What should I do if a Gibraltar taxi driver refuses a short journey or insists on selling me a Rock tour?
Short answer
Licensed Gibraltar taxi drivers may not refuse or neglect to take an ordinary fare, however short, or insist you buy a Rock tour instead. Note the taxi's number, the place and the time and report it to the Ministry of Transport or the Gibraltar Taxi Association; as of October 2026 the driver faces a £1,000 fixed penalty.
Detailed answer
The rule
Every taxi licence holder must spend a set number of hours on the City Service, taking people from A to B rather than doing Rock tours. The Gibraltar Taxi Service Customer Charter makes clear that no taxi may refuse a fare from a rank and that no taxi is a tours-only taxi.
The penalty
As of October 2026, refusing or neglecting to take a fare carries a fixed penalty of £1,000, up from £300. Transport Minister John Cortes told Parliament that four taxis had been fined since July 2026.
Separately, since May 2024 licence holders who miss City Service hours face £300, then £600, then £1,000 with licence suspension.
The limited exceptions
A driver may ask for proof you can pay if there is reasonable doubt, and a deposit if a passenger is intoxicated or likely to soil the taxi.
What to do
- Say clearly where you want to go. You do not have to accept a tour.
- If refused, take the next taxi.
- Note the taxi's number or registration, the place, the date and time, and your destination.
- Report it to the Ministry of Transport or the Gibraltar Taxi Association.
At Casemates between 09:00 and 19:00, use the city-service line for an ordinary journey. See also how Gibraltar taxis and fares work.