Vehicles for Hire

Home | Bicycle Courier
Charter Bus, Van, Motor Stage (Coach), School Cab or School Shuttle Van (School Bus)
Driver Instruction Vehicle | Horse-drawn Carriage | Limousine | Pedicab | Taxicab
Tow Truck | U-Drive (Rental Car) | Fees

Charter Bus, Van, Motor Stage (Coach), School Cab or School Shuttle Van (School Bus)

If you will be operating a charter bus, charter van, motor stage (coach), school cab or school shuttle van (school bus), you will need to obtain a vehicles for hire licence. You will be required to complete and submit a Vehicles for Hire Application Form (137kb) with payment of the appropriate fee of $159.00 per vehicle.

Before we can issue you a vehicles for hire licence plate for your Charter Bus, Charter Van, Motor Stage (Coach), School Cab (School Bus) or School Shuttle Van (School Bus), you must already have or apply for a Vehicles for Hire Office licence. You will be required to complete and submit a Vehicles for Hire Application Form (137kb) with payment of the appropriate fee of $126 plus a non-refundable application fee of $50. If the Vehicles for Hire Office is located in a residence in the City of Vancouver, you will also be required to complete and submit a Vehicles for Hire Home-Based Licence Application Form (45kb).

If you will be operating a school cab or a school shuttle van (school bus), you will also need to obtain a chauffeur's permit. A chauffeur's permit is required to be held by a chauffeur pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Act and protects the safety and security of passengers of these companies. To qualify for one, you must apply in person at the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) at 312 Main Street. You must have a Class 4 driver's licence under the Motor Vehicle Act and will be required to complete a police background check.

You will also need to obtain a licence from the Passenger Transportation Branch . A passenger transportation licence is issued under the Passenger Transportation Act and Passenger Transportation Regulation and is required for individuals and companies who operate commercial passenger vehicles in British Columbia.

Charter Bus
A motor vehicle having a seating capacity of 10 or more passengers with all seats facing forward, operated as a sightseeing venture over a fixed or predetermined route of travel and charging a certain sum per person for each trip or by charter to transport persons on a prearranged basis to a specified location.

Charter Van
A motor vehicle having a seating capacity of not less than 6 and not more than 9 passengers and used for carrying persons and their equipment by charter to destinations outside the City where arrangements respecting the vehicle have been made prior to its arrival to pick up passengers.

Motor Stage
A motor vehicle having a seating capacity of 12 or more passengers used for the carrying of persons from the City and operated at any time or from time to time over a route or between fixed termini or on a regular time or toll schedule.

School Cab (School Bus)
A motor vehicle used for the conveyance of children to or from school and operated by or under contract with the owner or person in charge of the school.

School Shuttle Van (School Bus)
A motor vehicle having a seating capacity of which is not less than 6 passengers nor more than 9, where the exclusive use of which is to transport, between home and pre-school or school only, children from pre-schoolers to Grade 12 students; and in respect of which the owner or operator of the motor vehicle contracts with a person for its hire before the motor vehicles's arrival to pick up any passengers.

For additional information, please see the Vehicles for Hire By-law No. 6066 (165kb).

[top]