# Limousine



## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

Hi does anyone know if you need a private hire licence to drive a limo in spain like you do in uk
Tia


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Mum of 2 said:


> Hi does anyone know if you need a private hire licence to drive a limo in spain like you do in uk
> Tia


For a start you will need a licence that allows you to drive the vehicle "for hire or reward" (D1) if you are going to use it for fee paying passengers.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> For a start you will need a licence that allows you to drive the vehicle "for hire or reward" (D1) if you are going to use it for fee paying passengers.


& there's a special sticker for the car which shows that it has the correct licences & insurance


contrary to what a lot of people (I don't mean the OP cos that isn't what was asked - but this is relevant) seem to think, you can't just 'do airport runs' & charge a fee, without proper licences & insurance


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

To the OP, you don't specify what type of limousine.

In the UK some limousines need licences whilst others don't. Small limousines for carrying passengers for funerals and weddings don't need any kind of licence, but if you are using that limousine as a regular taxi or private hire vehicle you'll need a hackney or private hire licence.

If you're meaning a large limousine or "Stretch" limousine, then you would need a PCV licence, effectively a licence to drive a bus owing to the amount of passengers.

So I suspect it rather depends on size of limousine and number of passengers and intention of use.


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## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

Dunpleecin said:


> To the OP, you don't specify what type of limousine.
> 
> In the UK some limousines need licences whilst others don't. Small limousines for carrying passengers for funerals and weddings don't need any kind of licence, but if you are using that limousine as a regular taxi or private hire vehicle you'll need a hackney or private hire licence.
> 
> ...


Hi thanks

He does have a licence to carry upto 16 passengers,so he just needs to get the correct insurance ?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Mum of 2 said:


> Hi thanks
> 
> He does have a licence to carry upto 16 passengers,so he just needs to get the correct insurance ?



a Spanish licence?


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## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> a Spanish licence?


No it's a uk one as he's still in the uk x


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Mum of 2 said:


> Hi thanks
> 
> He does have a licence to carry upto 16 passengers,so he just needs to get the correct insurance ?


BUT if he is carrying passengers for *hire or reward* then the normal car licence which allows you to carry that number of passengers is not enough, he needs a D1 driving licence which involves also satisfying higher medical requirements plus the vehicle, itself, has to have the proper licences and insurances.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> BUT if he is carrying passengers for *hire or reward* then the normal car licence which allows you to carry that number of passengers is not enough, he needs a D1 driving licence which involves also satisfying higher medical requirements plus the vehicle, itself, has to have the proper licences and insurances.


& I _believe _that it needs to be done in Spain & on a Spanish licence - not 100% sure on that though


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> & I _believe _that it needs to be done in Spain & on a Spanish licence - not 100% sure on that though


When I exchanged my licence I was asked whether I wanted to keep my D1 entitlement; I didn't because I have no intention of driving a 16 seater here so I said "No"


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> When I exchanged my licence I was asked whether I wanted to keep my D1 entitlement; I didn't because I have no intention of driving a 16 seater here so I said "No"


interesting

however, if the OP's OH doesn't have it now, & doesn't have it before he moves here, he'd have to acquire it here, surely


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> interesting
> 
> however, if the OP's OH doesn't have it now, & doesn't have it before he moves here, he'd have to acquire it here, surely


to be legal, he would.


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## jonmlb748 (Oct 30, 2011)

pretty sure it can't be that simple .taxi drivers pay €200,000 for a taxi licence in Palma Mallorca ,can't imagine you could just stroll in and basically offer the same service without getting your car torched by the taxi mafia here.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jonmlb748 said:


> pretty sure it can't be that simple .taxi drivers pay €200,000 for a taxi licence in Palma Mallorca ,can't imagine you could just stroll in and basically offer the same service without getting your car torched by the taxi mafia here.


well there's that as well of course

around here taxi licences pretty much only become available when someone dies - & the figures you quote sound about right


I think it's a bit different for limo hire, because they can only take pre-booked business - a bit like the difference between a black cab & a pre-ordered taxi in London


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

Hi MO2, I think there's a bit of confusion here, so I'll try and explain.

Firstly, in the UK, you can have a driving licence to simply drive a vehicle but if you want to be a taxi you need to have a special licence from the council. A Hackney or a private hire licence. However, funeral limousines and wedding limousines are exempt.

If you want to drive a bus or a "stretch" limousine, you need a PCV licence which forms part of your driving licence after you have done the course etc. This goes on your normal driving licence as an extra entitlement. You don't need a special licence from the council to drive buses or stretch limousines because the bus company, or stretch limousine company should have an operators licence that covers that.

However, if you wanted to use a small, funeral type limousine for doing airport runs in the UK, you would need a private hire licence.

