TipSplit

How Much to Tip a Taxi Driver

US taxi tipping is usually 15–20% of the metered fare, rounded to a clean number. Airport runs with bags often add $1–$2 a bag on top of the percent, or just sit at 20%. Some airport flat rates already feel high; the tip is still on that flat fare unless a sign says gratuity is included. The calculator starts at 15%. This is not a taxi meter and it does not know your city’s surcharge rules.

Suggested range: 15–20% of the fare. Add a dollar or two per bag if they hauled them.

$

Pre-tax subtotal if you have it.

$

Leave blank if you are only tipping on the bill.

%

Or type any rate.

Equal split only.

Tip
$0.00
Total
$0.00
Per person
$0.00

Enter an amount to copy a summary.

Tipping customs and tax rates vary by place and by type of service. TipSplit is a calculator — not financial, tax, or etiquette advice.

Other tools

FAQ

How much should I tip a taxi driver?
Fifteen to twenty percent of the fare is the usual US band. People round to the next dollar so the handoff is clean. Help with suitcases, a wait while you grab a coffee, or a complicated downtown drop are reasons to sit at 20% or add $2–$5. A two-block hop can be a couple of dollars instead of a tiny percent.
Do I tip on tolls and airport surcharges?
Tolls are pass-through costs. Many riders tip on the fare plus the extras they were charged, or they tip on the meter and ignore the toll line. Airport access fees are the same kind of argument. Pick a habit and be consistent. The calculator will take whatever number you treat as “the bill.”
Is taxi tipping different from Uber?
The dollar ranges overlap. Taxi culture is older and more cash-on-the-seat. Uber built an after-the-fact screen. A taxi driver who waits in a hack line at the airport is doing a different idle job than a rideshare ping. The percent you choose can still be the same.
What if gratuity is already included?
Some vouchers, hotel charge-to-room slips, and flat airport products include a tip. Read the paper. If “gratuity included” is printed, you are done unless you want to add cash for extra help. Stacking 20% on an included gratuity is how expense reports get ugly.
Cash or card tip in a taxi?
Cash is still the cleanest. Card terminals in cabs vary from excellent to “the printer jammed.” If you pay by card, add the tip on the slip or the screen so it is on the same receipt. Do not assume a verbal “add $5” survived a flaky device.
Night, weather, or out-of-town drops?
Those are reasons people go to 20% or a flat extra, not a separate official rate. A driver who takes a fare the other way out of town may deadhead back empty — a stronger tip is how riders acknowledge that. It is still optional math, not a union scale we can quote.