Check the rule where you're headed
Five countries, five different answers - tap one
Under 3: may travel unrestrained in the rear if no seat is available - front seat is never allowed.
3 and over: must use an adult belt in the rear if no suitable seat is fitted; a forward-facing seat is not required by law in a licensed taxi or PHV.
Applies to black cabs, minicabs and app-based PHVs alike.
Taxis and NCC private-hire cars are fully exempt from the child restraint requirement.
A child may legally travel without any seat in the rear, provided they are with someone aged 16 or older.
Taxis and ride-share platforms - Uber and Bolt included - are exempt from the child seat requirement.
Children aged 3 and up must sit in the rear and wear the seatbelt fitted to the car.
Taxis: exempt on short urban trips; the normal car-seat rules return the moment the taxi joins an intercity motorway.
Uber / Cabify: a seat is usually required or must be reserved ahead. Bolt: drivers are not required to carry one - bring your own if you book Bolt.
Taxis are exempt under Article R412-2 III and can legally carry a child without a seat.
VTC - the category Uber, Bolt and Kapten operate under - are not exempt. Carrying a child without an approved seat can mean a EUR135 fine and 3 licence points for the driver, and none of the three offer seats by default.
Book a transfer with the seat confirmed first
You specify the seat type and count before the driver is confirmed - not a request made on arrival.
What's on the booking, verbatim
- child_seat_type
- infant / toddler / booster
- child_seat_count
- 1-3
- luggage_comment
- free text, dimensions
- confirmed_by
- driver, before pickup
The word does a lot of quiet damage. "Exempt" sounds like "not a safety issue" - it means the opposite: the operator is allowed to send a car with nothing in it for your child, and you find out at the curb, not before.
That's the entire mechanism. It isn't a special feature - it's a field in the same form everyone uses to book a transfer, and it turns "hope the driver has one" into a confirmed line item.
What you can actually rely on
| Street-hailed taxi | Uber / Bolt | Pre-booked transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat guaranteed before pickup | No | No | Yes |
| Legally required to carry one | Depends on country | Depends on country | Requested in advance |
| Fits 7-8 with luggage | No | XL only, patchy availability | Minibus available |
| Confirms ski bags / oversized items | No | No | Noted on booking |
| Price known before you get in | Meter | Surge-dependent | Fixed in advance |
Frequently asked
Can I just bring my own car seat?
Yes, and it's the cheapest option if you're already travelling with one. The catch is fitting it correctly on arrival, often jet-lagged, in an unfamiliar car, on a schedule - which is the whole reason the pre-booked option exists.
Does the exemption mean the driver definitely won't have a seat?
No - some do, informally, especially in tourist-heavy areas. It means you have no way to confirm it before the car arrives, and no recourse if it's missing.
Is this different for app-based rides than for street taxis?
Sometimes significantly. In France, taxis are exempt from the requirement but private-hire cars - the category Uber and Bolt operate under - are not, and can be fined for not providing one. Check the country tab above before assuming the rule is the same for both.
What about older kids who just need a booster?
Same booking field, different seat type. Specify "booster" and the age - the confirmation works the same way as for an infant seat.
Don't find out at the curb
Fixed price, seat confirmed, agreed before the driver leaves for pickup.
Last verified: 27 August 2026. Sources: UK - Department for Transport child car seat guidance. Italy - Codice della Strada, taxi/NCC exemption. Portugal - Codigo da Estrada. Spain - DGT urban exemption; Bolt and Uber rider terms. France - Article R412-2 III, VTC penalty EUR135 / 3 points. Rules change; if something here is out of date, tell us and we'll re-check it.