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Taxi service accreditation

To operate a taxi service in the ACT you need taxi service accreditation.

To drive a taxi in the ACT you need a public driver licence.

Read about public vehicle driver licences.

Types of accreditation

There are 2 types of taxi accreditation to operate. Standard taxis and Wheelchair Accessible Taxis:

  • Taxi service operator accreditation.
  • Independent taxi service operator accreditation.

Eligibility

You can hold taxi operator accreditation in your own name, or a business or partnership or in a corporation.

To get taxi service accreditation you need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. If you’re a temporary resident, you need the appropriate visa and working rights.

Additionally, only applicants considered a ‘suitable person’ are eligible for accreditation.

The suitable person requirement applies to each:

  • director, partner or office holder
  • operations manager
  • person responsible for the day-to-day management of the service.

Read the accreditation package that applies to you:

These information packages include:

  • a checklist to see whether you are a suitable person
  • authorisation for Access Canberra (the Road Transport Authority) to release records
  • the minimum service standards for operating a taxi service. The minimum service standards are what you’ll be audited against as part of Access Canberra's Audit and compliance programs
  • information about record keeping
  • information about accreditation approval and refusal
  • the application forms.

Minimum standards

You will need to meet the minimum service standards set out under the Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Regulation 2002.

Leased taxi licences

Don’t lodge an application for accreditation to operate a taxi service until you have:

  • a proposed lease arrangement with the owner of a perpetual taxi plate
  • have received the offer of a leased licence plate from the ACT Government.

You’ll need to provide proof of the arrangement or offer with your application for accreditation

Read more about leased taxi licences.

Sub-leasing taxis

Sub-leasing taxis to drivers or other people is not permitted and may result in accreditation review, suspension, or cancellation.

Appropriate vehicles

If you intend to purchase a second-hand taxi or set up a second-hand vehicle as a taxi, make sure you know the requirements for a suitable vehicle.

This includes the age and usage history of the vehicle, passenger carrying capacity, and whether it’s suitable to carry passengers with wheelchairs.

This information is in the accreditation packages. You can also call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.

Driver licencing

Your drivers will need a public vehicle licence.

Read about public vehicle driver licences.

If you employ or contract drivers for your taxis, make sure you know your obligations under the Workers Compensation Act 1951 and immigration law. k

If your driver is a temporary resident, they will get a 'Q' condition on their driver licence.

Email LicenceAndRegistrationAdministration@act.gov.au if you have questions about taxi drivers’ working rights.

Insurance

You need to maintain a current public vehicle licence policy at a minimum value of $5,000,000.00 at all times when operating your taxi service.

Your insurance policy needs to be in the name of the taxi operator and should detail the TX registration number of the vehicle/s you operate.

If you add further taxis to your accreditation, you will need to update and provide a copy of your updated insurance certificate.

You will be required to provide a current certificate of currency with your application or on renewal of your accreditation and each year on the anniversary of date of issue of your accreditation.

Police checks

In addition to meeting the requirements of a suitable person. You also need to provide:

  • a police check results report or National Police Certificate
  • a clear copy of photo identification.

Apply for a National Police Check.

Alternatively, you can provide one of the following:

  • a current Working with Vulnerable People card (non-restricted)
  • a National Police Certificate or police check results report which is less than 6 months old from the date of your application.

Apply for accreditation

The accreditation package includes the application forms and a checklist to help you put together your application.

  1. Complete the Application form and the Authorisation form in the relevant Accreditation package
  2. Include all relevant documents listed in the Applicant checklist. If you’re applying as a business entity you also need to provide:
    • a certificate of registration of corporation
    • an extract of Australian Securities and Investment Commission documentation listing details of partners and directors
    • if using a 'trading as' name, a copy of the certificate of registration of business name.
  3. Submit your application by:
    • email to taxiservices@act.gov.au
    • post to Public Transport Regulation, Access Canberra, PO Box 582, Dickson ACT 2602.
  4. Pay the fee. You can do this online.

If approved, your accreditation is valid for up to 6 years and can be renewed using the same forms.

Temporary operations

If you’re going interstate or overseas for a short period of time, you need to nominate another accredited taxi operator to manage your taxi service in your absence.

Before you leave the ACT:

  1. Complete an Application for temporary operation of a taxi service [PDF 614KB] [DOCX 907KB]
  2. Get it signed by the temporary operator.
  3. Submit it by:

Stand-by taxi permits

If your vehicle breaks down, you can apply for a stand-by taxi permit. A stand-by taxi permit lets you use another vehicle as a substitute while you wait for repairs or servicing.

A stand-by taxi is a vehicle which has been previously fitted out and inspected as a taxi but does not currently have TX registration.

A stand-by taxi must be:

  • approved by Access Canberra
  • in roadworthy condition
  • previously inspected as a taxi
  • currently registered as a 'Y' plate vehicle.

Removing a registration plate and swapping it to another vehicle without a formal change in registration is an offence.

To apply for a stand-by taxi:

  1. Complete an Application for stand-by taxi [PDF 124 KB] [DOCX 916 KB]
  2. Email it to taxiservices@act.gov.au.
  3. Pay the fee. You can do this online.

Fees

The fees are:

  • Application for taxi service accreditation: $50.00
  • Application for Independent taxi service operator accreditation $50.00.

Pay an accreditation or licence fee

ACT-NSW border arrangements

There are cross-border arrangements which allow:

  • NSW country taxis to pick up and drop off passengers in the ACT
  • ACT taxis to pick up and drop off passengers in the city of Queanbeyan.

Child seats and restraints

The ACT has specific exemptions under the Australian Road Rules for transporting young children and babies in taxis.

If one of your taxis transports a young child or baby into NSW without the appropriate child seats or restraints, the driver may be committing a breach of the Australian Road Rules. They could face fines even though the taxi hiring originated in the ACT.

Penalties for poor taxi maintenance and driver behaviour

People can complain to Access Canberra about the condition of a taxi or driver behaviour.

We investigate all complaints we receive. We also tell the operator and booking service about the complaint.

We work with the booking services to make sure our taxi services meet community expectations.

If a taxi is reported as unroadworthy we can suspend it from all booking services until it’s inspected at the Access Canberra vehicle inspection station.

We can also issue traffic infringements if public transport laws have been broken.

The booking service may also penalise drivers under their own disciplinary policies.

Common complaints we get are about:

  • how clean or roadworthy a taxi is
  • dangerous driving
  • aggressive or rude driver behaviour
  • refusing to turn on the meter
  • overcharging passengers leaving the airport
  • demanding lump sum cash fares on Friday or Saturday nights
  • refusing older passengers with shopping bags at a taxi rank
  • taking a longer route or refusing to take directions from a passenger
  • mishandling of lost property left in the taxi.

Make a complaint about a taxi or driver