Driver and Vehicle Licensing

Licences are required for vehicle for hire drivers and their vehicles to ensure passenger and driver safety.

Vehicle for Hire

Dispatch and Vehicle Licence Fee Reductions

On October 5, 2020, City Council approved a 100% reduction in 2020 dispatch and vehicle licence fees for limousines and a 50% reduction in these fees for all other vehicles for hire. For licensees who already paid their 2020 fees before the reductions were announced, a credit will be applied to their 2021 fees. The fee reductions are one way the City is helping to relieve concerns about financial strain raised by the industry due to COVID-19.

Becoming a Driver

A City of Edmonton-issued Driver’s Licence is required to operate a vehicle for hire in the City of Edmonton. A City Driver’s Licence is required for drivers of:

Taxis or accessible taxis
Limousines
Shuttles
Private Transportation Provider (PTP) vehicles

A City Driver’s Licence is not required for drivers operating for Transportation Network Companies. To drive for a Transportation Network Company, please contact the company directly.

Driver's Licence Requirements

Drivers must apply in person for a one-year or two-year licence. Please visit the Edmonton Service Centre, 2nd floor, 10111 104 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB, between 8am and 4:30pm, to apply.

To apply for a City of Edmonton Driver’s Licence, please submit the following:

Completed application form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
Class 1, 2, or 4 provincial operator’s licence
A Police Information Check that is not older than 90 days from Edmonton Police Service
Photograph (to be taken at the time of application)
Proof of an accessible taxi driver training certification (to be noted on the driver’s licence) if driving an accessible taxi

Screening Criteria for Drivers

Under Section 33.1 of the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw 17400, no person may drive a vehicle for hire if, during the past 10 years, the person was convicted of any of the following offences under the Criminal Code of Canada or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) or the Cannabis Act (Canada):

Any offence of a violent nature, including firearms and weapons offences
Any offence involving sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual interference, procuring or invitation to sexual touching
Trafficking
Any offence involving fraud or fraudulent transactions, conspiracy to defraud, the use of false pretences, bribery, extortion, or theft; or
Any offence relating to the unlawful operation of a motor vehicle

If, when applying for a driver’s licence, an applicant’s police information check reveals a pending charge for any of the offences listed above, the City will impose the following conditions on the licence:

The licensee must provide an updated police information check or other documentation at regular intervals to the City until the charges are resolved, and

If the licensee is convicted of the charge, the licence will automatically be cancelled without prior notice to the licensee

Driver Responsibilities

Drivers should always:

Be kind and courteous
Take the most direct route to the passenger’s destination, unless otherwise directed by the passenger
Charge a fare that complies with the bylaw, and
At the conclusion of each trip, check the vehicle for any personal property apparently left behind by a passenger and make any such property available for retrieval by the passenger

Taxi and Accessible Taxi Drivers are the only vehicle for hire drivers who can accept hails/flags from the street. All other trips must be pre-arranged.

Licensing Your Vehicle for Hire

A vehicle licence is required for the following vehicles for hire operating in the City of Edmonton:

Taxis and Accessible Taxis
Limousines
Shuttles
Private Transportation Provider vehicles

A vehicle licence is not required for vehicles operating for transportation network companies.

Each vehicle can only be issued one type of vehicle licence. Vehicles are licensed and regulated by the City to ensure that the vehicle for hire is a safe option for travel.

You can only apply for a vehicle licence in person at the Edmonton Service Centre, 2nd floor, 10111 104 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB. The Service Centre is open between 8am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday and is closed on weekends/statutory holidays.

A mechanical inspection of the vehicle is required annually and is the responsibility of the owner. A current and valid Mechanical Inspection Certificate Form must be kept in the vehicle at all times.

