The National Transport Authority (NTA) introduced Local Area Hackney licences to address transport deficits in rural areas of Ireland. They are intended for areas with limited public transport and taxi services and that are too small to support a full time taxi operation.
These licences are a separate and different process to the standard SPSV driver licence which covers taxis, hackneys and limos – for example, there is no requirement to pass the SPSV Driver Entry Test and drivers can only operate within a 5-7km radius of the area for which the licence is granted.
Local Area Hackney licences are only issued if a need is established – the NTA requires the local authority to complete a ‘Needs Assessment’ report as part of the process to establish if there is a need in the specific area applied for. The applicant includes this report with their application to the NTA.
How to Apply
- Applicants should complete a LAH1 form (Local Area Hackney Licence Application Form) and submit this directly to the NTA.
- The LAH1 application must include a Local Authority Needs Assessment - applicants can contact Donegal County Council for further details of what information is required for the report by emailing economicdevelopment@donegalcoco.ie
Further information is available on the NTA Website or in the NTA Guide