Taxi Licence in Romania

Yes. In addition to registering with the platform (Uber, Bolt, etc.), every rideshare driver in Romania must obtain an eco-taxi badge (insignă ecotaxi) from the local authority of the city where they operate. This is a separate requirement under Romanian law (Law 242/2019 amending Law 38/2003). Operating as a rideshare driver in Romania without an eco-taxi badge is an administrative offence — the vehicle can be impounded and the driver fined.

The taxi atestare (atestare de pregătire profesională pentru conducătorii auto din serviciul de transport în regim de taxi) is a professional certificate issued by ARR (Autoritatea Rutieră Română) that every taxi and eco-taxi driver in Romania must hold. It is obtained by passing a written examination covering traffic law, local geography, taxi regulations and customer service. The examination is conducted by ARR at regional centres across Romania.

A taxi authorisation (autorizație taxi) is issued to traditional taxi operators — companies and individual entrepreneurs running metered taxi services with yellow plates. An eco-taxi badge (insignă ecotaxi or autorizație de închiriere cu șofer) is issued to drivers and operators working through digital rideshare platforms (Uber, Bolt, etc.) — using standard plates, no taxi meter, and platform-app-only bookings. Both are issued by the local authority but cover different operating models.

Yes. A foreign national can obtain a taxi or eco-taxi licence in Romania if they meet all the requirements — a valid Romanian driving licence (or an EU licence converted to Romanian), the taxi atestare certificate, clean criminal record, medical fitness and psychological certificates, and a Romanian-registered vehicle. The company operating the taxi service must be registered in Romania (SRL or PFA).

The timeline depends on the city and the type of authorisation. In cities outside Bucharest, a standard taxi or eco-taxi licence typically takes 4–8 weeks from a complete application. In Bucharest (PMB), the process is more complex and can take 8–12 weeks or longer, depending on the local authority’s workload and any quota restrictions in force. The taxi atestare examination adds time to the process — ARR examination sessions are held periodically, not continuously.

Most Romanian cities set quotas for the total number of taxi and eco-taxi authorisations that can be issued — based on population and transport demand. When the quota is full, new licences are not issued until an existing authorisation lapses or is surrendered. Bucharest has the most restrictive quota system. Romania For Business SRL confirms current quota availability in the target city before starting the application process.

Vehicle requirements vary by city but generally include: vehicle age below the local authority’s maximum (typically 5–8 years from manufacture); minimum seating capacity (usually at least 4 passenger seats); valid technical inspection (ITP); taxi-specific technical inspection; and mandatory civil liability insurance (RCA). Traditional taxis also require an approved fiscal taxi meter. Eco-taxi vehicles may have slightly different specifications — confirm with the local authority.

Yes. A company can hold both a traditional taxi authorisation and eco-taxi badges — allowing it to operate both metered taxi services and platform-based rideshare services. Each vehicle requires its own separate authorisation (taxi or eco-taxi), and drivers operating under each service type must meet the relevant requirements. This is a common model for companies diversifying across both traditional and platform-based services.

Yes. We assist with taxi and eco-taxi licensing in all major Romanian cities — including Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași, Constanța, Brașov, Craiova and others. The process and requirements vary by city — we identify the correct local authority and applicable rules for each engagement. Bucharest is a separate engagement due to the PMB-specific complexity and higher fee level.