Taxicab Owner – Sale

Starting January 1, 2023, the City will discontinue issuing plate stickers for your licence and you will not be required to display plate stickers anymore. This does not affect the licence to operate your business and no further action is required from your end. For questions, please contact mlstaxilimo@toronto.ca.

An applicant can purchase an existing Taxicab Owner licence from another owner.

Sole proprietorships (individuals), partnerships or corporations

Identification

Applications must include two pieces of 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.
  • We do not accept Health Cards.
  • For sole proprietorship or individual applicants, one piece of ID must provide proof of work status.

Documentation

Additional documentation may also 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 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

An original Safety Standards Certificate (SSC) or Annual Inspection Certificate (AIC) is required as part of a complete application.

A SSC or an AIC is issued following an inspection by a Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) garage operator, licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

The SSC or AIC cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission.

To submit your SSC or AIC:

You can find your submission date on the following links:

Toronto Taxicab Licence (TTL) Taxicab Vehicle Inspections

Standard Taxicab Vehicle Inspections

  • Safety Standards Certificate (SSC) or Annual Inspection Certificate (AIC) needs to be submitted once a year
  • SSC or AIC can be submitted up to 30 days before the submission date, but can’t be more than 36 days old at time of submission
  • Keep a hard copy of all SSCs or AICs in the vehicle

If an SSC or AIC is not provided within seven days of its due date, your business licence can be suspended.

All outstanding licensing fees and charges must be paid by the licensee transferring the licence and/or the applicant to whom the licence is being transferred.

In December 2020, City Council adopted bylaw amendments that placed a moratorium on the enforcement of the age of vehicles for the next two years. The change came into effect on January 1, 2021. This means that taxicabs manufactured in 2013, 2014 and 2015 will need to be replaced in 2022.

You can now apply for new licences and 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 the licence you are purchasing is a TTL (4000 series plate), please apply here:

Submit Application to Purchase TTL (4000 Series Plate)

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.

To register a replacement vehicle the following documents can be submitted online through our Licence Management and Renewal portal:

  • Provincial Vehicle Ownership
  • Proof of compliance with CAN3_D409-M84 vehicle standards for accessible vehicles
  • Safety Standard Certificate (SSC) or Annual Inspection Certificate (AIC). All accessible vehicles must provide the AIC, which must be dated within 36 days of submission.
  • Certificate of Insurance can be emailed to mlstaxilimo@toronto.ca

A Safety Standards Certificate (SSC) or Annual Inspection Certificate (AIC) is required as part of a complete application. It must also be provided if registering a replacement vehicle.

A SSC or an AIC is issued following an inspection by a Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) garage operator, licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

The SSC or AIC cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission.

You can find your submission date on the following links:

Toronto Taxicab Licence (TTL) Taxicab Vehicle Inspections

Standard Taxicab Vehicle Inspections

  • Safety Standards Certificate (SSC) or Annual Inspection Certificate (AIC) needs to be submitted once a year
  • SSC or AIC can be submitted up to 30 days before the submission date, but can’t be more than 36 days old at time of submission
  • Keep a hard copy of all SSCs or AICs in the vehicle

If an SSC or AIC is not provided within seven days of its due date, your business licence can be suspended.

Accessibility Fund Program

  • An Accessibility Fund Program has been created to support the availability of accessible service and to offset the higher cost of providing wheelchair accessible service.
  • The program is funded by a regulatory charge on members of the industry. Toronto Taxicab Licensees (TTLs) and standard taxicab owners who have an accessible vehicle are exempt from these fees.
  • Funds will be disbursed to wheelchair accessible taxicab owners and drivers based on service standards and eligibility criteria. Drivers will also be required to have valid accessible service training.
  • Drivers and owners under contract with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Wheel-Trans program are not be eligible.
  • Licensed accessible owners and drivers may apply to the program until May 9, 2022 for service offered in 2021. Owners and drivers will receive their declaration applications in the mail.
  • The funds will be disbursed after June 30, 2022.
  • Questions can be directed to: accessibilityfundprogram@toronto.ca.

