However, the regulations are crystal clear to anyone who reads them thoroughly. Flanders makes a strict legal distinction between street taxis and taxi stand taxis, and it is precisely that distinction that determines whether a traditional, European-approved taximeter is required, or whether a Chiron-linked software solution is sufficient.

Services for private-hire passenger transportation, or IBP for short, are divided into various categories in the decree of March 29, 2019. The two most important categories for this analysis are street taxis and taxi stands. At first glance, the difference seems technical, but it has far-reaching consequences for vehicle equipment, fare display, and the recording of trip data.

taxi stand

A taxi operating from a taxi stand is a vehicle that serves the public from an official taxi stand on a public road. For this category, the regulations leave no room for interpretation. The implementing decree of June 9, 2023, explicitly stipulates that the vehicle must be equipped with a measuring instrument as referred to in Annex 9 to the Federal Royal Decree on Measuring Instruments. This refers to the so-called MI-007 taximeter, a device approved at the European level that falls under the Measuring Instruments Directive 2014/32/EU. In addition, a taxi light on the roof is also mandatory. The combination of the taxi light and the measuring instrument is inseparable. Anyone occupying a taxi stand must therefore have both a calibrated taximeter and a taxi light. A mere app or onboard software, no matter how advanced, cannot legally serve as a substitute for the physical taximeter.

The situation is different for street taxis. These are vehicles made available to the public on public roads, but not from an official taxi stand. Flanders explicitly states that a street taxi does not need a taxi light or a taximeter. However, that does not mean there are no obligations. Even without a physical taximeter, the operator must comply with strict rules regarding equipment, data recording, and transparency.

Chiron

Central to these obligations is the Flemish database, known in practice as Chiron. This database is not an app, but a digital database with an API connection. Operators or their intermediaries must submit trip data upon booking, at the start of the trip, and at the end of the trip. This includes information such as the operator, driver, vehicle, time, departure and arrival locations, unique trip number, distance, and final fare. The Chiron Starter’s Guide refers to this as “real-time registration” of every paid trip.

The   Chiron Starter Guide from the Flemish government explains that Chiron is a central database with an API, designed to receive trip data. Chiron is explicitly not a mobile or web application; operators transmit data via their    taxi software (mobile web app, platform, or taximeter).

For street taxis, “equipment other than a taximeter” may suffice, provided that such equipment securely records, stores, and makes the required data available for consultation. The implementing decree emphasizes that the integrity, immutability, origin, and non-repudiation of the data must be guaranteed. In addition, the data must be stored externally so that authorized government agencies have access to it. Operators and intermediaries must retain this data for seven years and be able to produce it upon request.

The decision to use a taxi light has important consequences. A vehicle may only display a taxi light if it is also equipped with the required meter. Anyone who wishes to operate as a street taxi with a taxi light is thereby automatically required to install an MI-007 taximeter. The penalty for noncompliance is clearly stipulated in Appendix 10 of the implementing decree: an immediate fine of 350 euros for a vehicle with a taxi light but without a taximeter on board.

rates

In addition to technical equipment, fare transparency plays a key role. The decree requires that fares be disclosed in a transparent manner before the customer requests or books a ride. The implementing regulation provides further details. The fare structure must be clear in advance and may consist of a base fare, a per-kilometer rate, a waiting charge, an hourly rate, or flat rates. For unscheduled rides, a fare chart must be affixed to the rear right side window and be legible from the outside. For scheduled rides, the fare structure may be communicated by phone or electronically, provided there is written confirmation. In addition, an estimate of the final fare must be provided before the ride begins.

Fare information must be visible to the passenger inside the vehicle, unless a fare has been agreed upon in advance. Therefore, even without a taximeter, there must be a clear display of the fare. At the end of each trip, a receipt must be provided without being asked, containing mandatory details such as the operator, vehicle, driver, trip number, time and location of boarding and alighting, odometer reading, fare, and amount due. A handwritten receipt is permitted only if it cannot be provided in any other way, and in that case, the driver may not continue driving as long as that impossibility persists. 

enforcement

Enforcement is strictly regulated. Inspectors and police may inspect documents, check vehicles, and even temporarily suspend permits. Non-compliant or missing equipment can result in immediate fines ranging from 300 to 500 euros, depending on the nature of the violation. If individuals without a permanent residence in Belgium fail to pay, the vehicle may be impounded for up to 96 hours and may even be seized afterward.

The conclusion is clear. For taxi stands, a physical, European-approved taximeter is mandatory, and an app cannot take its place. For street taxis, a Chiron-linked app is legally sufficient, provided there is full compliance with all registration, security, and transparency requirements. However, anyone who chooses to display the visible taxi light automatically opts into the taximeter requirement. Flemish regulations leave little room for improvisation and set the bar high for both digital and traditional players in the taxi sector.

Source: Pitane Blue