Taxi and Accessible Taxi Vehicle Licences

Taxi Vehicle Licence

To apply for a taxi vehicle licence, please submit the following:

Application form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
An agreement with a dispatcher that states that they will provide dispatch services for vehicle
Bill of Sale or other proof of ownership interest. The licensee must be at least part owner of the vehicle.
Provincial Class 1-55 Registration Certificate
Proof of valid insurance policy

Accessible Taxi Vehicle Licence

To apply for an accessible taxi vehicle licence, please submit the following:

Application form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
An agreement with a dispatcher that states that they will provide dispatch services for vehicle
Bill of Sale or other proof of ownership interest. The licensee must be at least part owner of the vehicle
Provincial Class 1-55 Registration Certificate
Proof of valid insurance policy
Proof of accessible equipment installation in the vehicles

Transferring Taxi and Accessible Taxi Licences

To apply to transfer a taxi or accessible taxi vehicle licence from one person to another , please submit the following:

Completed Consent to Transfer Form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)

The person applying to receive the taxi licence or accessible taxi licence must comply with requirements for the vehicle licence, as provided under section 26 of the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw 17400.

Limousine Licences

To apply for a limousine vehicle licence, please submit the following:

Application form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
An agreement with a dispatcher that states that they will provide dispatch services for vehicle
Bill of Sale or other proof of ownership interest. The licensee must be at least part owner of the vehicle
Provincial Class 1-55 Registration Certificate
Proof of valid insurance policy
Proof that the vehicle is either:
- A stretch sedan or stretch sport utility vehicle of all makes (Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and others) containing a limousine package interior
- A specialized vehicle (Cadillac, Lexus, Mercedes, and similar vehicles) containing a limousine package interior
- A bus or motorcoach containing a limousine package interior; or
- A limousine as deemed by the Vehicle for Hire Program Manager (send vehicle information to the Program Manager for review)

The City may request photographs of the exterior or interior of the vehicle to confirm the vehicle meets the requirements to be a limousine.

Shuttle or Private Transportation Provider Licences

Shuttle Vehicle Licence

To apply for a Shuttle Vehicle Licence, please submit the following:

Completed Application Form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
An agreement with a dispatcher that states that they will provide dispatch services for vehicle
Bill of Sale or other proof of ownership interest. The licensee must be at least part owner of the vehicle
Provincial Class 1-55 Registration Certificate
Proof of valid insurance policy

Private Transportation Provider Licence

To apply for a Private Transportation Provider Licence, please submit the following:

Completed Application Form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
An agreement with a dispatcher that states that they will provide dispatch services for vehicle
Bill of Sale or other proof of ownership interest The licensee must be at least part owner of the vehicle
Provincial Class 1-55 Registration Certificate
Proof of valid insurance policy

Markings on Vehicles For Hire

Private Transportation Provider

Any equipment or marking visible from the exterior that makes the vehicle resemble a taxi or accessible taxi is not permitted.

This includes, but is not limited to:

The words “taxi”, “cab”, or “accessible taxi” on the outside of the vehicle
A top light or meter
Company name, logo, or contact information

Private transportation provider drivers will be issued a sticker to be placed directly on the front windshield in the lower corner on the passenger side of the vehicle.

2019 Vehicle for Hire Sticker

Vehicle for Hire Sticker Example

Transportation Network Vehicle

A transportation network vehicle is allowed limited markings on the vehicle.

The dispatcher’s name or company logo must be displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle —on the windshield, hood, or trunk— and can’t be smaller than 8cm x 8cm or larger than 20cm x 20cm.

Any equipment or marking visible from the exterior that makes the vehicle resemble a taxi or accessible taxi is not permitted.

This includes, but is not limited to:

The words “taxi”, “cab”, or “accessible taxi” on the outside of the vehicle
A top light or meter
Company name, logo, or contact information

Vehicle and/or Dispatcher Change

Substitute a Vehicle

To apply to change the vehicle, please submit the following:

Application form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
Vehicle Registration
Vehicle Insurance
Bill of Sale or other proof of ownership interest. The licensee must be at least part owner of the vehicle

Dispatcher Change

To update the dispatcher on your licence, please submit the following:

Application form
2020 Application Fee (Effective February 4, 2020)
Vehicle Registration
Vehicle Insurance
Proof of valid agreement with a dispatch licensee

Fire Restrictions Declared