Prague has successfully introduced several proposals to amend the Road Traffic Act, which were passed by the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic last week. The aim of the amendment is to enhance the safety of taxi passengers and all other road users. The changes are expected to come into force in July this year.
The Prague City Council has long been concerned about the situation in the capital’s taxi sector, which has deteriorated significantly with the rise of alternative transport services such as Uber and Bolt. There has been a sharp increase in applications for taxi driver licences from third-country nationals, many of whom lack even basic language skills and knowledge of the rights and obligations associated with the profession — a situation that has already caused numerous problems in the city.
Many of these foreign drivers are unfamiliar with Prague and pose a risk to other road users, as they often lack both the driving competence and understanding of traffic rules necessary to operate safely in dense urban traffic.
A few months ago, the city therefore entered into negotiations with the Czech Ministry of Transport and drew up proposals to amend the Road Traffic Act in order to improve the situation. With the backing of several MPs who are also members of Prague City Council, it was ultimately possible to introduce two key changes.
“Prague has long been committed to improving the state of taxi transport and ensuring the safety of passengers and all road users. I am pleased that we have managed to push through stricter regulations that will curb the uncontrolled influx of taxi drivers lacking the necessary qualifications, traffic knowledge, and familiarity with Prague,” said Deputy Mayor of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib.
The first change stipulates that, in future, foreign taxi drivers will only be granted a licence for the duration of their residence or work permit, if this period is less than five years. This takes into account the fact that many third-country nationals only hold short-term residence or work permits when applying for a taxi licence. It therefore seems reasonable to limit the validity of the licence to the length of their legal stay in the Czech Republic.
The second key change introduces the requirement that taxi drivers must hold a driving licence issued either in the Czech Republic or another EU Member State. This measure responds to the increasing number of third-country nationals applying to drive taxis, many of whom struggle with vehicle handling and understanding Czech traffic regulations.
The Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic passed the amendment to the Road Traffic Act on 9 April 2025. Once the full legislative process has been completed, it is expected to come into effect in July this year.
