Here Is What You Should Know
Wondering About Taxi Types and Fare Schedules?- Usually, when people think types of taxis, they think of corporate taxis, personal taxis, and model taxis.
- According to the Passenger Transport Service Act, taxis are categorized into the following classes (see Article 3 (2) of the Passenger Transport Service Act, Article 3 (2) of the Enforcement Decree of the Passenger Transport Service Act, and Article 9 of the Enforcement Rule of the Passenger Transport Service Act).
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Light |
Taxi transportation business using one of the following vehicles: A. Taxi with engine displacement of less than 1,000CC (passenger capacity of 5 or fewer) B. Taxi with a length of less than 3.6m and a width ofless than 1.6m (passenger capacity of 5 or fewer) |
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Small |
Taxi transportation business using one of the following vehicles A. Taxi with engine displacement of less than 1,600CC (passenger capacity of 5 or fewer) B. Taxi with a length of less than 4.7m and a width of less than 1.7m (passenger capacity of 5 or fewer) |
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Middle |
Taxi transportation business using one of the following vehicles: A. Taxi with engine displacement of 1,600CC or higher (passenger capacity of 5 or fewer) B. Taxi with a length of over 4.7m and a width of over 1.7m (passenger capacity of5 or fewer) |
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Large |
Taxi transportation business using one of the following vehicles (B, however, is not applicable to taxi transportation businesses that operate in districts except metropolitan cities.) A. Taxi with engine displacement of 2.000CC or higher (passenger capacity of 6 or more and 10 or fewer) B. Taxi with engine displacement of 2,000CC or higher and passenger capacity of 13 or fewer |
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Model |
Taxi with engine displacement of 1,900 CC or higher (passenger capacity of 5 or fewer) |
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Luxury |
Taxi transportation businesses using automobiles with engine displacement of 2,800 CC or higher |
※ Notwithstanding the above classification, taxi businesses that utilize electric vehicles, solar-powered vehicles, hybrid vehicles and/or hydrogen-fueled electric vehicles under Subparagraphs 3–6 of Article 2 of the 「Act on Promotion of Development and Distribution of Environment-Friendly Motor Vehicles」 are classified in accordance with the criteria prescribed and announced by the Minister of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs (Article 9 (2) of the 「Passenger Transport Service Act」).
- Taxi fare schedules differ between municipalities, so check your municipality’s homepage for details.
※ For example, you can check the Seoul City Taxi Fare System on .
What Not to Do- Never try to cheat your fare! Any person who boards a taxi illegally without a fare may be sentenced to a fine of not more than KRW 100,000, confinement, or a minor fine (Article 3 (1).39 of the Punishment of Minor Offenses Act).
- Never use force on or threaten the driver of a moving taxi! Any person who uses force or threat on the driver of a moving taxi(Including the case where the taxi driver temporarily stops for the boarding or disembarkation of passengers, hereinafter the same shall apply) may be sentenced to imprisonment of not longer than five years or a fine of not more than KRW 20 million (Article 5–10 (1) of Act on Aggravated Penalties for Certain Crimes).
· Using force or threat on the driver of a moving taxi and causing personal injury is punishable by a limited term of imprisonment of not shorter than three years, and causing death is punishable by indefinite imprisonment or a limited term of imprisonment of not shorter than five years (Article 5-10 (2) of the Act on Aggravated Penalties for Certain Crimes).
Fasten Your Seatbelt- In consideration of maximum speeds and road conditions, any passenger on a taxi operating on any national expressway or a motorway shall wear a seatbelt (Article 27-2 (1) of the Passenger Transport Service Act, Article 17-2 (1) and (2) of the Enforcement Decree of the Passenger Transport Service Act).
· However, a passenger to whom any one of the following applies is not required to wear a seatbelt (proviso to Article 27-2 (1) of the Passenger Transport Service Act, Article 17-2 (3) of the Enforcement Decree of the Passenger Transport Service Act).
√ A person for whom wearing a seatbelt is deemed inappropriate because of an injury, illness, disability, or pregnancy
√ A person for whom wearing a seatbelt is deemed inappropriate because of height, weight, or other physical condition
- A taxi driver shall direct a boarding passenger to fasten the seatbelt before the taxi starts, by a recorded message or orally (Article 26 (3) of the Passenger Transport Service Act, Article 58-2 of the Enforcement Rule of the Passenger Transport Service Act).
Report Your Complaints- In the interest of improving the quality of taxi service, each municipality takes reports from passengers who have complaints including refusal to take passengers and overcharging. Seoul residents can report to the 120 Dasan Call Center (☎120 without an area code), and residents in other regions can make their report to the relevant department of the city, council, or borough hall.
√ When making your complaint, give as much details as possible, including the taxi’s license plate number, the place and time where the violation occurred, and the specifics of the act. It is a good idea to take a picture of the license plate number with a camera, such as the one in your cell phone.
√ If boarding refusal or overcharging turns out to be true, the taxi driver will be charged a minor fine of not more than KRW 1,000,000 (Article 16 (1) and Article 23 (2).1 of the Act on the Development of Taxi Transport Business).
How to Find Lost Items- Did you ever lose a personal item, such as a wallet or cell phone, on a taxi? The best advice is to take precautions not to misplace your belongings, but if you do, do not panic. Here is how you can respond:
- If you remember the licence plate number of the taxi and the time and place you got off:
· If it was a corporate taxi, contact the taxi company.
· If it was a personal taxi, contact the driver or the personal taxi union directly to look for your item.
- If you do not remember the license plate number of the taxi or the time and place you got off:
· Try logging on to and searching the public transportation lost and found center run by the homepage of each city and province.
※ In Seoul, you can visit the ; or call the <120 Dasan Call Center (☎ 120 without an area code)> to search for your missing item. In particular, the Seoul Public Transportation Integrated Lost and Found Center is working together with the Korea Association for ICT Promotion’s , so it is also a useful place to look if you have lost your cell phone.
- If you paid your fare with a credit card, it is even easier to track down your taxi. The fare receipt carries the taxi’s license plate number, time boarded, and the operator’s contact information.
· Even if you lost your credit card receipt, you can access the transaction approval number with the credit card company to get the taxi operator information.
What if I Acquire an Item on a Taxi?- You can return the item directly if you can find out the owner’s contact information. If not, you can hand over the item to the driver of your taxi or the nearest police station including affiliated stations, such as precinct stations and patrol stations, or Jeju special self-governing province's office of the self-governing police team (Article 1 (1) of the Lost Items Act).
※ If you pick up a cell phone, inform the nearest Post Office or put it in a mailbox. This way, the phone will be handed over to the to be held for the owner.
- You can be compensated for returning a lost item. A person whose lost item is restored must pay the discoverer compensation between 5% and 20% of the item price (Article 4 of the Lost Items Act).
· However, this compensation may not be claimed if one month lapses since the return of the item (Articles 4 and 6 of the Lost Items Act).
- If you do not return a found item, you may be charged with embezzlement of lost articles.
· Any person who embezzles a lost item, driftage, or any other item that has escaped the possession of another may be punished by imprisonment of not longer than one year or a fine or minor fine of not more than KRW 3 million (Article 360 (1) of the Criminal Act).
- Unclaimed items are held for seven days at a public transportation lost and found center before being turned over to the area’s police station or autonomous police department office. If the owner does not retrieve the item within a year and a half, cash and valuables revert to the state or treasury of Jeju special self-governing province and other items are donated to charities with the approval of the police (Refer to Article 15 of the Lost Items Act).