Restrictions for Vehicles Used as Taxicabs

The vehicle:

  • cannot be a former police vehicle or a taxicab from another jurisdiction
  • must have the taxicab plate affixed to the right side of the rear bumper
  • must be an accessible vehicle for taxicabs with TTL plates
  • must have four doors
  • cannot be currently attached to a Private Transportation Company (PTC) licence
  • must be equipped with winter tires from December 1 to April 30

See the approved taxicab vehicles list.

Updated Camera Requirements

During consultations for the Vehicle-for-Hire bylaw review, the City heard from the taxi industry that greater flexibility in camera choice was needed to keep up with advancements in technology. Toronto Police Forensic Identification Services also identified issues with the previous cameras that led to unsuccessful downloads of footage needed in police investigations.

Cameras in taxicabs continue to be mandatory in Toronto because of the anonymity of picking up passengers from street-hails or cabstands, and because taxicabs accept cash. Cameras in taxicabs are installed for driver safety.

The updated camera specifications will ensure that taxicab owners and/or drivers can purchase and install cameras at different price points and decide for themselves, if they wish to purchase additional features.

A notice must be attached in the taxicab informing passengers that they are being video recorded. This updated notice is available at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor.

Camera Specifications

Technical specifications of cameras:

  • must be able to clearly record images in all lighting conditions, including bright sunshine, shade, darkness, total darkness, and when strong backlighting is present
  • must have high definition (HD) video recording with audio recording capabilities
  • must have GPS capability
  • each recorded image must be automatically stamped with a unique and non-modifiable code that identifies the controller that was used to record the image
  • images and videos must have date and time stamps
  • images and videos need to be retained for a minimum of seven (7) days
  • must have an indicator showing when the camera is operational and when there is a malfunction

Installation and placement of cameras:

  • must be installed so that it will not interfere with driver’s field of vision or impede the use of any of the vehicles’ mirrors
  • camera must capture all of the occupants of the vehicle

Door activation feature of cameras:

  • must reset every time doors are opened
  • must continue to record images for 30 minutes after engine is shut off

Taxicab Operator

A licenced taxicab operator can be assigned by an owner, if applicable. The operator must first obtain a Taxicab Operator licence. This relationship should be documented in a formal agreement.

Taxicab Owner (Standard Vehicles)

In 2022, you will need to pay a total of $1,035.17 when applying for your taxicab owner licence. This includes the:

  • application fee: $0 (you do not need to pay an application fee when submitting your application. Once your application is approved you need to submit a licensing fee and the Accessibility Fund Program fee)
  • licensing fee with 50 per cent reduction: $1,023.91
  • Accessibility Fund Program fee with a 75 per cent reduction: $31.96

The 2022 fee reduction was approved by Toronto City Council to help the taxicab and limousine industry. City Council also reduced the Accessibility Fund Program fee with this expiring end of 2022.

In 2023, you will need to pay a total of $1,201.85, when applying for your licence. This includes the:

  • application fee: $0
  • licensing fee with a 50 per cent reduction but adjusted for a 4.35% consumer price index (CPI) for 2023: $1,068.46
  • Accessibility Fund Program fee (no longer reduced): $133.39

CPI is calculated by the City’s Finance Division and approved by City Council. It is based on inflationary pressures for different expenditure categories. CPI applies to all licence categories.

Toronto Taxicab Licence (TTL) and Taxicab Owner (Accessible)

There are no fees associated with these licence types.

ML&S shall deny an application for, or a renewal, for all businesses required to be licenced under this chapter that 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.

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.

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.

Fees

In 2022, you will need to pay a total of $543.92 when renewing your taxicab owner licence. This includes the:

  • renewal fee with a 50 per cent reduction: $511.96
  • Accessibility Fund Program fee with a 75 per cent reduction: $31.96

The 2022 renewal fee reduction was approved by Toronto City Council to help the taxicab and limousine industry. City Council also reduced the Accessibility Fund Program fee with this expiring end of 2022.

In 2023, you will need to pay a total of $667.62, when renewing your licence. This includes the:

  • renewal fee with a 50 per cent reduction but adjusted for a 4.35% consumer price index (CPI) for 2023: $534.23
  • Accessibility Fund Program fee (no longer reduced): $133.39

CPI is calculated by the City’s Finance Division and approved by City Council. It is based on inflationary pressures for different expenditure categories. CPI applies to all licence categories.

Renew licences online

Existing licensees must renew their licences online. 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.

Renewal Forms: