The Slovak Parliament approved changes to the Road Traffic Act. These changes will significantly alter the rules for taxi drivers. The new rules will start on April 1, 2027. They will affect both new and experienced drivers, especially foreigners. Here is what will change.
The reform aims to improve passenger safety and organize the transportation market. It seems to be a response to the fact that out of 40,000 issued licenses, far fewer drivers are actually working.
Driver's License Requirements
Most importantly: to work as a taxi driver, you must have a driver's license issued in Slovakia or another EU country. Licenses from third countries (like Ukrainian ones) will no longer be accepted to get a taxi license.
This makes things much harder for Ukrainians with temporary protection status (dočasné útočisko). They cannot exchange their national driver's licenses for Slovak ones. To legally work as a taxi driver, they will have to follow a longer process:
Get a residence permit (povolenie na pobyt).
Live in Slovakia for more than 185 days.
Only after that, get a Slovak driver's license.
Mandatory Traffic Law Exam
All candidates for a taxi driver's license must pass a theoretical exam on Slovak traffic laws. This applies even to those who recently exchanged a foreign license for a Slovak one. If your license has the code "70" on the back, showing it was issued in a non-European country, you must take the exam.
The only exception is for those who passed a similar exam in an EU country no more than five years ago.
The exam must be retaken every five years. There are no exceptions.
Language of Communication
Passengers will be able to request a specific language when booking a taxi. If a customer asks for a driver who speaks Slovak, the dispatch service or booking platform must find one.
Why Are New Rules Being Introduced?
According to official data, about 40,000 taxi licenses have been issued in Slovakia, but there are significantly fewer active drivers. The new rules are intended to update the registry and remove those who do not meet the standards.
Additionally, this is part of a broader government initiative: stricter fines for speeding and a reform of driving schools. The goal is to improve the quality of service and safety for passengers and make the market more transparent. We will see if it works.
Transition Period for Current Drivers
For those who already have a license, a transition period is planned. The deadlines depend on the date the permit was issued:
Permits issued from January 1, 2023, to March 31, 2027: must be updated by March 31, 2028.
Permits issued from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022: deadline is March 31, 2029.
Permits issued before December 31, 2017: deadline is December 31, 2030.
The final text of the law has not yet been officially published, but the main points have been approved. Drivers planning to work as taxi drivers should prepare in advance, especially Ukrainians – for them, this process will become longer and more difficult.
