# NEMT in Riverside County: The Ordinance 698 Medical Van Permit and Who Books Rides (2027)

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/states/california/riverside-county/ · Updated 2026-09-30

In unincorporated Riverside County, a non-emergency medical van counts as a taxicab under County Ordinance 698, so the company needs a service permit and each driver a driver's permit from the Clerk of the Board, with Sheriff fingerprints. For Medi-Cal, IEHP has arranged its own NEMT trips since May 2026, Molina's rides go through American Logistics, and Kaiser Permanente also serves the county.

- Riverside County Ordinance 698 treats a non-emergency medical van as a taxicab, so van companies and their drivers get taxicab permits.
- The permits come from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and the Sheriff fingerprints drivers and enforces the ordinance. REMSA does not permit medical vans.
- Each van needs a licensed mechanic's safety statement within 60 days of every application or renewal, and the company carries at least $750,000 in public liability.
- Inside the SunLine Transit Agency area in the Coachella Valley, taxis are exempt from the ordinance, but medical vans and their drivers still follow it.
- Since May 2026, IEHP books its own NEMT trips, so a wheelchair or gurney company contracts with the plan directly.

## Riverside County NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Who permits medical vans | The Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, under Ordinance 698, for pickups in unincorporated areas. REMSA permits ambulances, not medical vans. |
| Legal status | A non-emergency medical van is a taxicab under Ordinance 698, adopted April 28, 1992, with its definition amended effective April 13, 2000 |
| Insurance | Public liability of at least $750,000 for bodily injury, death, and property damage from any one accident (Section 4) |
| Van inspection | A licensed mechanic's signed statement that the van is safe, from an inspection within 60 days of applying or renewing (Section 5) |
| Records | A written record of all service, maintenance, and repairs on each van, kept at least 3 years for the Sheriff (Section 6) |
| Driver permit | County Taxicab Driver's Permit: at least 18, a California license, a 5-year traffic record, and Sheriff fingerprints and photo |
| Term and fees | One year, not transferable. Fees are set by Board of Supervisors resolution and paid when you apply. |
| Penalties | Up to $100 for a first violation and $200 for a second, then a misdemeanor with up to $1,000 or 6 months in jail, each day counted separately |
| Medi-Cal plans | IEHP (its own NEMT since May 2026, with Call the Car keeping NMT), Molina (through American Logistics), and Kaiser Permanente |
| IEHP network | More than 60 contracted transportation providers, on IEHP's member transportation page as of September 2026 |

## Who arranges rides here

- [Riverside County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors](https://rivcocob.org/contact-us): Issues Ordinance 698 medical van service permits and driver's permits. (951) 955-1069
- [IEHP Transportation Department](https://www.providerservices.iehp.org/en/join-our-network/provider-contract-forms/ancillary): Books IEHP NEMT trips and works with its contracted transportation companies. (951) 374-3441
- [IEHP Provider Call Center](https://www.providerservices.iehp.org/en/join-our-network/provider-contract-forms/ancillary): Answers provider questions about IEHP notices, contracts, and network status. (909) 890-2054
- [American Logistics, Molina Medi-Cal](https://molina.americanlogistics.com/): Books rides for Molina Healthcare Medi-Cal members. (844) 292-2688
- [Riverside County EMS Agency (REMSA)](https://emd.rivco.gov/programs/ambulance-permits): Permits ambulances only and refers medical vans to Ordinance 698. (951) 358-7100

In unincorporated Riverside County, the law treats a non-emergency medical van, such as a wheelchair van, as a taxicab. County Ordinance 698 requires a service permit for the company and a driver's permit for each driver, both issued by the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and the Sheriff fingerprints the drivers and enforces the rules. The county's EMS agency, which permits ambulances, does not permit these vans.

## Who books Medi-Cal rides in Riverside County

California has no statewide NEMT broker: each Medi-Cal plan arranges its members' rides, and every company that drives them enrolls in Medi-Cal with DHCS. The [California guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/california/) covers that enrollment and the Title 22 van rules.

The Medi-Cal provider manual (page updated December 2023) lists three plans in the county: Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Kaiser Permanente, and Molina Healthcare.

- **IEHP.** Since May 12, 2026, IEHP's own Transportation Department has managed every NEMT trip instead of Call the Car, which keeps IEHP's non-medical rides, its May 11, 2026 notice says. IEHP's member page, as of September 2026, says it contracts with more than 60 transportation providers, and members book at least five calendar days before a routine appointment. Companies apply by emailing the letter of interest form, a W-9, and proof of Medi-Cal enrollment or a submitted application to jointhenetwork@iehp.org. The 2026 form's service areas include Riverside, Corona/Temecula/Hemet, Low Desert, and Palo Verde Valley. The [IEHP guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/iehp/) covers the contract, PCS forms, and billing, and [IEHP takes NEMT in-house](https://nemtguide.com/news/iehp-nemt-in-house/) explains the change.
- **Molina.** [American Logistics](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/american-logistics/) calls itself the transportation manager for all Molina Medi-Cal members. As of September 2026, members book at (844) 292-2688 at least 48 hours ahead.
- **Kaiser Permanente.** The third Medi-Cal plan in the county.

