

    By E-mail

    Access via the contact form

Please note

Most training centers offer distance learning, so that you can prepare even in the event of, for example, a health crisis.

The examination is called the certificate of professional competence of taxi driver (CCPCT).

How do I register for the exam?

L'entry for examination is done by filling in a form available in your prefecture or on the website of your prefecture.

Registration is paying.

Its cost is €200 approximately, payable online.

Who shall I contact
What are the trials?

The test takes place in 2 parts :

  1. Knowledge tests
    • Management company and accounting
    • Regulation on taxi activity
    • Regulations on gender-based offenses and/or sexual and on discrimination (definition, prevention, penalties)
    • Rules of road safety
    • Mastering the French and theEnglish
  2. Practical test :
    • 20-minute course of driving as a taxi driver. You have to prepare it, secure it (anticipate difficulties, work, facilitate the journey) and carry it out.
    • The examiner then checks the following:
      • Your knowledge on the territory covered (geographical, cultural, tourism)
      • Your ability to welcome a customer
      • Your ability to charge for a customer and to use the credit card terminal

If you pass the CCPCT: titleContent, you are entitled to your business card.

You have to pay for it.

Its cost is about €60, payable online on the simplified procedures.

To receive your card, you must ask for it to your prefecture.

There is no time limit between passing the exam and applying for a professional card. However, if the application comes more than 5 years after the successful examination, you must provide a certificate of continuing training less than 5 years old.

You must fill in a form, available on the simplified procedures.

Application for a professional taxi driver card

Who shall I contact
Documents to be provided for your card request

You must send the Prefecture copies of the following documents:

  • ID Card (CNI: titleContent) front/back or passport
  • Valid driving license
  • Certificate of passing the examination
  • Positive medical opinion (cerfa no. 14880)
  • 2 recent photos

FYI  

Your card is only valid to carry out your activity in the department where you have passed the exam.

You want to work in a different department from where you took the exam.

This extension is called the interdepartmental mobility.

Warning  

You have the right to practice in 4 departments maximum.

Perform a mandatory internship

To be eligible to practice in another department, you must pass a continuing training course.

It lasts 14 hours (or 35 hours in Paris).

The purpose of the internship is to acquire knowledge about the 2 items following:

  • New geographical, cultural and tourist territory
  • Local regulation

You find the list of approved training centers on the website of your prefecture.

Who shall I contact
Request a new business card

If you validate the internship, you will receive a certificate.

You must apply for of new card on which are indicated the new departments where you can practice.

To do this, you must fill out a mobility application form.

This new card is paying.

Its cost is about €60, payable online on the website of simplified procedures.

Mobility request for professional taxi driver card

The taxi license is officially called parking clearance (ADS).

More commonly, we talk about plate.

She's obligatory for all artisan taxisbut not for salaried taxis.

You can get it from 3 Ways :

  • By asking your city hall for free
  • By buying it from another taxi
  • By renting it to a specialist company

Warning  

You can't get it if you don't own the professional card.

Free

General case

You must to place on a waiting list to your town hall.

Registration for your application must be renewed annually.

The waiting period is often very long in big cities (several years).

The priority is given to salaried taxis or leasing a license and has been in operation for at least 2 years.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

If you want resell a license obtained for free before 1er October 2014, you must wait 15 years activity non-stop.

Paris

You must to place on a waiting list to the police station in Paris.

Registration for your application must be renewed annually.

The waiting period is often very long (several years).

The priority is given to salaried taxis or leasing a license and has been in operation for at least 2 years.

Warning  

If you want resell a license obtained for free before 1er October 2014, you must wait 15 years activity non-stop.

Purchased

You can buy your license from a taxi that sells his.

The price is set by the seller.

It may vary between €30,000 and €300,000.

Example :

In Paris, the cost of a license is about €190,000. In Nice, it is €250,000.

You can't buy a license that a taxi got for free after the 1er october 2014. If he got it for free front this date, he can resell it to you only after 15 years minimum of continuous use.

Warning  

You can resell a license purchased, provided that you have at least 5 years of use non-stop.

Rented

You can to rent a license with a specialist company in the rental of taxi licenses.

You sign a management leasing agreement with the company.

The minimum contract duration is 1 year.

You must pay a monthly rent for the license.

The price of the rent depends on the rental company.

Characteristics of your status

You're an entrepreneur self-employed.

It is the rental company that must maintain your car.

You receive all of your revenues.

You are not covered by unemployment insurance if you stop working.

How long is it valid?

Your license is valid 5 years.

You have to do the request for renewal 3 months before the end of validity.

Vehicle Characteristics

Your business vehicle must have Maximum seating capacity 9 (including driver).

It shall contain the following elements:

  • Rectangle with roof lighting. The "taxi" notice must be there. The name of the municipality in which you practice must be entered. It lights up in green when the taxi is free, in red when it is busy.
  • Taximeter called counter which measures the time of the race and the number of kilometers driven
  • Smartphone with an internet connection and driver app approved by the.taxi
  • Terminal electronic payment terminal (credit card terminal)
  • Printer connected to the meter to give a score of the race to the customer
  • Plate fixed to the vehicle and visible from the outside indicating the license number and the department or departments where the driver is authorized to work
Know regulated rates

You should be aware of your taxi driver obligations, including regulated tariffs.

Insure your vehicle and your activity

Remember to insure your vehicle as a business vehicle and take out insurance for your business.

It is an insurance"professional civil liability" which you can ask for from all insurers.

Technical inspection

The technical inspection is mandatory on 1re year of your activity, then 1 time per year.

He's at your initiative, you do not receive any reminders.

Renewal of your ADS: titleContent (bachelor's degree)

You should consider renewing your license (ADS).

It is valid 5 years.

3 months before at the end of validity, you must make a continuing training.

Training lasts 2 days (14 hours).

If you validate the training, you will receive a certificate.

You find the list of approved training centers on the website of your prefecture.

Who shall I contact
Technical inspection of the vehicle

You must perform the roadworthiness test of your vehicle 1 time per year.

This must be done by your own initiative.

Please note

You do not receive a reminder or summons to do so.

Electronic marauding

The marauding electronic is obligatory since december 2021.

You must choose a “driver” app approved by the state-owned start-up called le.taxi.

You must connect to availability register taxis, called: the.taxi.

Register of availability of taxis: le.taxi

You can consult the driver's guide to the use of this register.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

FAQ