Check the rule where you're headed
Five countries, five different answers - tap one
Taxis: exempt on short urban trips; the normal car-seat rules return the moment the taxi joins an intercity motorway.
Uber / Cabify: a seat is usually required or must be reserved ahead. Bolt: drivers are not required to carry one - bring your own if you book Bolt.
Book a transfer with the seat confirmed first
You specify the seat type and count before the driver is confirmed - not a request made on arrival.
What's on the booking, verbatim
- child_seat_type
- infant / toddler / booster
- child_seat_count
- 1-3
- luggage_comment
- free text, dimensions
- confirmed_by
- driver, before pickup
The word does a lot of quiet damage. "Exempt" sounds like "not a safety issue" - it means the opposite: the operator is allowed to send a car with nothing in it for your child, and you find out at the curb, not before.
That's the entire mechanism. It isn't a special feature - it's a field in the same form everyone uses to book a transfer, and it turns "hope the driver has one" into a confirmed line item.
What you can actually rely on
| Street-hailed taxi | Uber / Bolt | Pre-booked transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat guaranteed before pickup | No | No | Yes |
| Legally required to carry one | Depends on country | Depends on country | Requested in advance |
| Fits 7-8 with luggage | No | XL only, patchy availability | Minibus available |
| Confirms ski bags / oversized items | No | No | Noted on booking |
| Price known before you get in | Meter | Surge-dependent | Fixed in advance |
Frequently asked
Can I just bring my own car seat?
Yes, and it's the cheapest option if you're already travelling with one. The catch is fitting it correctly on arrival, often jet-lagged, in an unfamiliar car, on a schedule - which is the whole reason the pre-booked option exists.
Does the exemption mean the driver definitely won't have a seat?
No - some do, informally, especially in tourist-heavy areas. It means you have no way to confirm it before the car arrives, and no recourse if it's missing.
Is this different for app-based rides than for street taxis?
Sometimes significantly. In France, taxis are exempt from the requirement but private-hire cars - the category Uber and Bolt operate under - are not, and can be fined for not providing one. Check the country tab above before assuming the rule is the same for both.
What about older kids who just need a booster?
Same booking field, different seat type. Specify "booster" and the age - the confirmation works the same way as for an infant seat.
Don't find out at the curb
Fixed price, seat confirmed, agreed before the driver leaves for pickup.
Last verified: 27 August 2026. Sources: UK - Department for Transport child car seat guidance. Italy - Codice della Strada, taxi/NCC exemption. Portugal - Codigo da Estrada. Spain - DGT urban exemption; Bolt and Uber rider terms. France - Article R412-2 III, VTC penalty EUR135 / 3 points. Rules change; if something here is out of date, tell us and we'll re-check it.