An applicant can purchase an existing Taxicab Owner licence from another owner.
Sole proprietorships (individuals), partnerships or corporations.
Applications must include two pieces of identification, one must be photo ID:
Note:
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.
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.
On October 12, 2023, City Council approved extending vehicle-for-hire vehicles due for replacement by March 31, 2024 by one additional year. These vehicles are now required to be replaced by March 31, 2025. On October 12, 2023, City Council also approved an exemption for zero-emission vehicles used as vehicles-for-hire from vehicle age limits. These vehicles are not required to be replaced by a specific time. These measures are to support vehicles-for-hire achieve City Council’s net zero by 2030 goal for the industry. Learn more about when vehicles-for-hire have to be replaced.
Applications for new taxicab owner – sale licences need to be submitted online. You cannot apply for these licences in-person
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.
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
Walk-in services are available for plate pick-up/drop-off, vehicle registration and renewals Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 8:30AM subject to capacity. The office is closed from 12:30PM – 1:30PM daily.
To register a replacement vehicle the following documents can be submitted online through our Licence Management and Renewal portal:
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.
If an SSC or AIC is not provided within seven days of its due date, your business licence can be suspended.
Starting January 1, 2024, if you register a Zero-Emissions Vehicle, you can enjoy an additional 50 per cent reduction of your licensing fee in 2024. The reduction amount will vary every year up to and including 2029. Zero-emission vehicles used as vehicles-for-hire are also exempt from vehicle age limits and are not required to be replaced by a specific time. These measures are to support vehicles-for-hire achieve City Council’s net zero by 2030 goal for the industry.
Electric vehicles (EV) have other benefits, beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They cost less to operate and don’t have tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce air pollution. Learn more about EV benefits and charging options.
The vehicle:
See the approved taxicab vehicles list.
During consultations, 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.
Technical specifications of cameras:
Installation and placement of cameras:
Door activation feature of cameras:
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.
In 2024, you will need to pay a total of $1,249.92, when applying for your licence. This includes the:
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.
Starting January 1, 2024, if you register a Zero-Emissions Vehicle at the time of your licence application, you can enjoy an additional 50 per cent reduction of your licensing fee in 2024. The reduction amount will vary every year up to and including 2029. Zero-emission vehicles used as vehicles-for-hire are also exempt from vehicle age limits and are not required to be replaced by a specific time. These measures are to support vehicles-for-hire achieve City Council’s net zero by 2030 goal for the industry.
Electric vehicles (EV) have other benefits, beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They cost less to operate and don’t have tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce air pollution. Learn more about EV benefits and charging options.
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:
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.
In 2024, you will need to pay a total of $694.32, when renewing your licence. This includes the:
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.
Starting January 1, 2024, if you register a Zero-Emissions Vehicle at the time of your licence renewal, you can enjoy an additional 50 per cent reduction of your renewal fee in 2024. The reduction amount will vary every year up to and including 2029. Zero-emission vehicles used as vehicles-for-hire are also exempt from vehicle age limits and are not required to be replaced by a specific time. These measures are to support vehicles-for-hire achieve City Council’s net zero by 2030 goal for the industry.
Electric vehicles (EV) have other benefits, beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They cost less to operate and don’t have tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce air pollution. Learn more about EV benefits and charging options.
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.
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.