## Ordinance 698: a medical van is a taxicab

The Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance 698 on April 28, 1992, effective May 28, 1992, to regulate taxicab and non-emergency medical van services. Ordinance 698.1 amended its medical van definition effective April 13, 2000, and the Clerk of the Board's ordinance index still lists Ordinance 698 as of September 2026.

A non-emergency medical van is a vehicle used on a commercial basis to carry a person between home and a health care provider in non-emergency circumstances (Section 2(B)). Two kinds of vehicle fall outside it:

- An ambulance regulated under Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 1100 and following, or under County Ordinance 756, which regulates ambulance and critical care transport providers.
- A vehicle carrying a patient between licensed health care facilities with a licensed physician, registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, paramedic, or EMT on board.

Section 2(E) then says a taxicab "shall include a non-emergency medical van," and taxicab service covers any passenger service for hire, on call or demand, over the public streets of the unincorporated areas, even when the trip ends outside them. Section 3 makes it unlawful to operate a medical van service without a County permit when it picks up customers in an unincorporated area.

The Riverside County EMS Agency (REMSA) permits basic life support, advanced life support, and critical care ambulances, and its ambulance permits page says it is not the county agency responsible for medical van regulation. It refers medical van owners to Ordinance 698, and to Ordinance 857 for business registration and licensing in unincorporated areas.

### Where the ordinance does not apply

- **Public contracts.** Section 17 exempts public transportation service performed under a contract with the County or any other public entity in California.
- **The Coachella Valley.** The ordinance does not apply within the boundaries of the SunLine Joint Powers Authority Transit Agency, except that medical van services and their drivers must still comply. So the exemption reaches taxis only, and a medical van picking up in an unincorporated part of that area still needs its County permits.
- **Cities.** The permit covers pickups in unincorporated areas only. For pickups inside a city, ask that city about its own rules and business license.

## How to get the medical van service permit

1. **Get the forms from the Clerk of the Board** at 4080 Lemon Street, 1st Floor, Suite 127, Riverside, or 951-955-1069. You apply in writing on the Clerk's forms, signed under penalty of perjury (Section 4).
2. **Fill in what Section 4 asks.** Your name, home address, and phone; your business name, address, and phone; the number of vans; each van's make, type, year, manufacturer, license number, and seating; your color scheme and insignia; the legal and registered owners of the vans; your prior experience, including any denial, suspension, or revocation of a permit by any public agency; and every criminal conviction of the applicant and of anyone with an ownership interest.
3. **Show your insurance.** Attach evidence of public liability insurance of at least $750,000 for bodily injury, including death, and property damage from any one accident. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/) for what plans and brokers add.
4. **Have each van inspected.** A licensed mechanic inspects each van within 60 days before you apply or renew, and signs and dates a statement that it is in safe operating condition (Section 5).
5. **Pay the fee.** The Board of Supervisors sets the annual service permit fee by resolution, and you pay it when you apply (Sections 7 and 9). Ask the Clerk for the current resolution.

The Clerk issues the permit once you are in compliance, of good moral character, and have no grounds for denial (Section 7). Section 8 lists those grounds, among them failing to keep insurance or safe vans, a false statement on the application, unpaid fees, repeated traffic violations by you or your drivers, and employing a driver without a valid Taxicab Driver's Permit. A conviction for a crime of moral turpitude, soliciting prostitution, or selling or using narcotics bars a permit until five years after the conviction or release from confinement, whichever is later.

A permit lasts one year and cannot be transferred, and a renewal meets the same requirements as a first permit (Section 9). Keep a written record of every service, maintenance job, and repair on each van, with dates, mechanic, and shop location, for at least three years, and show it to the Sheriff on request (Section 6). Holding the service permit does not let you drive: an owner who drives needs a driver's permit too.

## Driver's permits

Every driver picking up customers in an unincorporated area needs a County Taxicab Driver's Permit (Section 10). The driver applies to the Clerk of the Board with proof of a valid California driver's license (Class 3, in the ordinance's wording), information on physical condition, a five-year traffic record, all criminal convictions, driving experience, and the name of the company hiring them (Section 11).

The Sheriff's Department fingerprints and photographs each new applicant and runs a criminal records check, and the driver pays the Sheriff's fees on top of the County permit fee. Section 12 denies or revokes a driver's permit for anyone under 18, anyone required to register under Penal Code Section 290, anyone convicted of driving under the influence or reckless driving within five years, and for repeated traffic violations or false statements. See [NEMT driver background checks](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-background-check/) for the checks brokers run on top.

