General Terms and Conditions for Passengers (effective as of 03.06.2025)
General Terms and Conditions for Passengers
Last updated: 3 June 2025
You may download an offline version of these terms for your record and future reference here ↗.
These General Terms and Conditions for Passengers (also referred to as "Terms") set out the terms and conditions applying to and governing the usage of the Bolt App by Passengers. The Terms are entered into by and between you and Bolt ITX Limited , a limited liability company registered under the laws of Ireland with company number 671417, EU VAT no. 3694239QH, registered address: Unit 2A, Ground Floor, Merchant's Court, Merchant's Quay, Dublin 8 Offices, Ireland (“Bolt Ireland”).
In order to use and access the Bolt App, you must agree to these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not access or use the Bolt App.
1. Definitions
The definitions in this clause 1 apply in these Terms:
1.1. Bolt App - a smartphone application intended for the Passengers to request and receive Transportation Services.
1.2. Bolt In-app Payment - cards, carrier billing and other payment methods used by the Passenger via the Bolt App to pay for the Transportation Services.
1.3.Bolt Operations - Bolt Operations OÜ, a private limited company incorporated and registered under the laws of Republic of Estonia with registration code 14532901, registered office Vana-Lõuna tn 15, Tallinn 10134, Republic of Estonia.
1.4. Bolt Platform - technology connecting Passengers and Drivers to help them move around cities more efficiently.
1.5. Bolt Services - services that Bolt Ireland provides, including the provision and maintenance of Bolt App, Bolt Platform, Bolt In-App Payment, Passenger support and communication between the Driver and Passenger, and other similar services.
1.6. Driver - a natural person being a licensed SPSV driver authorised to provide passenger transportation services that provides Transportation Services via the Bolt Platform.
1.7. Fare - a fee the Passenger is obliged to pay the Driver for provision of the Transportation Services. Where the Driver is a licensed taxi, the fee the Passenger is obliged to pay shall amount to the taxi tariff as imposed and/or applicable from time to time by the applicable law and based on the official taximeter. Where the driver is a hackney or limousine Driver the Passenger shall be obligated to pay the pre-agreed fare.
1.8. Fraud Policy - means Bolt Ireland’s policy for the prevention of fraud available here.
1.9. Passenger (also referred to as “you“ or “your”) - a person requesting the Transportation Services by using the Bolt App.
1.10. Platform Services - access to the Bolt App, through which you may obtain other services specified in these Terms, including Transportation Services provided under the Transportation Service Agreement.
1.11. SPSV - small public service vehicles which include taxis, hackneys and limousines.
1.12. Terms - these General Terms and Conditions for Passengers.
1.13. Tip - a gratuity offered by the Passenger at their sole discretion in addition to the Fare paid.
1.14. Transportation Service - the transportation service provided by the Driver to the Passenger whose request the Driver has accepted through the Bolt App.
1.15. Transportation Service Agreement - the contract entered into between the Passenger and the Driver for the provision of the Transportation Service.
2. Using the Bolt App
2.1. Bolt Ireland provides an online intermediary service through the Bolt App that enables intermediation of the requests for Transportation Services between Passengers and Drivers. Bolt Ireland does not provide Transportation Services. Transportation Services are provided by the Driver, on the basis of a contract with you for the carriage of passengers. The Drivers provide Transportation Services on an independent basis as economic and professional carriers. Bolt Ireland is not responsible in any way for the fulfilment of the contract entered into between the Passenger (you) and the Driver. Please note that all disputes whether arising from consumer rights, legal obligations or from law applicable to the provision of Transportation Services or otherwise will be resolved between Passengers and the Drivers.
2.2. Data regarding the Drivers and their Transportation Service is available in the Bolt App and receipts for journeys are sent to the email address listed in the Passenger's profile.
2.3. You enter into a contract with the Driver for the provision of the Transportation Services via the Bolt App. Depending on the payment options supported for a given location of the journey, you can choose whether to pay the Driver for the Transportation Service in cash or use Bolt In-app Payment. Payments for business rides are handled by a separate agreement. Charges will be inclusive of applicable taxes where required by law. Charges may include other applicable fees, without limitation, tolls, and/or surcharges including a booking fee, cancellation fee, municipal tolls, airport surcharges or processing fees for split payments. If you wish, you may also choose to pay a Tip to the Driver directly or via the use of Bolt In-app Payment. We may limit the maximum value of a Tip at our discretion, acting reasonably.
