Remunerated Passenger Transportation by Automobile

Drivers of a taxi or a vehicle comparable to a taxi

To drive a taxi or a vehicle comparable to a taxi, you must hold the required licence and permit, carry out basic inspections and comply with the rules that govern remunerated passenger transportation by automobile.

1. A Class 5 or higher driver's licence
2. An authorized driver's permit

The authorized driver's permit is issued by the SAAQ.

If you offer or provide remunerated passenger transportation by automobile without holding a Class 5 driver’s licence and an authorized driver’s permit, your driver’s licence can be suspended and the vehicle you were driving can be seized immediately and impounded for 7, 30 or 90 days.

Authorized Driver's Permit

To obtain an authorized driver’s permit, you must:

• hold a Class 5 driver's licence or a higher class of licence and have at least 12 months of driving experience (excluding experience as a probationary licence holder)
• understand, speak and read French
• provide a certificate of no judicial record, which is a confirmation of a criminal record check. The document must be issued by a municipal police department or the Sûreté du Québec. Documents issued by private firms or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are not accepted 
• pass the mandatory training based on the territory in which you will be working
• have completed training and passed the test in one of the recognized authorized driver’s permit training centres and provide proof that you have completed training and proof that you have passed the test

For more details regarding training, contact the Québec's Ministère des Transports.

Important:

• You must hold a licence bearing Condition I, X or Y
• Your licence must not have been under a penalty at any point during the past 12 months or at the time you submitted your application

Transitional Measure

The Act respecting transportation services by taxi has been repealed and replaced by the Act respecting remunerated passenger transportation by automobile.

Given that the new training was not offered before October 10, 2020 in the recognized training centres, a transitional measure has been put into place.

To apply for an authorized driver’s permit as of October 10, 2020:

• If you have not followed or completed training, you can still obtain an authorized driver’s permit if you fulfill the other obligations.
• You have until January 9, 2021 to provide the SAAQ with proof that you have completed the training and proof that you passed the test.

As of January 10, 2021, the SAAQ may cancel the authorization granted to an authorized driver if proof of training and proof of passing the test have not been submitted.

For more details regarding training, contact Québec's Ministère des Transports.

Criminal record check

To obtain or renew an authorized driver’s permit, you must request a criminal record check.

Steps to follow

Step 1 – Fill out the Demande de verification des antécédents judiciaires – Permis de chauffeur autorisé form (in French only) before applying for or renewing your permit. Note that the criminal record check must be issued by a municipal police department or the Sûreté du Québec. Criminal record checks issued by private firms or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are not accepted. 

Step 2 – Contact your local police department to find out the steps to follow for the criminal record check.

Processing time and fees will apply.

If you do not have a criminal record

• Your permit can be issued or renewed.
• Come in person to one of our service outlet with your certificate of no judicial record, which must have been issued less than 3 months prior by the police department.

If you have a criminal record and this is your first application

Your permit cannot be issued right away.

• You can submit a request for an analysis by filling out the Demande d'analyse – Permis de chauffeur autorisé form (in French only). Be sure to enclose your criminal record history, which must have been issued less than 3 months prior by the police department.
• Your file will be reviewed by taking into account the nature of your criminal record. 

If you have a criminal record and you wish to renew your authorized driver’s permit

• You can go to one of our service outlets to hand in the duly completed request form and your criminal record history. Your permit will be renewed immediately, and your criminal record will be analyzed later. At some point during the weeks following your request, you will receive a letter indicating whether you can continue to provide remunerated passenger transportation. 
• You can send in the duly completed request form and your criminal record history by mail. Your criminal record will then be analyzed, and we will send you the result of our verifications during the following weeks. If the result is favourable, you may go to a service outlet to renew your authorized driver’s permit. 

Change of address

You have 30 days to notify us and the Commission des transports du Québec (CTQ) of a change of address.

Notifying the SAAQ

Online

Change of address

By telephone

1-800-361-7620

By mail

Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec
333, boulevard Jean-Lesage
Case postale 19600, succursale Terminus
Québec (Québec) G1K 8J6

Notifying the CTQ

Commission des transports du Québec (CTQ)

Basic Inspection

Before each new work shift, you are required to check certain components of your taxi or automobile comparable to a taxi, such as:

• the brake fluid level
• the hand brake
• the headlights and lights
• the tires and tire valves
• the horn
• the windshield wipers and washer fluid
• the rear-view mirrors
• the dome light (for taxis)
• the battery charge state (for electric vehicles)
• the ramp, platform lift and anchorages (for adapted vehicles)

You must record your observations in a basic inspection report and keep it in the vehicle as evidence that the inspection has been performed.

Other obligations

Other obligations, under the authority of the Ministère des Transports, must be fulfilled, such as:

• keeping the following documents in the vehicle:
  • the authorized driver’s permit
  • the vehicle's attestation of authorization
  • a copy of your lease agreement or employment contract
  • your training certificates
  • your taximeter's compliance certificate, if applicable
• displaying the government accessory at the prescribed place
• abiding by the rules of ethics and cleanliness
• charging a fare in compliance with regulatory requirements

Last update: January 11, 2022