The City of Oshawa has a comprehensive by-law that modernizes the City's standards for our local Vehicle-for-Hire (V.F.H.) industry, including Taxis, Transportation Network Companies (e.g. Uber, Lyft, etc.), Designated Driving (D.D.) Services, and Limousines. Vehicle-for-Hire By-law 31-2022 is available online.
T.N.C. drivers (e.g. Uber and Lyft drivers) do not require a City licence. T.N.C.s must screen their drivers based on the City’s criteria.
Lists of currently licensed companies and brokers will be available online:
Drivers (taxicab, limousine, and D.D.) | ||||||||||
People who drive taxicabs, limousines, or for D.D. services must have a City-licensed Driver licence. This licence does not apply to T.N.C. drivers (T.N.C.s screen their drivers on behalf of the City). You can apply for or renew your City-licensed Driver licence here. You can also apply by dropping off a completed application at City Hall. The annual licence fee is $75. To apply for a licence, you will have to submit the following:
Applicants must:
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Taxicab Brokers and Owners | ||||||||||
People or companies who hold Taxicab Broker licences operate licensed taxicab vehicles. You can apply for or renew your Taxicab Broker licence here. You can also apply by dropping off a completed application at City Hall. The annual Taxicab Broker licence fee is $250. To apply for a licence, you will have to submit the following:
The Plate Issuance Eligibility List (P.I.E.L.) tracks who may be eligible for a Taxicab Owner licence. Note: The P.I.E.L. and plate limits do not apply to Accessible Taxicabs. You can apply for your Taxicab Owner licence here. You can also apply by submitting a completed application at City Hall. The annual Taxicab Owner licence fee is $250. To apply for a licence, you will have to submit the following:
To have your name added to the Plate Issuance Eligibility List (P.I.E.L.) you must contact the Licensing Department for application details and requirements.
Online Change of Vehicle Application available or drop off application at City Hall. |
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T.N.C.s | ||||||||||
T.N.C.s are companies that connect paying passengers with drivers of private vehicles-for-hire solely through a mobile app. Examples of T.N.C.s include Uber and Lyft. The annual fee for a T.N.C. licence depends on the number of affiliated drivers.
T.N.C.s must also pay the City a Per Trip Fee of $0.11 for each ride started in Oshawa. Please note that the City invoices all fees for T.N.C.s. You can apply for or renew your T.N.C. licence here. You can also apply by dropping off a completed application at City Hall. To apply for a licence, you will have to submit the following:
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D.D. Brokers | ||||||||||
Designated Driving (D.D.) Services involve the transportation of a vehicle owned by a person (and passengers) by a Designated Driver. D.D. Brokers are the people or companies who arrange the D.D. Services. You can apply for or renew your D.D. Broker licence here. You can also apply by dropping off a completed application at City Hall. The annual D.D. Broker licence fee is $250. To apply for a licence, you will have to submit the following:
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Limousine Owners | ||||||||||
Limousines are vehicles (not including taxicabs) used for pre-arranged transportation services. They operate on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. This includes services like companion drivers and traditional limousine providers. You can apply for or renew your Limousine Owner licence here. You can also apply by dropping off a completed application at City Hall. The annual Limousine Owner licence fee is $250. To apply for a licence, you will have to submit the following:
Online Change of Vehicle Application available or drop off application at City Hall. |
Vehicle-for-Hire By-law 31-2022 details the operating standards for each type of Vehicle-for-Hire.
Examples of operating standards include:
Please refer to Vehicle-for-Hire By-law 31-2022 for a complete list of operating standards.
If you have a complaint about an Accessible Taxicab delay in service, you can access the On-Demand Accessible Taxicab Delay in Service Complaint Form.
Rates include Harmonized Sales Tax. All taxicabs must prominently display tariff cards.
Taxicab Tariffs | Rate |
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First 132 metres or part thereof | $3.75 |
Each additional 132 metres or part thereof | $0.25 |
Waiting time while under engagement, for each 33.1 seconds | $0.25 |
For each package or piece of luggage handled by driver in excess of four (4) pieces | $0.30 |
Wheelchairs, walkers, etc. | No Charge |
Debit Service Charge | Up to $1.75 |
The City assessed feedback gathered from an extensive industry and public consultation process to form the City’s Vehicle-for-Hire By-law.
The City undertook extensive industry stakeholder and public consultation in 2017 that engaged the public, Taxi Industry, Designated Driving (D.D.) services, and Transportation Network Companies (T.N.C.s). The City held five consultation sessions and received online feedback through Connect Oshawa.
On June 10, 2019, Council directed staff to proceed with the next steps to modernize and harmonize, where possible, standards associated with the Vehicle-for-Hire Industry (e.g. Taxi, Designated Driving, T.N.C., and Limousine Industries). Report CORP-19-57 "Modernizing and Harmonizing Vehicle-for-Hire Industry Standards in the City of Oshawa" provides details of this initiative and Report CORP-19-61 "Anticipated Timeline for Modernizing Vehicle-for-Hire Standards and Harmonizing Penalty/Fine Amount" provides the Council-approved timing.
The Council approved process included:
Initial Industry-specific Stakeholder Consultation Sessions (October 2019) |
As part of the Council-approved process, the City initiated its first round of Industry-specific Stakeholder Consultation Sessions. The purpose of the first round of Consultation Sessions was to re-engage Oshawa’s V.F.H. Industry, affirm the feedback received in the 2017 Consultation Process, discuss regulatory policy options used in other municipalities, and obtain feedback. |
Special Meeting to Consider Proposed Regulatory Policy Options (November 20, 2019) |
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Second Public and Industry Stakeholder Consultation (June 16, 2020 to July 6, 2020) |
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Special Meeting to Consider Recommended Regulatory Policy Options (October 20, 2020) |
Committee considered Report CORP-20-34 "Modernizing Vehicle-For-Hire Standards in the City of Oshawa: Regulatory Options" at its special meeting at 9:30 a.m. on October 20, 2020. Information about the special meeting including the agenda, report, and web stream link is available on the special meeting webpage. |