2.4. The use of the Bolt App requires the installation of the mobile application, the registration of a user account and the acceptance of these Terms. During the installation of the Bolt App, the Passenger’s mobile number is linked to the respective Bolt App user account and added to our database. If you are no longer using the linked mobile number, you must notify Bolt Ireland within 7 days so we can anonymize your account data. If you do not notify us about any change to your mobile number, your mobile operator might assign your previous mobile number to another person who at a later point, by using the Bolt App, may have access to your data.
2.5. Rooting, jailbreaking or modifying your mobile device at a hardware or operating system level in any manner which is against the manufacturer’s instructions makes the device susceptible to mobile threats. You acknowledge that we are not liable for any losses in connection with the use of such a modified mobile device, and that we have no obligation to support the use of such a device.
2.6. You may not, and may not cause or allow any other party to launch or cause to launch any programs or scripts for the purpose of scraping, indexing, surveying, or otherwise data mining any part of Bolt’s mobile applications and/or websites or data.
2.7. You may not do anything that would be a failure to comply with the Fraud Policy (available here).
2.8. You must be at least 18 years old to obtain access to the Bolt App, including to accept these Terms. In addition, you must ensure that the persons using Transportation Services via the Bolt App on your behalf are at least 18 years old. Driver is entitled to refuse the service to the Passenger or any other person using services on Passenger’s behalf that is unable to prove that he or she is at least 18 years old.
2.9. If any of the activities the Passenger pursues via the Bolt Platform or if any of the information the Passengers provide to Bolt Ireland and/or the Bolt Platform is illegal content under applicable laws or otherwise contravenes these Terms, Bolt Ireland reserves the right to:
2.9.1. remove, disable access or demote such content,
2.9.2. suspend, terminate or restrict any monetary payment due from Bolt to you,
2.9.3. suspend or terminate the information society service in whole or in part, and
2.9.4. suspend or close your Bolt account.
3. Promotional Codes
3.1. Bolt Ireland or its affiliate companies, may send you promotional codes on a per promotion basis. Promotional code credit can be applied towards payment on completion of a ride or other features or benefits related to the Transportation Service and/or a third party’s service and are subject to any additional terms that are established on a per promotional code basis. Expiration dates of promotional codes will be reflected in-app once you have applied the promotional code to your account.
3.2. If your trip amount exceeds the redeemable credit allocated to your ride, the balance will be automatically deducted from your account’s payment method. Similarly, a promotional code credit only applies on a per ride basis and cannot be carried over to the next ride and therefore will be forfeited. Only one promotional code may be applied per trip.
3.3. Bolt Ireland reserves the right to cancel any promotional code at any time for any reason. This includes, but is not limited to, if Bolt Ireland reasonably determines that promotion codes are being used in an unlawful or fraudulent manner, those issued mistakenly, and those which have expired.
4. Bolt in-App Payment
4.1. Depending on the payment options available in a given location, you may pay for the Fare for the Transportation Services with a range of payment options, including, but not limited to, credit or debit cards, mobile carrier billing or other payment methods as and when available through Bolt App. By providing the Bolt In-app Payment service, Bolt Ireland acts as agent for the Driver. You acknowledge that every Driver has authorised Bolt Ireland to act as its agent for the intermediation of conclusion of Transportation Service Agreements, including, but not limited to, collection on the Driver’s behalf, of the Fare or other fees payable via the Bolt In-app Payment under the Transportation Service Agreement. Your payment obligation to the Driver is deemed to be fulfilled when the respective payment is credited to Bolt Ireland’s bank account. You, as a Passenger are responsible for ensuring that the payment takes place and you must ensure that you have sufficient funds available. It is the sole responsibility of the Driver to charge the Passenger the correct Fare as may be imposed by the law applicable for each provision of the Transportation Service.
