Notices and Regulations

All notices of public hearings, draft director's rules, and final director's rules relevant to taxis, for-hire vehicles and transportation network companies are posted on this page.

Municipal code and ordinance

Section 6.310 of the Seattle Municipal Code governs taxis, for-hire vehicles and transportation network companies. Beginning on July 15, 2014, Ordinance 124524 established new regulations for the taxi, for-hire and transportation network company industry in Seattle.

Director's rules

Director's rules relating to the taxi, for-hire and transportation network company industry are available on the Finance and Administrative Services website.

Proposed policy and fee changes
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic which has significantly affected the for-hire industry, and the City of Seattle's Consumer Protection Division (CPD) and King County's Records and Licensing Services (RALS) Division have taken action to provide relief to owners of taxicab and for-hire vehicle medallions in the following ways:

The Consumer Protection Division (CPD) has issued a rule (FOR-HIRE-TRANSPORTATION-2021-02) to reduce the City's medallion and related fees for the 2022 medallion year (beginning July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022).  The rule:

  1. Reduces the annual medallion (license) fee from $500 to $300,
  2. Reduces the late fee (medallion (license) renewal) from $60 to $30,
  3. Reduces the change of vehicle medallion owner (licensee) July - December fee from $500 to $300,
  4. Reduces the change of vehicle medallion owner (licensee) January - June (half year) fee from $250 to $150,
  5. Reduces the taxicab association annual fee from $1,000 to $100, and
  6. Reduces the for-hire driver's annual license fee from $50 to $25.

King County's Records and Licensing Services (RALS) reduced the County's annual licensing fees for medallions, for-hire driver licenses, and association/company licenses effective May 10, 2021. The fee changes include:

  1. Reduces the annual medallion (license) fee from $200 to $100,
  2. Reduces the change of vehicle medallion owner (licensee) July - December fee from $200 to $100,
  3. Reduces the change of vehicle medallion owner (licensee) January - June (half year) fee from $100 to $50,
  4. Reduces the taxicab association and for-hire company annual fee:
    • One to 15 vehicles - from $125 to $65
    • Sixteen to 25 vehicles - from $250 to $125
    • Twenty-six or more vehicles - from $500 to $250, and
  5. Reduces the for-hire driver's annual license fee from $44 to $24.

The Consumer Protection Division (CPD) has issued a rule (FOR-HIRE-TRANSPORTATION-2021-03) to reduce the annual estimated Wheelchair Accessible Services (WAS) surcharge by 80 percent for the period beginning April 1, 2020 (paid during the medallion renewal process for the 2022 licensing year, beginning July 1, 2021), reflecting the steep decline in the number of trips provided over the last year. The rule:

  1. Reduces the estimated WAS Surcharge for City-only and dual (City and County) taxi medallions from $145 to $29 per year, and
  2. Reduces the estimated WAS Surcharge for County-only taxi medallions and all for-hire vehicle medallions from $85 to $17 per year.

Temporary suspension of the 10-year vehicle age limit remains in place while the City and County propose legislation that would establish a new 15-year vehicle age limit for taxicabs and for-hire vehicles. The City and County hope to have the new age limit in place before December 31, 2023.