# Dallas Transportation-for-Hire Permits for NEMT Companies (2027)

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/states/texas/dallas/ · Updated 2026-10-02

A Dallas transportation for hire permit is the set of city permits Chapter 47A requires for any business that carries people for pay inside Dallas, with no exception for medical vans. As of October 2026, you need company operating authority ($108 to apply, then $198 a year for up to five vehicles), a $39 yearly permit for each vehicle, and a $125 yearly permit for each driver.

- Chapter 47A covers any business that carries people for pay in Dallas, and its list of exclusions has no place for wheelchair vans or medical rides.
- Plan on three permits: operating authority for the company, one for each vehicle, and one for each driver, all renewed every year.
- Dallas cut its operating authority fees in September 2025, so a new company with up to five vans pays $306 for its first year of operating authority.
- Texas Medicaid asks for $750,000 in auto coverage, more than the city floor for vans rated for 10 or fewer passengers, so insure to the higher number.
- Get the Transportation Regulation Division's answer in writing on which service type fits your vans before you file.

## Dallas NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Who issues permits | The Transportation Regulation Division of Transportation and Public Works, 3448 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas 75235. Open Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., closed Fridays. |
| What you need | Operating authority for the company, a permit for each vehicle, and a permit for each driver, under City Code Chapter 47A, in effect since April 30, 2015 |
| Company fees | $108 to apply, then $198 a year for 1 to 5 vehicles, $292 for 6 to 10, or $327 for 11 or more, under Ordinance 33232 of September 17, 2025 |
| Vehicle and driver fees | $39 per vehicle a year and $125 per driver a year, with no refunds |
| Insurance | Primary commercial auto liability, combined single limit, of $300,000 for vehicles rated for 1 to 5 passengers, $500,000 for 6 to 10, and $1,000,000 for 11 to 14, with the city as additional insured |
| Wheelchair rule | When a rider asks for a wheelchair accessible vehicle, you provide one, or have one provided, without unreasonable delay, and charge no more for it (Sec. 47A-2.4.4). |
| New drivers | A Texas driver's license, a city training class, a criminal history and driving record review, and no more than three moving violations in any 12 months of the past 24 |
| Penalty | Up to $500 per offense, and each day is a new one. A vehicle running without operating authority, permits, or insurance is towed and impounded (Sec. 47A-4.3). |
| Medicaid ride vendors | In the Dallas service area, Aetna, Parkland, and Wellpoint use MTM Health, and Molina, Superior, and UnitedHealthcare use SafeRide Health (September 2026). |

## Who arranges rides here

- [City of Dallas Transportation Regulation Division](https://dallascityhall.com/departments/transportation/Pages/transportation_regulation.aspx): Issues operating authority, vehicle, and driver permits under City Code Chapter 47A. (214) 670-3161
- [MTM Health, Texas transportation providers](https://www.mtm-inc.net/texas/transportation-providers/): Arranges Medicaid rides for Aetna, Parkland, and Wellpoint members in the Dallas area.
- [SafeRide Health, NEMT provider signup](https://www.saferidehealth.com/what-to-expect-nemt-provider): Arranges Medicaid rides for Molina, Superior, and UnitedHealthcare members in the Dallas area.

Dallas regulates every business that carries people for pay inside the city through City Code Chapter 47A, Transportation for Hire, in effect since April 30, 2015. It replaced four older chapters with one system of three permits: operating authority for the company, a permit for each vehicle, and a permit for each driver. The chapter lists the services it leaves out, such as DART and ambulances, and wheelchair vans and medical rides are not on that list.

## Does a NEMT company need a Dallas transportation for hire permit

Chapter 47A defines transportation-for-hire service as the business of offering or providing transportation of persons for compensation, and compensation as any money or thing of value received for the ride (Sec. 47A-1.5). A Medicaid ride vendor's payment fits. Sec. 47A-2.1.1 bars anyone from running that kind of service inside the city without operating authority, or from carrying a passenger for hire unless the driver, or the company that employs or contracts with the driver, holds it.

