WILLEMSTAD – The Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning (VVRP) has announced a temporary expansion of the legal capacity of taxi services during the peak tourism season. The measure was introduced through a temporary exemption by Minister Charles Cooper in response to increased demand for transportation by visitors to Curaçao.
Applications for the temporary exemption can be submitted starting January 14, 2026. According to the ministry, the goal of the measure is to address the seasonal surge in demand without implementing a permanent expansion of taxi permits, especially as new legislation governing taxi services is still under development.
Under the temporary arrangement, auxiliary drivers may be authorized to operate, provided they meet specific conditions. These include being officially registered on the taxi waiting list and complying with all requirements set out in Article 12 of the Island Ordinance on Passenger Transport. The exemption is valid for a maximum period of six months, corresponding to the duration of the high tourism season.
Once an exemption is granted, the auxiliary driver is required to submit their auxiliary driver card. The ministry emphasized that the exemption is not linked to a specific taxi permit holder, does not grant any automatic right to a taxi permit, and only allows the individual concerned to operate as a driver within the framework of a valid taxi exemption.
The ministry also clarified that individuals operating under a ministerial exemption are not allowed to use that exemption to work as an auxiliary driver for another taxi permit holder, nor may they operate simultaneously under both a taxi permit and a ministerial exemption.
At the end of the period specified in the ministerial decision, the exemption will automatically expire. No permanent rights or legal expectations can be derived from the temporary measure.
Applications for the exemption will follow the existing permit procedures without deviation and will be subject to both administrative and legal review. During the validity of the exemptions, active supervision and enforcement will be carried out. In cases where conditions are violated, the minister may withdraw the exemption through a formal decision.
The temporary expansion is intended to ensure adequate transportation capacity during the busy tourist season while maintaining regulatory oversight and preparing for longer-term reforms in the taxi sector.