27.2.2026
The taxi law reform was submitted to Parliament on 26 February 2026 – what does it mean for taxi drivers?
The Government has submitted a legislative proposal on taxi regulation to the Finnish Parliament (Government proposal HE 15/2026). The proposal aims to tighten taxi sector regulation in several ways, with the stated goals of improving trust and safety and strengthening supervision. It includes changes affecting both taxi operators and drivers, and the most important driver-related change is the return of mandatory training as a requirement for a Finnish taxi driving licence.
As regards the schedule, the proposal states that the legislation is intended to enter into force mainly on 1 September 2026, while some provisions would take effect later.
The biggest change for new drivers: mandatory 21-hour training
The proposal would reintroduce taxi driver training as a requirement for obtaining a Finnish taxi driving licence. The training would be at least 21 hours, and its content would cover the same core themes as the taxi driver examination: assisting passengers and ensuring safety, the special needs of different passenger groups, customer service situations, drivers’ rights and obligations, and factors affecting traffic safety.
At the same time, the taxi driver examination would be updated. A new section would be added with questions on drivers’ rights and obligations, and the proposal would also specify that the examination must have been passed no more than one year before submitting the taxi driving licence application. A major practical tightening is that access to the examination would require completing the training first.
For existing drivers: further training required when renewing the licence
The proposal also introduces a transition logic for current licence holders. When renewing a taxi driving licence, drivers would be required to complete at least 7 hours of refresher training, but only once for the purpose of renewal. The refresher training content would be linked to the same subject areas as the basic training.
In practice, this means the reform is not only about new entrants; it would also affect existing drivers as their licences come up for renewal.
Timetable and transitional arrangements: why 2026 could lead to queues
The main intended entry into force date is 1 September 2026. The proposal also identifies a practical issue: training may not be immediately available, because training providers must be approved and the relevant requirements must be in place before training can be delivered.
For this reason, the proposal includes a transitional provision under which a Finnish taxi driving licence could still be issued without the training requirement after the law enters into force, as long as training is not available, but in any case no later than 31 October 2026.
This is the point where congestion becomes realistic: if many applicants try to “make it in time” before the training requirement effectively becomes mandatory, demand for examination appointments and the volume of licence applications increases. Delaying too long may also push an applicant directly into the new process where training is required.
Other key tightening measures in the same proposal
The reform is not only about training, it is a broader package.
• Taximeter requirement: A taximeter meeting the requirements of measuring instruments legislation would become mandatory equipment in vehicles used for taxi services, and the role of taximeter data would be strengthened. Parts of the taximeter provisions are staged, and some are proposed to enter into force on 1 February 2027.
• Distinct taxi licence plates: Distinct licence plates for taxis (separate from standard registration plates) would be introduced through amendments to vehicle legislation. The proposed entry into force date for these vehicle-law changes is 1 January 2027, and this is linked to how the plates are obtained in practice.
• Stricter assessment of good repute for taxi operators: For taxi transport licences (operators), the assessment of good repute would be tightened. The evaluation would take broader account of offences such as sexual offences, offences against life and health, and fraud and payment instrument offences.
In addition, the proposal includes several measures aimed at strengthening supervision and compliance, such as register-related information, pricing information and sanctions, and stricter rules on exam misconduct and related waiting periods.
What does this mean if your goal is a Finnish taxi driving licence in 2026–2027?
If obtaining a Finnish taxi driving licence is in your plans, the main message of the proposal is clear: the path is expected to become more demanding, and the licence would no longer be achievable through the examination alone. At the same time, one thing does not change: you still need to pass the taxi driver examination, and under the reform it would be linked more tightly to the training content.
If you want to prepare for the taxi driver exam in a clear and systematic way, Taksikoe.fi practice materials help you work through exam-style questions and quickly see which topics you already know well and where you still have gaps. When practice follows the structure of the exam, it is typically easier to perform consistently on the exam day and avoid unnecessary retakes.
Check how ready you are with our free taxi driver mini exam: