The path to working as a contracted taxi providing medical transport combines two distinct regulatory blocks: that of the taxi and that of seated patient transport. Confusing the two, or neglecting one in favor of the other, can lead to a refusal of CPAM contracting or an inability to obtain the professional card.
CPAM taxi contracting: the file that most candidates underestimate
Obtaining a taxi license and passing the exam is not enough to transport patients on medical prescription. CPAM requires a complete file before signing the contract, and it is often at this stage that candidates discover missing documents.
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The contracting file includes, in particular, a copy of the taxi license, a certificate of insurance mentioning “seated patient transport”, an extract Kbis for independents, and a first aid training certificate less than two years old. Without this specific mention on the insurance contract, CPAM will refuse the file, even if the vehicle is otherwise insured.
The accepted first aid certificate is generally the PSC1 (Prevention and Civic First Aid Level 1), sometimes the SST depending on the departmental funds. We recommend checking with the local CPAM for the exact documents required before starting any training, as requirements vary from one department to another.
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Choosing the right training to become a VSL taxi means anticipating these administrative constraints from the start, not after obtaining the professional card.
Taxi exam and professional card: technical prerequisites to secure in advance
The taxi exam remains the mandatory step to obtain the professional card issued by the prefecture. The access conditions are strict and non-negotiable:
- Category B driving license held for at least three years (two years in the case of accompanied driving)
- Criminal record (bulletin n°2) free of certain convictions listed in the transport code
- Positive medical certificate issued by a doctor approved by the prefecture, distinct from the treating physician
- PSC1 certificate less than two years old at the time of file submission
The medical examination focuses on fitness for professional driving. It includes a vision test, hearing test, and an assessment of general physical abilities. The list of approved doctors can be consulted on the website of each prefecture.
The exam itself consists of theoretical tests covering the regulations for passenger transport, business management, road safety, and knowledge of the operating territory. The local regulation part varies according to the geographical area, which makes national training insufficient if they do not include a specific module for the targeted prefecture.
Taxi license and medical vehicle approval: two distinct logics
The taxi license (or parking authorization) is an administrative title independent of the professional card. It can be obtained by registering on a waiting list at the town hall, purchasing from a holder, or through free allocation depending on the municipalities.
For medical transport, the vehicle must meet specific standards. A contracted taxi is not a VSL in the sense of the public health code: it remains a taxi but is authorized to bill patient transports to Health Insurance. The distinction is crucial for the choice of vehicle and onboard equipment.
The VSL in the strict sense falls under transport companies approved by the ARS and requires an ambulance assistant or a state diploma in ambulance services. The contracted taxi, on the other hand, falls under the transport code and the contract with CPAM. We observe that this confusion between the two statuses generates frequent misdirection among candidates.
Ambulance assistant training or taxi training: which path to choose
The choice depends on the targeted status. To work as a VSL driver in a medical transport company, the ambulance assistant training is the appropriate path. It lasts a few weeks and covers emergency gestures, hygiene, patient handling, and health regulations.
To work as a contracted taxi transporting seated patients, the taxi exam training takes precedence, supplemented by the PSC1 and the CPAM contracting file. The two paths are not interchangeable.
- Ambulance assistant: short training, working in an ARS-approved medical transport company, driving a VSL
- Contracted taxi: prefectural taxi exam, license, CPAM contract, taxi vehicle equipped according to standards
- Dual role: some drivers hold both a taxi professional card and ambulance assistant training to expand their activity, but both trainings remain necessary
Funding can be through the CPF for taxi training. For ambulance assistant training, the options vary depending on the candidate’s status (job seeker, employee in retraining). Pôle emploi and the transport OPCOs cover certain paths under conditions.
Employee or independent status in medical transport
The employee joins a medical transport company or a contracted taxi company. The independent must acquire or lease their license, register their activity, and compile their CPAM file alone. The cost of acquiring a license varies significantly depending on the municipality, from free in rural areas to high amounts in urban areas.
Working independently also involves managing administrative CPAM billings via teletransmission, accounting, and regularly renewing certificates (first aid, medical check-up, insurance). This entrepreneurial aspect is rarely covered by taxi exam training and is, however, a frequent source of failure in the early years of activity.
The medical transport sector is regularly recruiting, driven by the aging population and the reorganization of care pathways. Properly coordinating taxi training, CPAM contracting, and first aid obligations from the start remains the condition for starting without administrative blockage.