WASHINGTON DC TAXICAB/LIMOUSINE CERTIFICATE OF OPERATING AUTHORITY GUIDE
Registered Agent Service for Your Taxicab/Limousine Certificate of Operating Authority
Just like everything else in Washington DC, obtaining a taxicab/limousine Certificate of Operating Authority is only one step in successfully running a taxicab/limousine company in Washington DC or independently driving a taxicab/limousine in Washington DC. And even just this one step is a complicated, multi-step, many-tasked process. We’ll start off by letting you know right away that you will be required to have a registered agent and we’re ready to help make choosing the right one as simple as possible.
Here at Washington DC Registered Agent LLC, unlike Washington DC, we’re straightforward, easy to navigate, and sympathetic to those who get frustrated when they’re tangled in red tape. Our registered agent service is, quite frankly, unbeatable. For $49, you get 365 complete days of quality, no-gimmicks, trustworthy registered agent service that protects your personal information and provides your company with at least one uncomplicated task: choosing the best registered agent service in DC.
Do I need to apply for a Certificate of Operating Authority?
All taxicab and limo drivers in the District of Columbia are required to apply for a Certificate of Operating Authority each year by submitting an application to the Washington DC Department of Fire-Hire Vehicles. Even if you are an independent driver, you must submit the annual application and fee for a Certificate of Operating Authority.
How much does it cost to apply?
Taxicab Company: $475
Taxicab Association: $475
Independent Taxicab Driver: $250
Do I need a registered agent for a Washington DC Certificate of Operating Authority?
Yes. All applicants, regardless if you are applying as a company or as an independent driver, must appoint a DC resident agent for service of legal process (which is the same thing as a registered agent).
Washington DC Registered Agent LLC offers straight-forward, affordable, and easy to renew registered agent service for $49 a year. That’s 365 days of one less thing to worry about.
Do I need to complete any tasks before I apply?
If you are applying for a Certificate of Operating Authority for the first time, you will need to complete the following tasks before you complete and file the application.
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Register your Company
If you have not formed or registered your Washington DC taxicab or limousine company in the District of Columbia yet, this is the first step. Depending on what kind of legal business entity your company is operating as, the requirements are unique and the process will be different. For more information on how to form an LLC in DC, check out our LLC formation page. If you incorporating your business, check out the Incorporation Guide.
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Obtain an EIN
Once your company is registered with the District of Columbia, you must obtain an EIN from the Internal Revenue Service. This process can be completed entirely online at the IRS website.
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Register to Pay Local Taxes
When you register to pay taxes in DC, you will be issued a DC tax identification number. This number is required to complete the Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Business Corporation.
How do I apply for a Certificate of Operating Authority?
To apply for a Certificate of Operating Authority, you must fill out the Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Business Corporation and include all of the requested attachments in your application packet. Once you have all of the materials required, you can proceed to file for your Certificate of operating Authority. A fillable PDF of the Application for New Operating Authority is available for download online. The application is broken down into seven sections labeled “A” through “G.”
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Section A
In Section A, you are required to identify what kind of business you are applying as.
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Section B
Section B requires that you provide the your name or the name of your company, depending on what kind of entity you are applying as. You must also provide a business address. This address must be a physical address. A PO box address is not permitted.
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When you hire Washington DC Registered Agent LLC to serve as your registered agent, we list our address here.
In addition to your business address, you must also include a fax number, an email address, your DC Tax ID Number and your EIN.
You are also required to provide a copy of your current District of Columbia Occupancy Permit identified as “Attachment B-1.” If you have not yet applied for an Occupancy Permit, check out our guides on getting a DC Certificate of Occupancy or a DC Home Occupation Permit.
Lastly, you must include the letter or coupon you received from the DC Office of Tax and Revenue. If you are including a letter, identify it as “Attachment B-2.” If you are including a coupon, identify it as, “Attachment B-3.”
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Section C
Section C requires that you provide information about your legal business entity structure.
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You are required to include a current Certificate of Good Standing, labeled as “Attachment C-1,” and a copy of the Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Incorporation, and your bylaws/partnership agreement, if applicable. Label these documents as “Attachment C-2.” You must also include a copy of the prior year’s filed federal and local income tax returns. These documents should be labeled “Attachment C-3.”
