What are the conditions of authorisation?

Once authorised, you are responsible for ensuring your business operates legally and complies with any conditions of your authorisation. The following standard authorisation conditions apply for both Taxi Service Providers and Booking Service Providers:

1. Compliance with safety standards
2. Meeting all record keeping requirements, in a form that is accessible from or can be made available in NSW
3. Compliance with the Passenger Service Levy*
4. Providing written notice to the Commission within 7 days of any change of business address, and
5. Providing written notice to the Commission within 21 days of changes to nominated managers or directors (for an authorisation held by a body corporate)

Penalties of up to $110,000 apply for anyone providing an unauthorised taxi or booking service, while drivers will face penalties if they take bookings or carry out passenger services from unauthorised service providers. Penalties are much higher for subsequent offences.

For more information, read the Do you need to be authorised? fact sheet.

If you carry on the business of taking bookings for taxis and hire vehicles to provide passenger services, you are a booking service provider. This includes drivers taking their own bookings.

Before you can take bookings to offer a point to point transport service, you must:

• Apply for Authorisation
• Register for access to the Industry Portal

You will also need to Register as a taxpayer with the Commission to pay the Passenger Service Levy*

There are some requirements that are unique to Booking Service Providers under the new legislation.

• You must give passengers driver and vehicle details at the time of booking
• You must ensure hire vehicles have signage that clearly identifies them
• Records of all passenger service transactions must be kept for at least two years

*Note: The Passenger Service Levy does not commence until 1 February 2018.

A business that provides passenger services in a licenced taxi is known as a Taxi Service Provider under the new point to point legislation in NSW.

Unless you are affiliated to an authorised Taxi Service Provider, before you can offer a point to point taxi service you must:

• Register for access to the Industry Portal
• Apply for authorisation
• Register as a taxpayer with the Commission to pay the Passenger Service Levy*

There are some requirements that are unique to Taxi Service Providers under the new legislation.

• Only taxis can pick up customers from ranks or be hailed in the street
• Taxis must have a roof light and sign displaying the word ‘TAXI’
• Duress alarms and vehicle tracking systems need to be installed in all taxis operating in Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and Newcastle
• New specifications for fare calculation devices (meters) and security cameras will be phased in by late 2018

The Commissioner can vary, suspend or cancel an authorisation if the provider:

• doesn’t comply with the general standards outlined in the Point to Point Transport Regulations
• fails to comply with any conditions imposed on their authorisation
• fails to comply with the law and regulation
• is providing a service that may cause danger to the public

If a provider is dissatisfied with a decision to vary, suspend or cancel their authorisation, the provider may apply for an internal review or appeal directly to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. If the provider remains dissatisfied with the outcome of an internal review, the provider can appeal to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a further review.