in rio de janeiro, taxis are generally a very safe and convenient mode of transport for visitors and locals alike - illegal taxis exist but local authorities have been addressing the issue in the last couple of years - several illegal taxi drivers have been caught and no longer practice their unregulated services.

illegal street taxis look exactly like regulated taxis with a yellow body and blue strips so it can be difficult to differentiate between the two - signs that a cab is unregulated include no taxi meter, registration papers being expired or the license picture not matching the driver.

unregulated taxis normally do not pose any danger to its customers other than overcharging for the ride - most taxis utilize gps services or allow their participants to give instructions based on directional applications so overcharging is less of an issue nowadays.