On January 1, 2025, the so-called taxi law disappeared from a number of Danish small islands. The goal is for more people to voluntarily use their cars to pick up others.
The Taxi Act has been repealed on 11 Danish islands. From 1 January 2025, three more islands have become part of a scheme that allows them to offer passenger transport for a fee without having to meet the requirements of the general taxi legislation.
The change applies to small islands that are not bridged, and Bornholm is exempt. The Ministry of Transport writes today in a press release .
Agerso, Avernako and Lyo are the latest to be included in the scheme. On these islands, anyone can now put up a sign and offer rides for a fee without being subject to requirements such as taximeters, seat covers and other rules from the Taxi Act.
The scheme, which came into force on January 1, 2024, allows municipalities to apply for exemption from the Taxi Act for non-bridged or landlocked islands smaller than Bornholm.
Applications are being processed on an ongoing basis, and the first exemptions came into effect on 1 July 2024. The list of the 11 islands now covered is as follows:
- Bågo (July 1, 2024)
- Endelow (July 1, 2024)
- Hjarno (July 1, 2024)
- Oro (July 1, 2024)
- Fur (October 1, 2024)
- Nexelo (October 1, 2024)
- Omo (October 1, 2024)
- Sejero (October 1, 2024)
- Agerso (January 1, 2025)
- Avernako (January 1, 2025)
- Lyo (January 1, 2025)
The purpose of the exemption from the taxi law is to strengthen mobility on the small islands and give local communities better opportunities to organize their transportation needs.
Minister of Transport Thomas Danielsen states that he expects that more islands will apply to be included in the scheme in the future.
– The opportunity to be exempt from the taxi law has been well received in many communities, and I am sure that more will be added in the new year.
– The goal is to ensure the greatest possible mobility. Now we are freeing even more islands from legislation to set up the local transport services they want. I am naturally pleased about that.
The initiative gives the islands the freedom to adapt their transport services to local needs without having to comply with the general rules for taxi traffic. Applications for the scheme will continue to be submitted by the municipalities and will be processed on an ongoing basis.