4.2. You may choose to pay a Tip to the Driver using the Bolt In-app Payment service. The Tip can be paid via the Bolt In-app Payment by any means that are authorised by Bolt Ireland for that purpose. Bolt Ireland will not hold a commission for the brokerage of the Tip and the Tip will be transferred to the Driver in full amount, excluding any taxes, if applicable. Bolt Ireland reserves the right to withhold the Tip, if the payment of the Tip is suspected as being fraudulent, illegal, for a purpose other than as a gratuity related to the service provided or used in conflict with these Terms.
4.3. When making payments by Bolt In-app Payment, Bolt Ireland receives your payments and forwards money to the Driver. Bolt Ireland may ask for additional data from you to verify the payment method.
4.4. When making payments via the Bolt In-app Payment for Transportation Services, Bolt Ireland is not responsible for any third-party payment costs (e.g. mobile operators, bank fees). These service providers may charge you additional fees when processing payments in connection with the Bolt In-app Payment. Bolt Ireland is not responsible for any such fees and disclaims any and all liability in this regard. Your payment method may also be subject to additional terms and conditions imposed by the applicable third-party payment service provider. Please review these terms and conditions before using your payment method.
4.5. Bolt Ireland will be responsible for the functioning of Bolt In-app Payment and provide support in resolving problems. The resolution of disputes related to Bolt In-app Payment also takes place through Bolt Ireland. For payment support service, please contact: dublin@bolt.eu. Inquiries submitted by e-mail or the Bolt App will receive a response within one business day. Bolt Ireland will resolve Bolt In-app Payment related complaints and applications within two business days.
4.6. Upfront Fare. You may be offered to use a ride option that allows you to agree to a fixed Fare for a given instance of Transportation Service provided by the Driver (“Upfront Fare”). The Upfront Fare is communicated to you via the Bolt App before the ride is requested. The Upfront Fare shall not be applied if you change the destination during the ride, the ride takes materially longer than estimated due to traffic or other factors, or when other unexpected circumstances impact the characteristics of the ride materially (e.g. a route is used where tolls apply).The Passenger Service Fee must be paid by you in addition to and concurrent with Upfront Fares in the same manner as for Fares.
5. Ordering and cancelling Transportation Services
5.1. If you order a Transportation Service and the Driver has agreed to undertake the work then the Transportation Service is considered to be ordered.
5.2. Once the Driver confirms that he/she will complete your ride, you will enter into a separate agreement with the Driver for the provision of the Transportation Services on such terms and conditions as you agree with the Driver. Bolt Ireland does not provide Transportation Service and is not a party to your agreement with the Driver.
5.3. You may cancel your Transportation Service request at any time before you begin your journey by informing us through the Bolt App.
5.4. Cancelling the ordered Transportation Service is where the Driver has replied to your request and you subsequently reject, cancel or refuse the Transportation Service. When a Transportation Service request is cancelled after a certain time period you are required to pay a cancellation fee.
5.5. If you cancel a Transportation Service request on multiple successive instances within a 24-hour period, we may temporarily block your account for warning. After multiple such warnings, we may suspend your account for a longer period (e.g. 6 months). After that period you can seek reactivation of your account and your application will be reviewed by Bolt Ireland.
5.6. When the Driver notifies the Passenger of the arrival of the vehicle to the requested destination and the Passenger or people for whom the transport was ordered do not arrive at the vehicle within a certain time period as specified in the Bolt App, the request will be deemed cancelled. Sometimes the Driver may decide to cancel your request. Please note that Bolt Ireland is not responsible for Driver cancellations.
5.7. Once the Driver arrives and sends you a notification that he/she has arrived the Bolt App may begin charging the Fare on a waiting time basis according to the rates specified in the Bolt App.
5.8. If you have requested Transportation Services using the Bolt App and cause damage to the vehicle used for the Transportation Services or its furnishing (such as by causing visible damage to the vehicle or by causing the vehicle to smell or stink), the Driver will have the right to require you to pay an additional fee of €140 and require compensation for any damages exceeding the additional fee. If you do not pay the additional fee and/or compensate for the damage, Bolt Ireland may pursue the claims on behalf of the Driver.
