SPSV test and taxi licence guides
The test, the licence and every fee on the way, checked against the Official Manual, Edition 8.1, and nationaltransport.ie. No guesswork on fees or dates. When a guide answers your question, the next step is the same: practise for the county you will drive in.
Start with how to become a taxi driver in Ireland if you are at the beginning, or the FreeNow manual review if that is what brought you here.
How to become a taxi driver in Ireland
Eight steps to an SPSV driver licence: who qualifies, the 90 euro test, the 250 euro fee, form PSV 15 and Garda vetting, taxi or hackney, timeline.
9 min read
Taxi licence in Ireland: driver licence vs vehicle licence (taxi plate)
A taxi licence in Ireland is two licences: the SPSV driver licence (90 euro test, 250 euro fee) and the vehicle licence, now new only for WAV taxis.
6 min read
Driving for Uber, Bolt or FreeNow in Ireland: you need an SPSV licence first
Want to drive for Uber, Bolt or FreeNow in Ireland? Every driver needs an SPSV licence and a licensed vehicle: what each app requires, costs and steps.
6 min read
Renting a taxi in Ireland: what you need first
Renting a taxi in Dublin or anywhere in Ireland: the SPSV driver licence you need first, the NTA rental notice, driver link, insurance and checks.
5 min read
Taxi insurance in Ireland: what SPSV cover is, when you need it and what sets the price
Taxi insurance in Ireland is a separate SPSV policy: normal car cover excludes hire or reward. When the NTA checks it, who qualifies, what sets the price.
6 min read
Hackney licence in Ireland: cost and how to get one
Hackney licence in Ireland: no new standard hackneys, so the routes are wheelchair accessible (125 euro + 45) or local area (50 euro). Taxi vs hackney.
7 min read
The SPSV Driver Entry Test, explained
SPSV Driver Entry Test explained: 54 + 36 questions, 75% pass mark (41 and 27 correct), 90 euro fee, five centres, booking steps and what to bring.
6 min read
How to book the SPSV test
How to book the NTA SPSV Driver Entry Test in Ireland: what you need before calling, the five test centres with Eircodes, fees, resits and ID rules.
5 min read
How much is a taxi licence in Ireland?
A taxi licence in Ireland costs 340 euro for the driver: 90 euro test plus 250 euro licence. Vehicle licence 125 + 45 euro, renewal 150 or 75 a year.
5 min read
SPSV licence renewal: driver and vehicle
Renew an SPSV driver licence: 250 euro on time, 300 up to 30 days late, 400 up to 12 months, form PSV 18, from 3 months before expiry. Vehicle: 150 a year.
6 min read
The SPSV Manual: what's in each chapter and what the test asks
The NTA SPSV Manual, Edition 8.1 (Sept 2026): 222 pages, 11 chapters, free PDF and audio. What each chapter covers and how the 54-question test uses it.
6 min read
SPSV test cheat sheet: every number you need
Every examinable number from NTA Manual 8.1 on one page: licence fees, renewal deadlines, the 27 fixed payment offences, fare tariffs and vehicle limits.
8 min read
The official NTA sample questions, answered
All eleven NTA sample questions from the SPSV Manual answered: six Industry Knowledge and five Area Knowledge, with the answer, Manual page and map.
4 min read
The FreeNow manual for the SPSV test: what it is, how to get it, what it leaves out
The FreeNow manual is a free online SPSV study platform, not the NTA Manual the test is set on. Where to get it, 10 counties, 7 Industry chapters, gaps.
6 min read
Every pedestrianised street in Dublin city centre
27 Dublin streets closed to traffic, grouped around Henry Street, Grafton Street and Temple Bar: what each runs between, time limits, where to stop.
7 min read
Taxi grants 2026: the WAV grant
WAV26 taxi grant: 3,500 to 15,000 euro by vehicle age. Both 2026 rounds were lotteries (Round 2 closed 15 July); offers are valid until 11 December.
7 min read
The taxi suitability test, as a checklist
The 45 euro taxi suitability test, as a checklist: 70% glass, 420 litre boot, NCT within 90 days, meter, roof sign, and the reasons it usually fails.
7 min read
How long the SPSV licence takes, step by step
Two to four months if you pass first time: test slot, same-day result, 250 euro fee, Garda PSV 15 application, 12 weeks or longer, what blows the timeline.
6 min read
The Area Knowledge module since October 2025
The NTA rewrote Area Knowledge in October 2025. What it tests now (places, roads, districts, one-way streets, routes), what it dropped, how to prepare.
5 min read