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CalculateTaxiFare

Indianapolis · US · verified Mar 25, 2026

Taxi Fare in Indianapolis

Real OpenStreetMap routing meets the official City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire tariff. See the base fare, every surcharge and a min–median–max range so you know what to expect on the meter.

Base fare
$2.50
Per mile
$2.25
Per minute
$0.40
Currency
USD

01Definition

What is a taxi fare in Indianapolis?

A taxi fare in Indianapolis is the metered price of a regulated for-hire car ride within the city limits. Indianapolis taxi rates are set by City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire and combine three components: a base fare of $2.50 (the amount on the meter when the trip begins), a distance rate of $2.25 per mile, and a slow-traffic rate of $0.40 per minute that applies when the cab is stopped or moving slowly. Surcharges, taxes and tip can shift the final amount by another 10–30%.

02Attributes

Indianapolis taxi tariff at a glance

Below is the live Indianapolis taxi tariff exactly as published by City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire. Every figure is dated; the most recent verification was on 2026-03-25. Use the calculator above to apply these numbers to your specific trip.

Indianapolis taxi tariff attributes
Base fare
$2.50
On the meter when the ride begins
Per-mile rate
$2.25 / mile
Charged for distance travelled
Per-minute rate
$0.40 / min
Slow-traffic switch speed: 17 km/h
Minimum fare
Not specified
Floor that the meter cannot fall below
Currency
USD
Distance unit
mile
Timezone
America/Indiana/Indianapolis
Vehicle classes
1
standard

03Calculator

Calculate your fare in Indianapolis

Type any pickup and destination inside Indianapolis. We pull the real OpenStreetMap distance and apply the tariff above.

Calculate a fare in Indianapolis

Local addresses, the Indianapolis tariff applied automatically.

05Airport routes

Indianapolis airport ↔ city centre

Airport ↔ city-centre rides are the most predictable taxi trips in Indianapolis because their distance is fixed. Where the regulator imposes a flat fare, the meter is bypassed and the price is locked. Otherwise the standard tariff applies and the estimate below reflects realistic departure-hall waiting plus the metered ride.

No major airport is mapped to Indianapolis in our airport directory yet.

06Vehicle classes

Indianapolis vehicle classes and rates

Indianapolis licenses 1 vehicle class (standard). Larger vehicles command higher base or per-mile rates because their fuel and licensing costs are higher. Ride-sharing apps also offer parallel categories (UberXL, Lyft XL) that compete with the licensed taxi minivan tier.

Vehicle classes and rates in Indianapolis
Vehicle classBasePer milePer minMin fare
Standard sedan
City of Indianapolis Code Sec. 996. $2.50 + $2.25/mi.
$2.50$2.25$0.40—

07Surcharges & taxes

Every extra charge on a Indianapolis taxi fare

On top of the base meter, Indianapolis taxi fares can include no extra surcharges or taxes. Every charge below is reproduced verbatim from City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire, with the trigger condition (time, day, equipment) shown alongside.

Surcharges, taxes and fees on Indianapolis taxi fares
ChargeWhen it appliesAmountCategory
Flat fare IND ↔ DOWNTOWNRegulator-imposed, bypasses the meter$35.00Flat fare

08Tipping

Tipping etiquette in Indianapolis

Basic

15%

Functional service — you got there.

Standard

18%

What most riders give for ordinary service.

Excellent

20%

Helpful with bags, smooth driving, knew the route.

Tipping is expected in Indianapolis. The conventional range is 15% (basic), 18% (standard) and 20% (excellent service). A tip line is built into card terminals; for cash, simply round up to a convenient amount.

09Side by side

Taxi vs Uber vs Lyft in Indianapolis

Rideshare apps (Uber, Lyft and local equivalents) compete with metered taxis in Indianapolis on price, but their tariffs swing with surge multipliers. A taxi’s price is fixed by the meter and the regulator — there is no surge. For routine rides our data typically shows rideshare 10–25% cheaper than taxi outside surge windows, and 20–60% more expensive at peak. Airport routes are the exception: many cities (including Indianapolis where applicable) cap airport ↔ centre as a flat fare that beats both.

Reference ride: a 8 km / 15-minute trip in Indianapolis. Numbers below combine the live tariff (taxi) and crowdsourced per-city rate sheets (rideshare). Apps surge in real time, so we surface min · median · max.

Taxi vs Uber vs Lyft fare comparison in Indianapolis
ServiceProductMedianRange
Metered taxiStandard cab$15.18$13.68$19.88
Rideshare comparison data is not yet seeded for Indianapolis.

10FAQ

Indianapolis taxi fare — frequently asked questions

How much is a taxi in Indianapolis?
Indianapolis taxis charge a $2.50 base fare plus $2.25 per mile of distance and $0.40 per minute of slow-traffic time. A typical 5-mile ride costs roughly $14.95 excluding surcharges and tip.
What is the base fare for a Indianapolis taxi?
The drop charge — the amount on the meter when your ride begins — is $2.50. This is set by City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire and is identical for every licensed cab in the city.
Are Indianapolis taxi fares metered or negotiated?
Indianapolis taxis are metered. The regulator requires drivers to use the meter on every trip; negotiating off-meter is generally illegal and unwise. Flat fares apply only on a small list of pre-approved airport routes (see the airport routes section above).
Do I tip taxi drivers in Indianapolis?
Tipping is expected in Indianapolis. The conventional range is 15% (basic), 18% (standard) and 20% (excellent service). A tip line is built into card terminals; for cash, simply round up to a convenient amount.
How do night and weekend rates work in Indianapolis?
Indianapolis does not impose an explicit night surcharge — the meter rate is the same 24/7.
Is Uber cheaper than a taxi in Indianapolis?
In free-flow conditions, Uber and Lyft are usually 10–25% cheaper than Indianapolis taxis. During peak demand, surge pricing can push rideshare 20–60% above the metered taxi fare. For airport runs, regulated taxi flat fares often beat both. Use the rideshare comparison above to see today's typical numbers.
Can I trust the calculator above?
Yes. We compute distance and duration from real OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM) and apply the published Indianapolis tariff straight from City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire. We always show a min–median–max range so you see how traffic affects the final price.
How long does a 5-mile taxi ride take in Indianapolis?
In free-flow traffic, a 5-mile ride in Indianapolis takes roughly 13 minutes on average city streets. Heavy traffic can double that, which is why our maximum estimate uses a 60% slow-time assumption.
Are credit cards accepted in Indianapolis taxis?
Card acceptance varies by operator. Many regulated taxis in Indianapolis accept major credit and debit cards; always carry cash as a backup, particularly for short journeys. Confirm with your driver before starting the trip, and contact City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire for the current official requirement.
Where do I find the official Indianapolis taxi rates?
The authoritative rate sheet is published by City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire at https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances (last verified 2026-03-25). Every figure on this page is reproduced from that source.
Is there a flat airport taxi fare in Indianapolis?
Yes. The route IND ↔ DOWNTOWN has a regulator-mandated flat fare of $35.00 (excluding tip and tolls). Other airport pairs in Indianapolis default to the metered tariff.

11Sources & verification

Sources, last verified

Every figure on this page is reproduced from City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire, the recognised authority that sets Indianapolis taxi rates. We re-verify each record at least every 180 days; the timestamp below confirms when this page was last reconciled with the primary source.

Primary source

City of Indianapolis Code of Ordinances — Vehicles for Hire

Last verified
March 25, 2026
Verification cadence
Every 180 days
Routing data
OpenStreetMap via OSRM

Spotted an inaccuracy? Report it and we will reconcile within 48 hours.