Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 815 - Division of Public Utilities and Carriers
Chapter 50 - Common Carriers
Subchapter 10 - Motor Carriers of Passengers
Part 3 - Rules and Regulations for Licensing Operators Transporting Passengers in Taxicabs, Limited Public Motor Vehicles and Public Motor Vehicles (815-RICR-50-10-3)
Section 815-RICR-50-10-3.5 - Division Licensing Procedure

Universal Citation: 815 RI Code of Rules 50 10 3.5

Current through September 18, 2024

A. Individuals who apply for a hackney operator's license must supply to the Division the following information:

1. Name

2. Date of Birth

3. Address (residence and mailing, if applicable)

4. Telephone Number

5. Social Security Number (Disclosure is voluntary, see Appendix A)

6. Driver's License Number (including type and class)

7. Employer (if applicable)

8. Original certified copies of the applicant's driving record obtained from the Division of Motor Vehicles and record of all criminal convictions obtained from the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) of the Department of the Attorney General. Said record checks must have been obtained by the applicant within thirty (30) days of the submission of the license application.

9. Proof that applicant is a citizen of the United States or otherwise legally permitted to work within the State of Rhode Island.

B. The Motor Carriers Section of the Division shall approve or disapprove all applications for a "hackney operator's license" as soon as practicable within ten (10) business days after receiving the required documentation/information. This time period may be extended for not more than thirty (30) days, for just cause, by the Division, with notice of the extension to the applicant.

1. A Motor Carriers Section compliance inspector shall review the entire application presented (including driving record and BCI record). If approved, the applicant will receive a Hackney Operator's License, which shall be carried at all times while operating a taxicab, LPMV or PMV. If approved, said license will be valid for one year only. Any license issued remains the property of the Division at all times and must be surrendered to the Division immediately upon request.

2. A Motor Carriers Section compliance inspector shall review the driving record and BCI record presented by the applicant and an individual's application shall be denied by the inspector if the applicant has been:

a. Convicted or adjudicated of two (2) moving violations within a 12-month period during the last 36 months; or

b. Convicted or adjudicated of three (3) moving violations within the previous 36-month period; or

c. Convicted or adjudicated of three (3) non-moving violations (excluding parking tickets) within a 12-month period during the previous 36-month period; or

d. Involved in three (3) accidents within the previous 24-month period; or

e. Convicted or adjudicated of an alcohol-related offense within the previous five (5) years; or

f. Convicted of a traffic offense in District Court within the previous five (5) years; or

g. Convicted of a misdemeanor within the previous one (1) year or a series of misdemeanors within the previous five (5) years; or

h. Convicted of a felony within the previous ten (10) years.

3. Providing false or incomplete information on an application shall result in automatic denial of application.

4. If an application is denied by an inspector, the applicant may first request that the Associate Administrator of the Motor Carriers Section reconsider the application. The applicant shall write a letter to the Associate Administrator, in which the applicant requests reconsideration and offers a satisfactory explanation for the circumstances that warranted the initial denial. Upon reconsideration, the Associate Administrator may:

a. Issue a license without restrictions

b. Issue a license with probationary restrictions

c. Uphold the denial

5. If the Associate Administrator upholds the denial or proposes to issue a license with probationary restrictions, the applicant may request a full reconsideration hearing before a Division hearing officer by sending a letter addressed to the Administrator. At said hearing, the applicant shall be given notice and an opportunity to be heard and maintains the right to be represented by counsel at his/her own expense.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Rhode Island may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

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