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Section D
You provide resident agent information for all legal service of process in Section D of the application. Your resident agent must have a physical street address located in the District of Columbia. Washington DC Registered Agent LLC lists our address here when you hire us as your registered agent.
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Section E
You are required to provide a list of all customer fees include the membership fee, the dispatch fee, the insurance fee, and the rental fee (if applicable). Label this attachment “Attachment E-1.”
You are also required to include “Attachment E-2,” which is an attestation that all vehicles in your fleet are painted in the uniform color scheme and which ones, if any, are not.
Section E also requires that you provide an electronic copy of your vehicle list report in a spreadsheet template. Title this document, “Attachment E-3.”
If you you are applying as a limousine company, you must provide a list of all licensed drivers who use, own, or operate any vehicle in your fleet. Provide the full name of the driver, their birth date, their permit number, their licensing state, and their vehicle number. This document should be called, “Attachment E-4.”
The last requirement of this section is a ticket report obtained from the Bureau of Traffic Adjudication. This should be titled, “Attachment E-5.”
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Section F
Section F requires that you provide the name, address, contact information, and signature of anyone who is authorized to sign for all licenses, permits, and official business documents.
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Section G
In Section G, you must validate by signature that all information provided is factual and provide any information regarding any completed or pending legal proceedings involving you or your company. You must also sign to verify that you are familiar with the laws and rules applicable to your business. This section must be notarized by a Notary of the Public.
In addition to the attachments listed in the sections of the applications, you must also provide the following:
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Clean Hands Self-Certification
The Clean Hands Self-Certification is a certificate, verified by your signature, that states that you do not owe the District of Columbia Government more than $100.
Learn more about obtaining a Clean Hands Self-Certification Form
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Certificate-of-Identity Information Document
When you submit your application and application materials at the Client Services Division Office, you are required to fill out a from that states the name of the company and any persons authorized to sign on behalf of you or the company.
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List of Types of Taxicabs & Taxicab Services Provided
If applicable, you will also need to include a list of the types of taxicabs you have the kind of taxicab services you or your company provides (such as dispatch service, wheelchair accessibility, etc.)
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Insurance Verification
You must also provide verification that you or your company has applied for and is pre-approved for insurance compliant to the DC insurance code.
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Certificate Regarding Pre-Application Vehicle Operations
You can download a copy of the Certificate Regarding Pre-Application Vehicle Operations from the Department of For Hire Vehicles website. Include this completed document with your application materials.
How do I submit my application and application materials?
You must submit your application, application materials, and fee to the Client Service Department Office of the Department of For-Hire Vehicles in-person. Applications are not accepted online.
The Client Services Department Office is located at:
2001/Executive Offices Suite 3001
2235 Shannon Place SE,
Washington DC, 20020
You can contact the Client Services Department Office by phone at:
(202) 645-7300.
The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
What is the best way to submit my materials?
The Washington DC Department of For Hire Vehicles recommends that all applicants submit their application and application materials on a flash drive or CD.
I have submitted my application. What’s next?
After you submit your application, application materials, and fee, your application will be reviewed. Once it is approved, you will receive the Certificate of Operating Authority or a letter stating when the Certificate will be ready. It takes about fifteen business days for applications to be processed.
How do I renew my Certificate of Operating Authority?
You must renew your Certificate of Operating Authority every year. You can submit your renewal application within forty-five (45) days of the expiration date.
What happens if I do not renew my Certificate of Operating Authority?
If you do not renew your Certificate of Operating Authority with fifteen (15) days after the expiration date, you will be required to pay a late fee of $25. If you do not renew within thirty (30) days, this fee increases to $50. If you do not renew within forty-five (45) days, the fee increases to $100.
If you have failed to renew after forty-five days post-expiration, the fee is $150 and you will be required to take a training course before you can successfully renew your Certificate of operating Authority.
If you do not renew within a year, you must apply for a new license.
When is the deadline to apply for or renew a Certificate of Operating Authority?
The deadline to apply for or renew a 2022 Certificate of Operating Authority is December 14, 2021.