Taxis

Annual licences for new metropolitan taxi operators

Restrictions have been removed on the number of taxis that can operate in metropolitan Adelaide.

You can apply for an annual taxi licence to operate a metropolitan taxi if you:

• plan to enter the taxi industry and have taxi operator accreditation
• currently operate a metropolitan taxi and would like to obtain an additional licence.

The following applies:

• the accredited operator must be the registered owner of the taxi vehicle
• the annual licence can only relate to one vehicle, which must be covered by a current Certificate of Inspection
• the annual licence cannot be leased, sold, or transferred to another person or business
• the annual licence has a 12-month duration, unless accreditation or other conditions are not in place
• the vehicle is to be fitted out as a taxi by an approved installer
• the licence holder must participate in a Centralised Booking Service (CBS).

All taxi operators can continue to allow an accredited person to drive their taxi.

Before you apply for a new annual taxi licence

Step 1 – Obtain taxi operator accreditation

If you don’t have taxi operator accreditation you must obtain accreditation before you apply for an annual taxi licence. Learn more about how to obtain accreditation.

If you hold taxi operator accreditation you can proceed to the next step.

Step 2 – Equip your vehicle

You must contact your nominated CBS to have your vehicle fitted with:

• necessary taxi equipment (dispatch system, security camera, meter)
• livery.

Step 3 – Arrange vehicle inspection

Once the vehicle has been fitted with the required equipment, you will need to arrange for the vehicle to be inspected as a taxi.

Book your inspection.

When your vehicle passes inspection, you will be issued with:

• a passed Certificate of Inspection
• an inspection triangle label.

How to apply

When the taxi vehicle is ready for service, you can attend a Service SA centre to lodge your application. You must submit:

• MR1715 – Annual Taxi Licence Application form (270.5 KB PDF)
• MR1504 - Change of plate and premium class form (173.0 KB PDF)

You will need to pay a plate allocation fee of $31.

There is no cost for an annual taxi licence.

After you apply

When your new annual licence is issued, Service SA will:

• Update your Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance and registration to metropolitan taxi. There may be an increase to your registration fees as a result
• Issue you with a Series 5000 taxi number plate, issued sequentially, to allocate to the vehicle registered in the applicant’s name
• Issue you with a MR242 - Certificate of Annual Taxi Licence.

Your CBS will program the taxi equipment with the new plate number. All approvals will then be recorded by the CBS.

Annual licences for existing metropolitan taxi operators

The South Australian government will cancel perpetual metropolitan taxi licences, issue payments in connection with cancellations and begin issuing annual taxi licences. See metropolitan taxi licence cancellation payments.

Perpetual metropolitan taxi licence operators will need to apply by 30 April 2026 for a new annual taxi licence to continue operating a metropolitan taxi.

During this period, you can continue to operate under a metropolitan taxi licence until the licence is cancelled, and you are issued with a replacement annual licence.

There is no charge for an annual taxi licence.

The new annual licence:

• will only be issued to an accredited operator
• is required to be issued to an accredited operator who is the registered owner of the taxi vehicle
• will only relate to one vehicle, which must be covered by a current Certificate of Inspection
• will not be able to be leased, sold, or transferred to another person or business
• will have a 12-month duration, unless accreditation or other conditions are not in place.

All perpetual metropolitan taxi licences will be cancelled by 30 April 2026.

Taxi number plates

Existing taxi operators who apply for a new annual licence will be issued with a new taxi number plate. These plates have a new design.

Existing operators that have a taxi vehicle registered in their name (or company name) can:

• keep the taxi plate number assigned to the vehicle when they apply for a new annual taxi licence; or
• apply for a new taxi plate number when they apply for a new annual taxi licence.

There is no charge for operators to:

• apply for a new taxi plate number
• receive a new taxi number plate.

The new design number plates can be collected from Service SA. Existing operators will need to contact Service SA on 13 10 84 prior to attending a centre to arrange for their new design number plate to be produced. Existing operators will receive a letter with more information which they can present to Service SA.

Metropolitan taxi licence cancellation payments

The South Australian government will cancel perpetual metropolitan taxi licences, issue payments in connection to cancellations and begin issuing annual taxi licences.

Taxi licence holders have received a $10,000 payment for each perpetual metropolitan taxi licence they hold. Payments will be made via cheque. Taxi licence holders don't need to apply for this payment.

Licence holders may be eligible for an additional payment of $190,000 for their first perpetual metropolitan taxi licence.

Eligibility for this payment will be determined through an application and assessment process in accordance with the prescribed scheme.

See metropolitan taxi licence cancellation payments to learn more about eligibility requirements for the $190,000 payment, and to apply.

There will be a separate cancellation and payment scheme for Access Taxi licence holders (General licences with special conditions) at a future stage.

If you registered to attend an information session on the taxi licence cancellation payments, your registration and enquiry has been received and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport will contact you directly.

If you have questions, you can email our support team on DIT.Metropolitantaxilicence@sa.gov.au or call Service SA on 13 10 84.

Other application forms

If you are an Access Taxi operator or would like to decommission a metropolitan taxi, you can complete one of the below application forms:

Accreditation booking services

See Passenger booking services for a full list of South Australian accredited booking services.

See the Australian Taxi Industry Association website for a list of authorised smartphone apps for booking taxis in South Australia.

Related information

On this site

• Access taxis
• Taxi driver and operator accreditation
• $2 Levy form (97.1 KB PDF)

Other websites

• Taxi Council of South Australia
• Chauffeured Vehicle Association of South Australia
• South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme
• Non-SATSS Access Taxi Card