The National Transport Authority (NTA) has announced that Round 2 of the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant Scheme (WAV25) will be open for applications from 14 July and remain open until 5pm on 21 July 2025.
Supporting the use of wheelchair-accessible taxis or hackneys
The objective of WAV25 is to support the acquisition or conversion of vehicles for use as wheelchair-accessible taxis or hackneys within the Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) fleet.
The scheme has seen the majority of applicants applying for support in purchasing their first SPSV with the grants wider goal remaining the increase in availability of accessible transport options for individuals with mobility challenges.
Important Notes for Previous WAV25 Applicants
The number of applications an individual applicant can make is reduced from 5 to 1.
If you applied in Round 1 but did not receive a Provisional Grant Offer (PGO), you are welcome to apply again in Round 2. However, if you were issued a PGO in Round 1, you are not eligible to reapply. This rule ensures that the available grant funding is used efficiently and supports applicants who are ready and willing to proceed.
All Provisional Grant Offers issued in Round 2 will be valid for five months.
Please note:
- No extensions will be granted for PGOs.
- There will be no cancellation list or wait list for the WAV Grant 2025.
Half on FCFS basis, Half through lottery system
For this round, half of the grants will be issued on a first come-first served basis and the remaining half will be allocated through a lottery system.
€7 Million allocation in WAV25
€I million is to be allocated in this round, bringing the total spend for WAV25 to €7 million. This represents the highest level ever offered via the WAV Grant Scheme and a significant increase compared to €6 million in 2024.
Further Information
Further details on how to apply and the related information and terms and conditions of the Scheme can be found on the SPSV section of the NTA website. NTA encourages all prospective applicants to review these important documents in preparation for their application.
NTA will contact all applicants throughout August to let them know if they have been successful in their application.
The WAV Grant Scheme application portal, Information Guides and Terms and Conditions can be found at SPSV Forms and Guides – National Transport.
Small Public Service Vehicles
Small Public Service Vehicles are taxis, hackneys and limousines. NTA is currently accepting applications for wheelchair accessible taxi, wheelchair accessible hackney, local areas hackney and limousine licences.
These round 2 changes follow subsequent improvements to Round 1 of WAV25 that:
- introduced two application rounds for the year, January and July;
- extended the grant completion period from three months to five months; and
- reduced the maximum number of applications per person to five from its previous cap of ten.
These enhancements make the scheme more accessible to a broader range of applicants than ever before.