You don't say what type of limousine you are talking about and you also don't say what the intended use is, so I can only guess and I am assuming you are asking about requirements in Spain. Firstly, as I understand it, it's pretty much impossible to get a taxi licence in Spain. I believe only Spanish nationals are allowed to be taxi drivers but I stand to be corrected.

If the intention is airport runs, then this is different although there will be specific requirements to fulfil.
If the intention is for funerals or weddings, I am unsure as to what the requirements are.

Perhaps if you can expand on the intent of use and what size limousine more help can be at hand!


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## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

Dunpleecin said:


> Hi MO2, I think there's a bit of confusion here, so I'll try and explain.
> 
> Firstly, in the UK, you can have a driving licence to simply drive a vehicle but if you want to be a taxi you need to have a special licence from the council. A Hackney or a private hire licence. However, funeral limousines and wedding limousines are exempt.
> 
> ...


Hi

He intends on getting a stretch limo,for use weddings proms,hen do stag do etc,I think they carry upto about 12 passengers.
I have noticed on other websites in spain they word it car hire with driver.
He certainly doesn't want to do taxi work in it,just private bookings only !


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Dunpleecin said:


> Hi MO2, I think there's a I believe only Spanish nationals are allowed to be taxi drivers but I stand to be corrected.


No, that would be outrageous, and begs the question why taxi drivers? Why not nurses, architects and butcher's?
What you do need if you're not Spanish is some certification RE Spanish/ catalan language skills

This is what's needed to be taxi driver. 



> Requisitos necesarios para ser taxista
> Para poder ser taxista, la persona interesada:
> Debe estar en posesión del permiso de conducción BTP. <li class="h5">Debe inscribirse en las pruebas para la obtención de la Credencial de taxista. Debe superar las pruebas teóricas sobre conocimientos de la profesión.
> Si es de origen de un país que no tiene como lengua oficial el catalán o el castellano, deberá obtener el certificado de competencia lingüística mediante la superación de una prueba. Quedan exentos los aspirantes de origen extranjero que tengan concedida la nacionalidad española y, en todo caso, aquellos que puedan acreditar el nivel exigido con un título oficial.


From
Requisitos necesarios para ser taxista | Institut Metropolità del Taxi (IMT)


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> No, that would be outrageous, and begs the question why taxi drivers? Why not nurses, architects and butcher's?
> What you do need if you're not Spanish is some certification RE Spanish/ catalan language skills
> 
> This is what's needed to be taxi driver.
> ...


Which means?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Dunpleecin said:


> Which means?


the essential part was what she said - the need to be a 'certified' Spanish speaker

................

Requirements to be a taxi driver 
To be a taxi driver, the person concerned: 
Must be in possession of a driving license BTP. class="h5"> <li test. Must register to obtain the credential of 'taxista'. Must pass the theoretical test about knowledge of the profession. 
If from a country which doesn't have Catalan or Castellano as an official language, must obtain a certificate of language proficiency by passing a test.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Dunpleecin said:


> Which means?





> What you do need if you're not Spanish is some certification RE Spanish/ catalan language skills


You don't need Spanish nationality to be a taxi driver


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Yes there is a least 1 British taxi driver that works around Alicante way.
A UK pcv would not be any use in Spain. A Spanish one would have to be passed.
A Spanish CRB check ( antecedents penal ) would need to be supplied & probably a UK one.

If he is thinking of bringing a stretch limo from the UK I wouldn't bother, The paperwork to get it on Spanish plates would be/is a nightmare. Even worse if it is an older one. There have been quite a few people who have attempted to import stretch limo's , due to the fact that the prices second-hand here are astronomical, ( One not far from me has one on sale for 1 million ) & I don't know of any that have managed it. There is a poster on here recently who was looking for parking for a stretch down on the CDS , I believe . He might know more.
If you can get all the under control then you'll still need all the usual business licences ,opening licences, insurance for public liability. Probably need an operators licence as well. 
I need a lie -down just thinking about it.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> Yes there is a least 1 British taxi driver that works around Alicante way.
> A UK pcv would not be any use in Spain. A Spanish one would have to be passed.
> A Spanish CRB check ( antecedents penal ) would need to be supplied & probably a UK one.
> 
> ...


In addition, there will be so many places/areas that will be off-limits because of its length; some places won't even take a mini-bus or large van. We've had some stuff delivered on a dolly because a driver couldn't face negotiating his vehicle along our (not very) narrow roads. In our provincial capital when we first came here we had (on hire) an Opel Corsa and ended up having to do ten shunts just to get round one corner and that is only a small car. A lot of Spain was designed for mules with pannier baskets - we still have one goes up and down past us.


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

I know someone who is selling a used left hand drive Mercedes funeral limousine on UK plates. Think it would sell here?


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