A. A vehicle for hire company may not operate in this state unless the vehicle for hire company is issued a permit by the department. The vehicle for hire company may apply to the department on forms prescribed by the department. The permit is valid for three years. The department shall charge and collect an application fee of twenty-four dollars per vehicle that is used as a taxi by the vehicle for hire company at the time of application, not to exceed a total of one thousand dollars per applicant.

Attorney's Note

Under the Arizona Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class 2 misdemeanorup to 4 monthsup to $750
For details, see § 13-707

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 28-9503

  • Department: means the department of transportation acting directly or through its duly authorized officers and agents. See Arizona Laws 28-101
  • Livery vehicle: means a motor vehicle that:

    (a) Has a seating capacity not exceeding fifteen passengers including the driver. See Arizona Laws 28-101

  • Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • State: means a state of the United States and the District of Columbia. See Arizona Laws 28-101
  • Taxi: means a motor vehicle that has a seating capacity not exceeding fifteen passengers, including the driver, that provides passenger services and that:

    (a) Does not primarily operate on a regular route or between specified places. See Arizona Laws 28-101

  • Taxi meter: means a device that automatically calculates at a predetermined rate the charge for the hire of a vehicle and that indicates the charge. See Arizona Laws 28-9501
  • Vehicle for hire: means a taxi, livery vehicle or limousine. See Arizona Laws 28-9501
  • Vehicle for hire company: means a company that offers local transportation through use of a taxi, livery vehicle or limousine or a combination of taxis, livery vehicles or limousines. See Arizona Laws 28-9501

B. The department shall issue a permit to an applicant that meets the requirements of this article.

C. A vehicle for hire company shall maintain an agent for service of process in this state.

D. If a fare is based on time or mileage or both time and mileage, a taxi shall have a taxi meter, except that if the service offered by the taxi is a prearranged ground transportation service as prescribed in section 28-141 for a predetermined fare, the taxi is not required to use the taxi meter.

E. The department shall revoke a permit if the vehicle for hire company fails to maintain the requirements for either of the following:

1. Motor vehicle licensing as prescribed by the department.

2. Motor vehicle insurance as prescribed by section 28-4033.

F. A vehicle for hire shall have a copy of the permit issued to the vehicle for hire company under this chapter inside the vehicle at all times.

G. A taxi that is issued a permit by the department and that offers local transportation for a fare determined on the basis of the distance traveled or prearranged ground transportation service as prescribed in section 28-141 for a predetermined fare is not required to have an additional permit as a livery vehicle.

H. A person or the person’s agent who knowingly files with the department any notice, statement or other document required under this section that is false or that contains any material misstatement of fact is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.