Once the application, fees, fingerprints, and photo are done, and the driver swears there are no grounds for denial, the Clerk issues a temporary permit good for up to 60 days (Section 13). The regular permit carries the driver's photo and working address, stays visible in the passenger compartment while the driver works, remains County property, and goes back to the Clerk when the driver stops driving.

## Appeals, enforcement, and penalties

A denied applicant may appeal in writing to the Board of Supervisors within 10 days of the mailing of the denial notice, and the Board's decision is final (Section 14). No permit is revoked without at least 10 days' written notice and a hearing before the Board or its hearing officer (Section 15). The Sheriff enforces the ordinance (Section 16).

Each day of a violation counts as a separate offense (Section 19). A first violation is an infraction with a fine of up to $100 and a second up to $200. A third or later violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, six months in jail, or both, and a first offense may also be charged as a misdemeanor.

## What to do first

1. **List where you pick up.** Unincorporated pickups need Ordinance 698 permits, and each city sets its own rules.
2. **Call the Clerk of the Board** for the service and driver application forms and the current fee resolution.
3. **Buy insurance** of at least $750,000 per accident, or more if your plan contracts ask for it.
4. **Book the mechanic's inspection** for each van no more than 60 days before you file.
5. **Send each driver to the Sheriff** for fingerprints and a photo, and keep the temporary permits in the vans.
6. **Enroll in Medi-Cal and apply to IEHP and American Logistics** once your permits are in hand. The [NEMT license requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-license-requirements/) guide lists the state and federal layers, and [adding NEMT to a taxi business](https://nemtguide.com/guides/add-nemt-to-taxi-business/) helps if you already run taxicabs here.

South of the county line, [San Diego County](https://nemtguide.com/states/california/san-diego-county/) permits medical vans through its transit system and County EMS office instead.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a permit to run a medical van in Riverside County?

Yes, if your van picks up customers in an unincorporated area. Ordinance 698 makes it unlawful to operate a non-emergency medical van service there without a County permit, and each driver needs a County Taxicab Driver's Permit. Both come from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. You also enroll in Medi-Cal to take IEHP or Molina rides, which the California guide explains.

### Does REMSA permit wheelchair vans in Riverside County?

No. The Riverside County EMS Agency permits ambulances at the basic life support, advanced life support, and critical care transport levels, and its ambulance permits page says it is not the county agency responsible for medical van regulation. It refers medical van companies to Ordinance 698, and to Ordinance 857 for business registration and licensing in unincorporated areas.

### How much insurance does Riverside County require for a medical van?

Ordinance 698 asks for evidence of public liability insurance of at least $750,000 for bodily injury, including death, and property damage from any one accident. Failing to keep that insurance is grounds for denying or revoking the permit. As of September 2026, American Logistics, which books Molina rides, also asks the companies it contracts for commercial auto, general liability, and workers compensation coverage.

### Does Ordinance 698 apply inside incorporated cities?

No. It covers taxicab and medical van service over the public streets of the unincorporated areas, and a permit is required whenever the driver or company picks up customers there, even when the trip ends in a city or outside the county. For pickups inside a city, ask that city about its own rules and business license.

### Does Ordinance 698 apply in the Coachella Valley?

For medical vans, yes. Section 17 says the ordinance does not apply within the boundaries of the SunLine Joint Powers Authority Transit Agency, except that non-emergency medical van services and their drivers must still comply. So a medical van company picking up in an unincorporated part of the SunLine area still needs its County permits.

### How do I get IEHP or Molina rides in Riverside County?

For IEHP, enroll in Medi-Cal through PAVE, then email IEHP's letter of interest form, a W-9, and proof of Medi-Cal enrollment or a submitted application to jointhenetwork@iehp.org. IEHP has managed its NEMT trips itself since May 2026, while Call the Car keeps its non-medical rides. For Molina, apply to American Logistics, which books rides for all Molina Medi-Cal members.

## Official resources

- [Riverside County: Ordinance No. 698 full text](https://rivcocob.org/sites/g/files/aldnop311/files/migrated/ords-600-698.1.pdf)
- [Riverside County Clerk of the Board: Office contacts](https://rivcocob.org/contact-us)
- [Riverside County EMS Agency: Ambulance permits and links](https://emd.rivco.gov/programs/ambulance-permits)
- [IEHP: Ancillary provider contract forms](https://www.providerservices.iehp.org/en/join-our-network/provider-contract-forms/ancillary)
- [American Logistics: Provider request form](https://americanlogistics.com/transportation-providers/logistics-medical-transportation/)