5.9. To ensure a safe and reliable Bolt Platform for everyone, we may take actions against you, such as suspending you from using the Bolt Platform for 6 months, where you violate our Marketplace Conduct Guidelines for Riders. By using the Bolt App you confirm that you have read the Marketplace Conduct Guidelines for Riders and agree to comply with them.
5.10. Bolt Ireland may suggest a certain category of ride to you in the Bolt App. The main criteria for the suggestions are the price of the ride, the estimated time of arrival of the vehicle and your historical category selection behaviour. You are under no obligation to order the ride from the category suggested to you by Bolt Ireland.
6. Licence to use Bolt App
6.1. As long as you comply with these Terms, Bolt Operations will procure the grant to you of a royalty-free, revocable, non-exclusive, right to access and use the Bolt App in accordance with these Terms, the Privacy Notice and the applicable app-store terms. You may not transfer or sub-license this right to use the Bolt App. In the event that your right to use the Bolt App is cancelled, the corresponding non-exclusive licence will also be cancelled.
7. Liability
7.1. As the Bolt App is an intermediary service between the Passengers and Drivers, we cannot guarantee or take any responsibility for the quality or the absence of defects in the provision of the Transportation Services. As the usage of the Bolt App for requesting Transportation Services depends on the behaviour of the Driver, Bolt Ireland does not guarantee that you will always have offers available for the provision of the Transportation Services.
7.2. The Bolt App does not offer or broker Transportation Services for Passengers. It is also not a transport agency service for finding passengers for transportation providers. The Bolt App is used as the means for organising Transportation Services.
7.3. The consumer’s right of refund is not applied to the Bolt App orders. Requesting a refund from the Driver does not withdraw you from this agreement in the course of which the provision of the Transportation Service was ordered.
7.4. To the maximum extent permitted by law the Bolt App is provided on an "as is" and “as available” basis. Bolt Ireland does not represent, warrant or guarantee that access to the Bolt App will be uninterrupted or error-free. In case of any faults in the software, we will endeavour to correct them as soon as possible, but please keep in mind that the functioning of the Bolt App may be restricted due to occasional technical errors and we are not able to guarantee that the Bolt App will function at all times, for example, a public emergency may result in a service interruption.
7.5. Bolt Ireland, its representatives, directors and employees are not liable for any loss or damage that you may incur as a result of using the Bolt App or relying on, the ride contracted for through the Bolt App, including but not limited to:
7.5.1. any direct or indirect property damage or monetary loss;
7.5.2. loss of profit;
7.5.3. loss of business, contracts, contacts, goodwill, reputation and any loss that may arise from interruption of the business;
7.5.4. loss or inaccuracy of data;
7.5.5. and any other type of loss or damage.
7.6. The financial liability of Bolt Ireland in connection with a breach of these Terms will be limited to €50. You will have the right to claim damages only if Bolt Ireland has deliberately violated these Terms. Bolt Ireland will not be liable for the actions, inactions or omissions of the Driver and will not be liable for damages that the Driver causes to the Passengers.
7.7. You agree to fully indemnify and hold Bolt Ireland, its affiliate companies, representatives, employees and directors harmless from any claims or losses (including liabilities, damages, costs and expenses of any nature) that they suffer as a result of your use of the Bolt App (including the rides you obtain through your use of the Bolt App).
7.8. Bolt Ireland may immediately end your use of the Bolt App if you breach these Terms or we consider it necessary to protect the integrity of Bolt Ireland or the safety of the Drivers.
7.9. Bolt Ireland is entitled to suspend, for a reasonable period of time and after having issued a prior warning, the processing of notices and complaints submitted through Bolt Ireland’s internal complaint-handling system by Passengers and Drivers that frequently submit notices or complaints that are manifestly unfounded. While assessing the circumstances for the suspension, Bolt Ireland considers the following:
7.9.1. the absolute numbers of items of manifestly illegal content or manifestly unfounded notices or complaints, submitted within a month; and
7.9.2. the relative proportion of notices and complaints in relation to the total number of items of information provided or notices submitted within a month; and
7.9.3. the gravity of the misuse of the notice action mechanisms; and
7.9.4. (if applicable) the intention of the complainant for submitting manifestly unfounded complaints.
