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START WITH YOUR

COMMUNITY

If you are considering operating a taxi and/or a

limousine business, the first step is to visit your

town office. Some Maine communities have

licensing requirements and other rules and

regulations that must be observed.

The next step is to check with your local and

regional airport officials. Airports may also have

separate licensing requirements and/or regulations.

CALL YOUR INSURANCE

COMPANY

Insurance premiums are one of the most expensive

things about operating for hire. Minimum liability

insurance coverage amounts for an intrastate for-

hire vehicle are based on the vehicle’s passenger

carrying capacity behind the driver’s seat as

The following minimum liability insurance amounts

apply to vehicles used in a taxi or limousine service

to transport passengers for hire exclusively

between points within the state (intrastate

operation):

• A sedan that can carry no more than three

passengers behind the driver’s seat requires a

minimum of $125,000 combined single limit

(CSL) liability coverage or split limit liability

coverage of $50,000 per person, $100,000 per

occurrence for bodily injury, and $25,000 for

property damage.

• A van or limousine designed to carry four to

seven passengers behind the driver’s seat

requires a minimum of $300,000 CSL liability

coverage.

• A van or limousine designed to carry eight to

fifteen passengers behind the driver’s seat

requires $750,000 CSL liability coverage.

A vehicle used in a taxi or limousine service to

transport passengers for hire between points within

the state and points outside the state (interstate

operation) with a seating capacity of 15 passengers

or less (including the driver) requires $1,500,000

CSL liability coverage.

For vehicles designed to carry sixteen or more

passengers behind the driver’s seat, please call the

Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Operating

Authority Unit for information on ‘Running a Bus

Service in the State of Maine’.

The Secretary of State requires a JB filing (State of

Maine Insurance Certificate For-Hire Passenger

Vehicle) with your liability insurance information be

on file with the BMV, Operating Authority Unit

before you can register your for-hire vehicle. The

name on the JB filing(s) must be the legal name

under which the taxi/limousine will be operated.

Example: JOHN DOE D/B/A JOHN’S TAXI. An

incorporated business will operate under the legal

business name. Example: JOHN DOE LIMOUSINE

SERVICE INC. The legal name and physical

address on the vehicle registration must exactly

match the legal name and physical address

appearing on the JB filing(s). The JB filing requires

a State of Maine form. The Operating Authority Unit

can provide these forms to your insurance company

if necessary.

Since the JB filings are completed by the

underwriting insurance companies and not your

agent, they may take awhile to arrive. The form(s)

may be faxed, E-mailed or mailed to the Operating

Authority Unit. To save you time, it is suggested

that you contact the Operating Authority Unit to

make sure that your JB filing(s) is on file with the

Bureau before you attempt to register your vehicle.

GETTING HIRE PLATES

Taxis, vans and limousines operated for hire are

required to have HIRE plates (class TX) on the

vehicle(s). The current registration fee for HIRE

plates is $70.00. Vanity HIRE plates are available

for an additional $25.00 charge for up to seven

characters.

You must register your vehicle at your nearest

Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch office after paying

your excise tax at your town office.

OTHER INFORMATION

Maine does not have a chauffeur’s license or any

other special license requirements for operating a

for-hire vehicle with fewer than 15 passengers other

than a Class C license. Interstate or foreign

operation may require a special license from a

given state or country. Please contact the state(s)

or country that you plan to travel through.

For information regarding taxi weights and

measures, contact the Department of Agriculture,

Quality Assurance & Regulations Division at (207)

287-3841.

For-hire carriers that operate vehicles carrying more

than eight passengers (including the driver) will

need to:

• Obtain a USDOT number from the Federal

Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

• Comply with the requirements of the Unified

Carrier Registration (UCR) Agreement if

operating interstate.

Interstate for hire operation requires federal

operating authority (a Motor Carrier number) from

FMCSA.

WHERE TO CALL

The FMCSA can be reached either via their website

at http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov or by calling 1-800-

832-5660.

Or you may call The Bureau of Motor Vehicles,

Operating Authority Unit with any questions

concerning insurance or operating authority

requirements at (207) 624-9000 Ext. 52131. The fax

number is (207) 622-5332.

03/18/2022