The National Transport Authority (NTA) has announced a series of enhancements to the Local Area Hackney (LAH) licence, a specialised licence designed to improve transport options in rural communities.
Applications from 9am, 2 April 2026
The updated scheme will open for applications at 9am on 2 April.
The LAH licence provides a simpler and more affordable alternative to a standard hackney licence. It allows local drivers to operate within their own communities rather than nationwide. The changes follow detailed feedback from communities and applicants and aim to make the scheme easier to access, more transparent and more responsive to local needs.
Support to local drivers to operate within their own community
Under the new approach, where a local community gives support to an LAH applicant, the applicant will receive a licence offer from the NTA. This removes the requirement for additional assessments that were previously required.
Up to five local area hackney licensed drivers to one vehicle
To increase service availability, up to five local area hackney licensed drivers may now operate a single Local Area Hackney vehicle. These may include friends or family members where the service is privately operated, or staff of a local business where the business owner provides the community service. This marks a significant change from the previous requirement, which allowed only one driver permitted to operate the hackney.
NTA’s new online map
The NTA has also launched a new online map showing all areas eligible for the scheme. Previously, applicants only learned if an area was eligible after submitting an application. The new system increases clarity and addresses concerns raised during consultation.
Ensuring safety of passengers
To ensure the safety of passengers, both the driver and the vehicle must be licenced before LAH operations can commence. These licences now last up to 5 years, up from 3 years previously. This reduces the costs and administrative burdens on continuing LAH drivers.
The NTA will also publish booking details for LAH operators on its website to make it easier for passengers to find and contact local services.
The updated scheme is simpler, more flexible
Speaking on the launch of the scheme, Minister of State with responsibility for Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer TD, said:
“These changes open the door for more people in rural Ireland to play an active role in improving local transport. The updated scheme is simpler, more flexible and built around what communities told us they need.
I encourage anyone who has ever thought about helping their neighbours or supporting their local area to take a look at the scheme and consider applying. A single driver can make a big difference to the daily life of a community.”
Drivers know their communities best
Kevin O’Brien, Director of Transport Regulation at the NTA added:
“Local Area Hackney drivers are often the people who know their communities best. They understand who needs a lift to the shop, who has to get to an appointment and who would benefit from a reliable local service. The changes we are making are designed to support those people and to help new drivers get involved.
We want to see more communities benefit from this scheme, and we hope these improvements will encourage community groups, businesses and other grassroots organisations to support vital services for their locality.”
Full details on the scheme and how to apply can be found at www.LocalHackney.ie
Additional Information
As Local Area Hackney licences are designed to be more affordable and easier to obtain than a standard SPSV licence, their use is restricted to the specific rural or isolated community for which the licence is granted. LAH drivers may pick up passengers only within their approved Local Area. They can drop passengers anywhere, but they cannot pick up fares outside their designated zone.
This safeguard is an important part of the scheme’s design. It ensures that the LAH licence serves its intended purpose, which is to provide essential transport in communities that do not have enough commercial taxi or hackney services to meet local needs. The restriction also protects the earning potential of fully licensed taxi and hackney drivers operating in nearby towns and urban centres, who have invested significantly more in their licences and meet wider regulatory requirements.
By clearly separating local community‑based transport from the broader commercial taxi and hackney market, the scheme supports rural mobility without undermining existing operators. It ensures that the LAH licence continues to function as a targeted, community‑first support rather than a lower‑cost alternative to mainstream SPSV services.