Only waiting taxis may stop at a taxi rank

At a taxi rank under sign 229 other vehicles may not stop. The exception in Annex 2 is taxis kept ready for passenger transport. Taxis may let passengers get in or out beside parked cars if traffic allows. Sign 283 bans stopping on the carriageway for taxis too, unless a supplementary plate states an exception.

What sign 229 says at a taxi rank

Anyone who drives a vehicle may not stop at taxi ranks. The exception in Annex 2 is taxis kept ready for passenger transport. That is in Annex 2 of the StVO at sign 229. As a private driver you may not stop at the taxi rank.

The length of the taxi rank is shown by the number of taxis provided for. Alternatively there is a start arrow pointing to the carriageway and an end arrow pointing away from it. A boundary marking sign 299 can also mark the stretch. The taxi rank still applies when no taxi is standing there.

RECOMMENDED PROVIDERS

Passengers beside other vehicles

The StVO does not ban taxis from letting passengers on or off beside other vehicles. Section 12 subsection 4 allows it if traffic allows. The other vehicles stop or park on the hard shoulder or at the right-hand edge. Under section 12 subsection 4 you may not stop in the path of rail vehicles.

Taxis at a bus stop

Taxis may stop at bus stops (sign 224) for the immediate boarding and alighting of passengers. That is in Annex 2 at sign 245, obligation or prohibition number 3. Other vehicles do not have this taxi exception at the bus stop. The parking rule at sign 224 is in the yellow-marking tip.

PROVIDERS

No-stopping signs and supplementary plates

Sign 283 means: Stopping on the carriageway is prohibited. A supplementary plate under the StVO can exempt taxis from the no-stopping rule. Without a supplementary plate, sign 283 also applies to taxis. Under section 41 subsection 2, supplementary plates contain general limits or general exceptions.

Sign 286 allows stopping for no longer than three minutes. Exceptions are getting in or out and loading or unloading. That applies to every vehicle, including taxis. The three minutes have their own tip on stopping time.

Further tips on the stopping ban

This tip explains only taxis, the taxi rank and boarding beside other vehicles. The three minutes, the signs, the arrows and the yellow line are in the other tips. Fire-service access stays in its own tip and is not copied here.

Open the three-minute rule →

Open the yellow road marking →

Open fire-service access →

Open parking-restriction sign meaning →

Open how to read no-stopping arrows →