Taxi

Taxi areas

Taxis can only be operated to, from or within the taxi area to which their licence relates. A taxi driver is not allowed to accept a hiring which starts and finishes outside their taxi area.

View a map of the taxi areas in Tasmania. Zoom in on the map for detail of taxi area boundaries.

Requirements for vehicles being registered as a taxi for the first time

A vehicle which has not previously been used as a taxi in Tasmania can begin to be used as a taxi provided:

the vehicle was manufactured less than seven years prior to the time it is to become a taxi, and
meets the ANCAP five star safety rating.

Vehicles that meet the ANCAP five star safety rating. Safety rating shows the level of safety a vehicle provides for occupants and pedestrians in a crash, and its ability – through technology – to avoid or minimise the effects of a crash.The ANCAP five star rating does not apply to vehicles that are intended to be used as a wheelchair accessible taxi.

Before a vehicle can be used as a taxi, it must have passed a regulatory inspection, have a class 6 MAIB insurance premium paid and a taxi licence plate attached to it.

Maximum operating age for taxis

Taxis can be used until aged 12 years.

The 12 year period is calculated from the:

date on the compliance plate affixed to the vehicle, or
date of manufacture recorded for the vehicle in the Register of Motor Vehicles and Trailers.

Requirements for a wheelchair accessible taxi

Wheelchair accessible taxis can be used while they are roadworthy and safe.

Wheelchair accessible taxis must be specifically approved by the Transport Commission for use as a WAT after showing that they have the following characteristics:

have no more than 12 seats
comply with the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 formulated under section 3191) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (CW)
no modification that significantly alters the exterior of the vehicle
be fitted with a wheelchair restraint assembly unit
a secondary independent emergency-release mechanism on the wheelchair entry door
if fitted with a hoist or ramp, be compliant with AS 3856
have an access door adjacent to each outboard seating position
have adequate luggage space to the rear most seat when the vehicle is not configured to carry a passenger seated in the wheelchair
be, at the time of approval for use by the Transport Commission, not more than seven years old.

There are four types of taxi licences:

Perpetual Taxi Licence

These licences are no longer being issued. The only way to obtain one of these licences is to purchase or lease one from an existing licence holder.

If you purchase a licence, you own it. You can use it to operate your own taxi service (if you hold accreditation) or you may lease it to an accredited operator.

When you lease a perpetual taxi licence, you need to:

notify the lease has commenced (PDF 97.5 KB)

When you purchase a perpetual taxi licence, you need to:

notify the ownership of the licence has changed (PDF 171.6 KB)

Owner-Operator Taxi Licence

There are two ways to obtain one of these licences:

through the annual release of licences by the Transport Commission
by purchasing from an existing licence holder. This requires consent from the Transport Commission for the transfer of the licence.

To apply for the transfer of a licence from another operator use this form (PDF 100.1 KB)

be a natural person
be accredited
be registered operator of a suitable vehicle that is not used to provide a taxi service under another licence
have no outstanding fees due to the Commission.

There will be no new owner-operator taxi licences made available by tender until after 1 October 2024.

Release of unsold Owner-Operator Taxi Licences

The tender to purchase a new owner operator taxi licence (OOTL) will not go ahead between 2020 and 2024.

Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Licence

A wheelchair accessible taxi licence can be obtained from the Transport Commission or purchased from an existing operator. These licences cannot be leased.

Licences from the Commission are free (there is an application fee).

To be eligible you must:

be a natural person
be accredited
be the registered operator of a vehicle that is suitable to be used as a wheelchair accessible taxi.

If you want to obtain a wheelchair accessible taxi licence from the Commission, you need to make an application for a licence (PDF 82.1 KB).

If you want to transfer a wheelchair accessible taxi licence from another operator you will need approval from the Transport Commission. You will need to complete this form: Application to Transfer a Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Licence to Another Person (Same Vehicle) (PDF 171.6 KB).

If you have a wheelchair accessible taxi licence and you want to transfer the licence to another vehicle, you need to complete this form: Application to Transfer a Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Licence to a Substitute Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (PDF 99.8 KB).

Temporary Taxi Licence

This licence has the same effect as an owner operator taxi licence, except a temporary taxi licence is limited to the period that it is issued and is not transferable.

To be eligible for this licence you must: