Pedicab Owner

A pedicab is a vehicle that can be pulled or pushed by a person, with or without an electric motor. A pedal-powered rickshaw is also considered a pedicab. Both the pedicab owner and driver are required to be licensed. For example, if you own and drive a pedicab, you will need two licences – pedicab owner and pedicab driver.

In June 2022, City Council approved a pilot program for large quadricycles in Toronto. Under the Licensing Bylaw, large quadricycles can now be licensed as pedicabs.

Who Can Apply

Sole proprietorships (individuals), partnerships or corporations.

Note: Under the pilot program in Toronto, owners of large quadricycles need to apply for pedicab owner and driver licences. The City has been approved to issue a maximum of eight pedicab licences for large quadricycles. No more than four such licenses can be approved for any single company. Owners and drivers of large quadricycles are responsible for understanding and following any Provincial rules.

Application Requirements

Identification

All applications must include two pieces of government-issued identification (one must be photo ID):

Canadian Passport
Driver’s Licence
Canadian Birth Certificate
Citizenship Card
Permanent Resident Card
SIN Card (Social Insurance Number)
Valid Work Permit

Note:

First and last names must match on all identification
Health Cards are not accepted
For sole proprietorship or individual applicants, one piece of ID must provide proof of work status
Identification is required for all officers/directors listed on the Articles of Incorporation, Corporate Profile or Federal Form 6

Documentation

A Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (level 2) for issued by a Canadian Police Service within 280 days prior to the application.
A business location/address.
A copy of provincial business name registration or signed franchise agreement.
A photo of the applicant that adheres with the Licence Application Photo Requirements.
A photo of the pedicab.
A copy of the applicant’s driving record abstract: a three year driving history recorded by the Ministry of Transportation. This record should be less than 30 days old.
A completed insurance form signed and stamped by the insurer proving that the applicant has 1,000,000 in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. Owners of large quadricycles must provide proof of $2,000,000 in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance.
A signed and completed Pedicab Owner Operating Information Questionnaire.

Additional documentation may be required:

If you are applying as a corporation, please submit:

A copy of Articles of Incorporation (Note: If there has been a change to the list of officers and directors, please also provide a current Corporate Profile Report or a Federal Form 6)
The Annual Return for Corporation Form, signed by an officer or director, which lists all current directors & officers of the Corporation
Two pieces of government-issued identification (one must be photo ID) for each officer/director
A Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (level 2) for each officer/director issued by a Canadian Police Service within 280 days prior to the application.

If you are applying as a designate for a corporation, please submit all corporation requirements as well as an original letter advising of signing authority on corporation letterhead, signed by a director of the corporation and dated within 30 days.

Route Plan – Only for Large Quadricycles

In the case of large quadricycles, owners also need to provide the City with their proposed routes. This is then reviewed and approved by Transportation Services, prior to the issuance of the pedicab owner business licence.

Please submit to Municipal Licensing and Standards (with your application) maps of each proposed route, indicating:

Route from overnight storage to starting point and return
Start and end location(s) of service routes
Exact route including direction of travel along each street segment and including details of how/where any turn-around movements take place
Locations to drop off and pick up passengers. As with any other vehicle, large quadricycles must follow signed regulations. A route will not be approved if the drop off or pick up locations are in no stopping zones.
Locations (ideally on private property) where quadricycle will parked when customers are at a stop location
Routes there and back, between the passenger drop off/pick up points and the private property parking

You can consult the following resources to help plan your routes.

Toronto Infrastructure Viewer, which shows the current and planned construction disruption
Traffic and Parking Bylaw, which includes Schedule 14: No Stopping
Road Disruption Activity Report System

How To Apply

You can apply for new business licences or permits online or in-person.

Apply online

Save yourself time and apply online. Please have all required documents ready to upload before starting the application, as it requires 10-15 minutes to complete and cannot be saved. Download a step by step guide on how to submit a new application. Licence application fees can be paid online or by sending a cheque.

Submit Application

If you have already submitted an application you may upload additional documents using your upload token.

Upload Documents for Existing Request

Apply in-person

You must book an appointment at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor. Walk-ins will not be accepted.

Book Appointment

Please arrive 10-15 mins early to check in and be on time for your appointment or you may be turned away and asked to re-book for another day and time, subject to availability.

You must bring a complete application as applications will not be accepted unless all the required documents are provided. Bring hard copies of all required documents and forms, including a recent photo if required. Digital copies of documents will not be accepted.

Payment can only be made by debit, credit or cheque. Cash will not be accepted.

Fees

Application fee: $189.16

The application fee is non-refundable and is required upon submittal of a complete application.

Licence fee: $256.30

The licence fee is due upon approval of the application.

Total fee (Application fee + Licence fee): $445.46

Examples of Pedicabs

What Happens After You Apply

After a completed application and all documents are submitted, staff will determine whether there are concerns with the applicant obtaining a licence.

In the case of large quadricycles, owners need to first apply for the pedicab owner business licence. After the initial business licence application review has been completed by Municipal Licensing & Standards, operators will be asked to provide their proposed routes. This will then be reviewed by Transportation Services. If approved by Transportation Services, the pedicab owner business licence will be issued by Municipal Licensing & Standards.

Screening Criteria

ML&S shall deny an application for, or a renewal for any business, trade or calling for which a vehicle and it’s driver are licenced or required to be licenced by the City under this Chapter and for which a licensee is required to hold a valid provincial driver’s licence under this Chapter where the licensee or applicant has:

1. Been convicted at any time of a sexual offence against a minor or a person with a disability under any of sections 151 to 153.1 of the Criminal Code;
2. Been convicted of any sexual offence under the Criminal Code in the preceding ten years;
3. Been convicted of an offence under the following Criminal Code sections in the preceding five years:
  1. 84 to 117.15 (Firearms and Other Weapons);
  2. 264.1 to 286.1 (Offences Against the Person);
  3. 321 to 378 (Offences Against Rights of Property);
  4. 379 to 462 (Fraudulent Transactions, Wilful and Forbidden Acts of Certain Property, Offences Relating to Currency);
  5. 462.3 to 462.5 (Proceeds of Crime).
4. Been convicted at any time of an offence under the following Criminal Code sections:
  1. 83.01 to 83.33 (Terrorism);
  2. 219 to 248 (Major Offences Against the Person);
  3. 267, 268, 270.01, 272, 273 (Major Assaults or Major Sexual Assaults).
5. Been convicted of an offence under the following Controlled Drugs and Substances Act sections in the preceding ten years:
  1. 5 (Trafficking);
  2. 6 (Importing and exporting);
  3. 7 (Production);
  4. 7.1 (Possession for use in production or trafficking).
6. Been convicted of any offence under section 4 (Possession or obtaining) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the preceding five years;
7. Been convicted of five or more offences under Chapter 545 or 546 of the Toronto Municipal Code in the preceding three years;
8. Any overdue by-law fines, unless the applicant provides proof that such fines have been subsequently paid.
9. Been convicted of any offence under sections 249, 252, or 253 of the Criminal Code (Motor Vehicles, Vessels, and Aircraft) in the preceding five years;
10. Accumulated nine or more demerit points on his or her driving record abstract at the time the application for a licence or renewal is made;
  2 September 6, 2017
11. Been convicted of any of the following offences under the Highway Traffic Act in the preceding five years:
  1. Careless driving;
  2. Racing or stunt driving;
  3. Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/hour or more;
  4. Failing to stop for a school bus or when signaled or asked by a police officer;
  5. Failing to remain at the scene of a collision;
  6. Driving while licence suspended.

Despite these screening criteria, if a licence has been previously issued or renewed and the applicant’s or licensee’s record discloses no new breach of the screening criteria, the licence may be issued or renewed without the matter being referred to the Toronto Licensing Tribunal.

These screening criteria do not apply to any offence for which a licensee or applicant has been granted a criminal record suspension (i.e. a pardon) by the Parole Board of Canada.

Route Restrictions for Pedicabs

All pedicabs, including large quadricycles, are prohibited from operating during rush hour on all city streets Monday through Friday between 3:30 and 6:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays. They are also prohibited on the following streets at all times:

King Street, between Spadina and Jarvis Street
Queen Street, between Spadina and Jarvis Street
Front Street, between Spadina and Jarvis Street
Gerrard Street between Yonge Street to Bay Street

In addition, pedicabs that are large quadricycles are restricted to operating on routes pre-approved by Transportation Services. Route approval for large quadricycles may be amended, suspended or revoked with 48 hours’ notice at the discretion of Transportation Services.

Renewing a Licence

Your licence will expire annually on the anniversary of the date that the licence was first issued. A renewal notice, identifying any documents required to renew the licence, will be mailed to the address on file.

The renewal fee for drivers is $324.66

The renewal fee for owners is $311.61

Existing licensees must renew their licences via a new online renewal portal. Licence renewal fees can be paid online or by sending a cheque.

Please have all required documents ready to upload before starting the renewal, as it requires 10-15 minutes to complete and cannot be saved. Download a step by step guide on how to renew a licence or permit.

Renew Licence

Find your outstanding business licence or permit renewal invoice.

If you fail to renew your licence according to the bylaw, your licence will be cancelled and you will have to reapply.