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CalculateTaxiFare

Seattle · US · verified Apr 18, 2026

Taxi Fare in Seattle

Real OpenStreetMap routing meets the official King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation tariff. See the base fare, every surcharge and a min–median–max range so you know what to expect on the meter.

Base fare
$2.60
Per mile
$2.70
Per minute
$0.50
Currency
USD

01Definition

What is a taxi fare in Seattle?

A taxi fare in Seattle is the metered price of a regulated for-hire car ride within the city limits. Seattle taxi rates are set by King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation and combine three components: a base fare of $2.60 (the amount on the meter when the trip begins), a distance rate of $2.70 per mile, and a slow-traffic rate of $0.50 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

Seattle taxi tariff at a glance

Below is the live Seattle taxi tariff exactly as published by King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation. Every figure is dated; the most recent verification was on 2026-04-18. Use the calculator above to apply these numbers to your specific trip.

Seattle taxi tariff attributes
Base fare
$2.60
On the meter when the ride begins
Per-mile rate
$2.70 / mile
Charged for distance travelled
Per-minute rate
$0.50 / 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/Los_Angeles
Vehicle classes
1
standard

03Calculator

Calculate your fare in Seattle

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

Calculate a fare in Seattle

Local addresses, the Seattle tariff applied automatically.

05Airport routes

Seattle airport ↔ city centre

Airport ↔ city-centre rides are the most predictable taxi trips in Seattle 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.

06Vehicle classes

Seattle vehicle classes and rates

Seattle 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 Seattle
Vehicle classBasePer milePer minMin fare
Standard sedan
King County Records & Licensing Services. $2.60 + $2.70/mi + $30/hr wait.
$2.60$2.70$0.50—

07Surcharges & taxes

Every extra charge on a Seattle taxi fare

On top of the base meter, Seattle taxi fares can include no extra surcharges or taxes. Every charge below is reproduced verbatim from King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation, with the trigger condition (time, day, equipment) shown alongside.

Surcharges, taxes and fees on Seattle taxi fares
ChargeWhen it appliesAmountCategory
Flat fare SEA ↔ DOWNTOWNRegulator-imposed, bypasses the meter$40.00Flat fare

08Tipping

Tipping etiquette in Seattle

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 Seattle. 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 Seattle

Rideshare apps (Uber, Lyft and local equivalents) compete with metered taxis in Seattle 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 Seattle where applicable) cap airport ↔ centre as a flat fare that beats both.

Reference ride: a 8 km / 15-minute trip in Seattle. 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 Seattle
ServiceProductMedianRange
Metered taxiStandard cab$17.90$16.02$23.60
UberUberX$16.06$15.26$25.69
LyftLyft$15.81$15.02$25.29

10FAQ

Seattle taxi fare — frequently asked questions

How much is a taxi in Seattle?
Seattle taxis charge a $2.60 base fare plus $2.70 per mile of distance and $0.50 per minute of slow-traffic time. A typical 5-mile ride costs roughly $17.60 excluding surcharges and tip.
What is the base fare for a Seattle taxi?
The drop charge — the amount on the meter when your ride begins — is $2.60. This is set by King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation and is identical for every licensed cab in the city.
Are Seattle taxi fares metered or negotiated?
Seattle 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 Seattle?
Tipping is expected in Seattle. 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 Seattle?
Seattle does not impose an explicit night surcharge — the meter rate is the same 24/7.
Is Uber cheaper than a taxi in Seattle?
In free-flow conditions, Uber and Lyft are usually 10–25% cheaper than Seattle 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 Seattle tariff straight from King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation. 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 Seattle?
In free-flow traffic, a 5-mile ride in Seattle 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 Seattle taxis?
Card acceptance varies by operator. Many regulated taxis in Seattle 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 King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation for the current official requirement.
Where do I find the official Seattle taxi rates?
The authoritative rate sheet is published by King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation at https://kingcounty.gov/depts/records-licensing/licensing/for-hire-transportation.aspx (last verified 2026-04-18). Every figure on this page is reproduced from that source.
Is there a flat airport taxi fare in Seattle?
Yes. The route SEA ↔ DOWNTOWN has a regulator-mandated flat fare of $40.00 (excluding tip and tolls). Other airport pairs in Seattle default to the metered tariff.

11Sources & verification

Sources, last verified

Every figure on this page is reproduced from King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation, the recognised authority that sets Seattle 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

King County Records & Licensing — For-Hire Transportation

Last verified
April 18, 2026
Verification cadence
Every 180 days
Routing data
OpenStreetMap via OSRM

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