Uber · Bolt · Brussels · Flanders
Uber, Bolt, Brussels and Flanders: which licence do you need to drive legally?
Having an active Uber or Bolt account does not mean you have the right to drive everywhere. Platforms send trips — they do not replace the regional licence.
In short
Uber and Bolt are booking channels, not licences. In Flanders: IBP vergunning + bestuurderspas + Chiron. In Brussels: authorisation with badge + capacity certificate. An app trip is a reservation, but reservation alone is not enough to cross the regional border.
The rule to remember
Having an active Uber or Bolt account does not mean you have the right to drive everywhere.
Uber and Bolt are booking channels, not licences. The rule remains regional:
- Brussels = Brussels authorisation with badge;
- Flanders = IBP vergunning + bestuurderspas + Chiron.
Uber distinguishes the VVB/Brussels licence and the IBPV/Flanders licence. Bolt requires different documents depending on the case: bestuurderspas for Flanders, LVC licence, or authorisation to operate a taxi service.
Uber/Bolt can send trips. But Uber/Bolt do not give the regulatory right to carry them out.
An operator can target Brussels and Flanders — but with two separate authorisations, not one single licence. See the complete Brussels ↔ Flanders guide.
1. Driver with Flemish licence on Uber/Bolt in Brussels
This is the most dangerous case. A Flemish driver may think: "Uber sent me a trip to Brussels, so it is allowed." No. Not automatically.
Brussels Mobility states that to work in Brussels, you need a Brussels authorisation with badges. Vehicles authorised in another Region can pick up a client in Brussels only if the trip is reserved, if the vehicle is outside Brussels when the operator accepts the trip, and if the destination is outside Brussels.
Even with Uber/Bolt — also see the Taxi Brussels ↔ Flanders guide.
| Situation | Risk |
|---|---|
| Flemish driver accepts Uber/Bolt Brussels → Brussels | Very risky |
| Flemish driver is already in Brussels when accepting the trip | Very risky |
| Flemish driver picks up client in Brussels to go to Flanders, reserved trip, accepted outside Brussels | Potentially defensible under Brussels conditions |
| Flemish driver waits in Brussels with the app open | Very risky |
An app trip is indeed a reservation, but reservation alone is not enough. You must also look at where the driver was when accepting and where the trip ends.
2. Brussels driver on Uber/Bolt in Flanders
A driver with Brussels authorisation can drop off a client in Flanders. But if they use Uber/Bolt to work regularly in Flanders, they must comply with the Flemish framework.
In Flanders, the operator needs a vergunning voor taxidiensten / IBP vergunning. The Flemish government states that the licence is applied for via Centaurus and is valid for 5 years.
The Flemish decree prohibits operating without a vergunning on Flemish territory and targets improper use of an authorisation from another Region — notably illegal client solicitation.
| Situation | Risk |
|---|---|
| Brussels taxi drops client in Leuven, Zaventem or Antwerp | Normally logical interregional case |
| Brussels taxi stays in Leuven with Uber/Bolt open for local trips | Risky |
| Brussels taxi regularly does Flanders → Flanders without IBP licence | Risky |
| Brussels driver wants to work long-term in Flanders | IBP licence + bestuurderspas + Chiron required |
3. Uber/Bolt in Flanders = Chiron
In Flanders, Uber/Bolt are not only a platform issue. They are also trips that must enter your Chiron logic.
The Flemish government states that the operator must send trip information to Chiron. Before production, you must go through the test environment and send 10 test messages: 5 departures and 5 arrivals.
To drive with Uber or Bolt in Flanders, you need:
- a Flemish taxi licence;
- a bestuurderspas;
- a vehicle connected to Chiron.
4. What documents do Uber and Bolt require?
Uber requires different documents depending on the case:
- Flanders: bestuurderspas, LVC/IBP licence, passenger transport insurance, vehicle inspection;
- Brussels: Brussels taxi licence and competence certificate.
Bolt cites notably:
- identity card, licence, criminal record extract;
- bestuurderspas for new Flemish LVC licences;
- LVC licence for independents/fleets;
- authorisation to operate a taxi service for classic taxis.
These platform requirements do not replace regional rules — they complement them.
In Brussels: Uber/Bolt = street taxi
In Brussels, Uber and Bolt fall under street taxi logic: prior reservation, no ranks reserved for rank taxis. A Brussels badge does not confer rank taxi rights.
Via platform, part of the booking proof is carried by the intermediary. Off-platform, the operator must produce a booking form — not a rank route sheet.
5. How to avoid mistakes during a control?
Drivers think in terms of "the app sent me a trip". Inspectors think in terms of "Region". Keep a record of:
- platform: Uber, Bolt, phone, direct client;
- trip acceptance location;
- pickup location;
- destination;
- Region concerned: Brussels or Flanders;
- vehicle and driver;
- licence linked to the vehicle;
- Chiron status for Flemish portions;
- proof that the trip was reserved.
6. What TaxiGer can provide
TaxiGer helps centralise this information for operators working between Brussels and Flanders. The goal: avoid oversights, keep a clear record of each trip and prepare operations for Chiron from the start.
Examples of useful daily vigilance points:
- trip accepted in Brussels with Flemish licence — check destination is outside Brussels;
- Flanders → Flanders trip with Brussels authorisation only — regulatory risk;
- Flemish Uber/Bolt trip — must be transmitted to Chiron.
Conclusion
This page addresses Uber/Bolt drivers doing Brussels–Flanders, Zaventem, Leuven or Vilvoorde: they do not think in Regions, they think "the app sent me a trip". That is where the risk begins.
Before accepting: check your licence, your position when accepting, the destination, and whether the Flemish portion must go to Chiron.
Next step
Operating in Flanders and must transmit your Uber or Bolt trips to Chiron? Start by connecting your company.
Connect your company to Chiron →FAQ
Official sources
Read more
- Taxi obligations by Region: Chiron and route sheet
- Rank taxi or street taxi in Brussels
- Taxi in Wallonia: licence and route sheet
- Taxi Brussels ↔ Flanders: interregional rules
- Chiron for Uber in Flanders
- Chiron for Bolt in Flanders
- How to get an IBP licence in Flanders?
- Connect your company to Chiron
- Chiron registration step by step
- Taxi fines in Flanders
This article is for information only. For regulatory decisions, consult official Flemish sources or your legal adviser.