Frequently Asked Questions

The very first step to drive a taxi, limo, hackney or local area hackney in Ireland is studying for the Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) Entry Test. The modules you need to focus your study on are Industry Knowledge and Area Knowledge. Unfortunately, the failure rate on the SPSV Exam is very high.

On Industry Knowledge we recommend you study the following content:

• The SPSV Industry
• SPSV Driver Licencing
• Choose a Vehicle to Work as an SPSV
• SPSV Licencing
• Working as an SPSV Operator
• Finding Your Way Around
• Taxi Fares
• Delivering Customers Satisfaction
• Your SPSV Business
• Staying Safe

You need to pass the Area Knowledge for each county you wish to work in as a Taxi Driver. On Area Knowledge we recommend you study the content for the following categories:

• Adjoining Areas
• Adjoining Streets
• Banks
• Between Roads
• Bridges
• Cathedrals and Churches
• Cinemas and Theatres
• Courthouses
• Embassies
• Pubs and Nightclubs
• Restaurants
• Garda Stations
• Hospitals and Health Institutions
• Hotels
• Housing Estates
• Industrial Estates
• Libraries
• Museums
• One Way Streets
• Parks
• Post Offices
• Railway and Bus Stations
• Routes
• Schools and Colleges
• Shopping Centres
• Sporting Venues
• Tourist Attractions
• Town Halls and Town Councils

Did you know that Taxischool is the Number 1 in Ireland in teaching people how to pass the SPSV Entry Test? Click here for more information on how to get the most up to date content for you to pass your Exam on your first attempt.

The booking of the SPSV Exam is made directly with the National Transport Authority (NTA). The number for you to ring and book your Exam is 0818 064 000.

The required information and documents for you to have in hands when booking the SPSV Test are:

• Your contact details
• Your PPS number
• A Full Driving Licence Class B or higher from Ireland or another EU, EEA, or recognised state
• Your credit or debit cards details for you to pay the €90 exam fee (also payable by postal order)

As an average, you will be sitting your SPSV Exam 3 to 4 weeks after the date when you booked it. When you ring the NTA to book your Entry Test you can choose a date and a location that suit you.

There are five SPSV centres around Ireland. Click here  to know where they are located.

The SPSV Entry Test has 90 multiple choice questions (54 on Industry Knowledge and 36 on Area Knowledge). The questions on Area Knowledge are relevant only to the county where you are sitting the test for.

For you to pass the SPSV Exam you must reach the pass mark of 75% on both Industry Knowledge and Area Knowledge.

Usually, you have 54 minutes to do the Industry Knowledge test and 36 minutes to do the Area Knowledge test.

In case you have passed in only one module you do not need to sit the SPSV Entry Test for that module anymore. However, you have 12 months to keep doing the test for the module you have not passed until you reach the pass mark for that module as well. In that case you will still need to pay the €90 fee every time you sit your Exam, even though you will be doing it for only one module.

(E.g. John has passed the Industry Knowledge but has not passed the Area Knowledge. He has 12 months to sit the Area Knowledge again, but the test fee will still cost €90).

If you do not pass the failed module within 12 months you will have to sit both modules again.

Taxischool are the number 1 in teaching people how to prepare for the SPSV Exam in Ireland. We provide live and online SPSV Licence courses for all 26 counties of Ireland. If you wish to drive a Taxi, Limousine, or Hackney and want to receive the full support from our team of SPSV Exam experts contact us and we will be more than happy to find the course option that suits your needs.

When you have passed your SPSV Exam you receive an SPSV Skills Development Certificate, which is valid for 6 years, and with that document in hands you are entitled to apply for two licences:

• Your SPSV Driver Licence (as long as you have held a Drivers Licence Category B or higher for a minimum of 12 months)

• Your SPSV Vehicle Licence (at present vehicle licences are only been issued for limousines, wheelchair accessible taxis, and wheelchair accessible hackneys).

You will apply at the Garda Station nearest to you. For you to apply for your SPSV Driver Licence you must follow a few steps:

1. Get a PSV 15/18 Application Form at your nearest Garda Station
2. Take 3 identical passport-size photographs (10cm by 7 cm) that must be not more than 6 months old
3. Pay the relevant fee of €250 by ringing the NTA on 0761 064 000 and informing your credit/debit card details (the NTA will issue you with a receipt that you must attach to your application)
4. Fill out the PSV 15/18 form, and submit it to the Carriage Office if you live in Dublin or at your nearest Garda Station if you live outside Dublin together with the following documentation:

• A copy of your SPSV Skills Development Certificate (not needed if you are applying for a local area hackney licence)
• The receipt given by the NTA proving you have paid the licence fee
• The 3 photographs
• Your Tax Clearance Certificate (obtain it here)
• A copy of your Driving Licence
• A written undertaking that you will not drive an SPSV for more than 11 hours on any three consecutive days
• Details of any other occupation in which you are engaged, and, if that other occupation involves driving, evidence that you have informed the employer of your intention to apply for an SPSV driver licence
• A declaration that your health does not materially affect your ability to drive an SPSV
• A declaration that you have not been convicted of any of the offences specified in section 30(3) of the Schedule to the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016
• Any other documents An Garda Síochána may require

After those documents have been sent you will be submitted to the Garda Vetting process.

The Garda Vetting process can take up to 12 weeks to be completed. If you request any information in the meantime you should direct them to An Garda Síochána.

If you pass the Garda Vetting process the Garda will issue you with a paper licence. You will then be able to apply to the NTA to obtain two forms of identification: the SPSV Driver Display Card and the SPSV Driver Smart Card.

When you receive those two cards by post you are all set to start operating as a Taxi, Limo, Hackney, or Local Area Hackney Driver. Congratulations!

If you have your own licenced vehicle you can start driving it as an SPSV. If not, you can rent a licenced vehicle.

For Taxi, Limo, and Hackney Drivers the SPSV Licence is valid for 5 years. The SPSV Licence for Local Area Hackney Drivers is valid for 3 years.

You can apply for the renewal of your SPSV Driver Licence up to 3 months before the expiry date. The process consists of two steps:

1. Pay the €250 fee to the NTA
2. Fill out a PSV 18 form and submit it to the Carriage Office if you live in Dublin or to your nearest Garda Station if you live outside Dublin

Click here  to check out the list of documents required for your renewal application.

The first step to be taken is to make sure that you have chosen the right vehicle to operate as an SPSV. For more information please click here  to see the NTA`s Suitable Vehicle List.

Then you must fill out the VL1 form (click here  to download it) and pay the relevant Licence fee, which is of €50 for local area hackneys, €125 for wheelchair accessible taxis and wheelchair accessible hackneys, and €1,000 for limousines. You can pay the 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 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 next step is to ensure the vehicle is equipped in accordance with SPSV regulations. Then you can ring the NTA on 0761 064 000 to book your Initial Suitability Inspection.

Click here  for more information on how to get your vehicle licenced to operate as an SPSV.

Usually an SPSV Vehicle Licence is valid for 12 months, except for vehicles that are over 10 years old, that have the SPSV Vehicle Licence valid for 6 months.

The Licence can be renewed up to 60 days before its expiry date.

The annual renewal cost is of €75 for wheelchair accessible taxis and wheelchair accessible hackneys, and €150 for taxis, hackneys, limousines, and local area hackneys.

Click here  for further information on how to renew your SPSV Vehicle Licence.