7.9.5. As Bolt Ireland is the provider of the Bolt Platform and is subject to the Digital Service Act (2022/2065), you are entitled by law to lodge a complaint against any termination of these Terms, or any suspension of your access to the Bolt Platform and Bolt Services. You can find further information on Bolt Ireland’s internal complaints handling system, including how you can make a complaint, here: the Internal Complaint-Handling System Rules.
8. Good practice using the Bolt App
8.1. As Bolt Ireland is not a provider of the Transportation Services, any issues with defects or quality of the Transportation Services will be resolved in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Driver or the relevant public authority.
8.2. We ask you to fill out a feedback form in the Bolt App. This enables us to offer suggestions to the Drivers for improving the quality of their service.
8.3. You will use the Bolt App in good faith and be respectful of the Drivers who offer their services through the Bolt App. In addition to any other rights we may take action against you for any breach of these Terms and/or our Marketplace Guidelines for Riders, Bolt Ireland retains the right to close your account if you have violated the terms set out in these Terms or if your activities are malicious. Examples of malicious activities include withholding payment for the provision of the Transportation Service, undertaking fraudulent activity in accordance with the Fraud Policy or otherwise, behaving disrespectfully towards Drivers, etc. In these cases, your Bolt App account may be revoked without prior notice.
8.4. Bolt Ireland will make every effort to ensure that only Drivers, who have integrity and are respectful of their profession and passengers, use the Bolt App. However, we are in no position to guarantee that every Driver, located by the Bolt App, satisfies the aforementioned criteria at all times. If you experience an objectionable Transportation Service, please notify the Driver responsible for the Transportation Service, a supervisory authority, or our customer support.
8.5. To ensure safety of the Bolt Platform for all users, Bolt Ireland may ask the Passenger to verify their identity. If Bolt Ireland will not be able to verify the identity of the Passenger, the Bolt service may be suspended for the rider until the verification process is completed.
9. Data Protection
9.1. By using the Bolt App, you acknowledge the Privacy Notice available here which outlines how your personal data will be processed.
10. Amendments to the Terms
10.1. If any substantial amendments are made to these Terms, then you will be notified by email or Bolt App notifications. If you continue using the Bolt App, you will be deemed to accept the amendments.
11. Final Provisions
11.1. These Terms will be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of Ireland. If the respective dispute resulting from these Terms could not be settled by the negotiations, then the dispute will be finally solved in the Court of Dublin. If any provision of the Terms is held to be unenforceable, the parties will substitute for the affected provision an enforceable provision that approximates the intent and economic effect of the affected provision. If one of the provisions of these Terms is or becomes invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected.
11.2. If any provision or part of a provision of the Terms is held to be unenforceable, the parties will substitute for the affected provision an enforceable provision that approximates the intent and economic effect of the affected provision. If one of the provisions or part of a provision of these Terms is or becomes invalid, the validity of the other provisions or parts of a provisions shall not be affected.
11.3. If you wish to contact us in relation to these General Terms and Conditions or on any other matter, including making a complaint or reporting a problem, you can do so via the Bolt App or by sending an email at dublin@bolt.eu.
11.4. In the event of a dispute about the Fare, conduct of the Driver, condition or cleanliness of a vehicle, the Passenger should pay the fare displayed on the meter including extras, ensure they get a printed receipt and proceed to make a formal complaint which will be investigated by the Commission for Taxi Regulation as appropriate. If you wish to make a formal complaint, please request a complaint form by ringing the National Transport Authority Information line on + 353 76 1064000. For more information please visit: https://www.transportforireland.ie/support/taxi-compliments-complaints/ ↗.
11.5. If a dispute has not been resolved by means of a complaint previously lodged with Bolt Ireland, any Passenger who is a consumer may use the online disputes settlement service offered by the European Commission in accordance with Article 14 of Regulation (EU) No 524/2013. This platform can be accessed by following the link https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/odr/ ↗ ↗.