The chapter does not apply to (Sec. 47A-1.4):

- **DART, courtesy vehicles, and carpools.** A courtesy vehicle carries a business's customers free.
- **Vehicles another chapter regulates,** such as ambulances under Chapter 15D. A 15D private ambulance license calls for a state license to operate as an emergency medical services provider (Sec. 15D-9), so it is not a route for a wheelchair van company.
- **Drop-offs from outside.** A vehicle licensed by another government that brings a rider into Dallas and leaves without picking anyone up in the city.
- **Certain buses and shuttles,** such as a funeral home's, an employer's vanpool, a school run charging only costs, one a government runs or the city contracts for, one run under state or federal authority that the city does not regulate, or a nonprofit's carrying only its own people free.

None of those exclusions names wheelchair vans or medical rides, so plan on all three permits. The division's application forms offer four service types, limousine, taxi, shuttle, and non-motorized, and the code calls a van rated for 7 to 15 passengers a shuttle vehicle (Sec. 47A-1.5). Ask the Transportation Regulation Division in writing which type fits your vans before you file.

Texas Medicaid backs the city up. The state's NEMT handbook for health plans (Uniform Managed Care Manual Chapter 16.4, version 2.0.1) makes each plan and its ride vendor ensure NEMT companies follow local laws, and it measures them on whether 99 percent of trips used vehicles that met federal, state, and local ordinances. Texas itself has no NEMT license, so you enroll in Texas Medicaid through TMHP and then contract with a ride vendor, as the [Texas guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/texas/) explains.

## What Dallas charges for each permit

Dallas reset these fees in its Fiscal Year 2025-26 fee ordinance (Ordinance 33232), adopted September 17, 2025 and in effect on publication, September 20, 2025. It cut the operating authority fees and raised the vehicle and driver permit fees, and the Fiscal Year 2026-27 fee ordinance left them alone. A new company with up to five vans pays $306 for its first year of operating authority, plus $39 a year for each van and $125 a year for each driver. The division treats every payment as final, with no refunds.

| Permit | Fee as of October 2026 | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Operating authority application | $108 | Each application |
| Operating authority, 1 to 5 vehicles | $198 a year | One year from issue |
| Operating authority, 6 to 10 vehicles | $292 a year | One year from issue |
| Operating authority, 11 or more vehicles | $327 a year | One year from issue |
| Vehicle permit | $39 per vehicle a year | Until state registration expires (city form) |
| Driver permit | $125 a year | One year from issue |
| Reinstating a suspended permit | $23 | Each time |
| Duplicate driver permit | $21 | Each time |

Operating authority and driver permits last one year from issue (Secs. 47A-2.1.4 and 47A-2.2.7). The division's vehicle permit form says a vehicle permit ends when the vehicle's state registration does, while Sec. 47A-2.3.5 still says one year from issue, so ask which date your decal carries.

## How to get the permits, step by step

### 1. Line up the insurance first

From the moment a driver accepts a trip until the rider gets out, each vehicle needs primary commercial auto liability with a combined single limit of at least $300,000 if it is rated for 1 to 5 passengers, $500,000 for 6 to 10, and $1,000,000 for 11 to 14 (Sec. 47A-2.5.2, as amended in 2020). Texas Medicaid's handbook sets $750,000 combined single limit for owned, non-owned, and hired autos, and SafeRide lists $500,000 in auto liability and $1,000,000 in general liability per occurrence. Insure to the highest number that applies to you. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/).

The policy itself must (Sec. 47A-2.5.1):

- Come from an insurer on the Texas Department of Insurance's list of authorized auto liability carriers or eligible surplus lines insurers.
- Name the city, its officers, and its employees as [additional insureds](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/additional-insured/).
- Cover every vehicle used in your business, owned, non-owned, hired, rented, or leased, whether or not it is on the policy's schedule, and pay claims from the first dollar.
- Give the director 30 days' written notice before cancellation or a material change, or 10 days for nonpayment.
- Be on file with the city within 45 days of your first operating authority permit.

You cannot self-insure, and no one who owns 20% or more of your company may hold an interest in the insurer.

### 2. File for operating authority

The company application is notarized and lists every owner, every driver, and every vehicle. With it you file a verified statement and the $108 fee (Sec. 47A-2.1.2). The statement gives your form of business and each person owning 20% or more, the address of any fixed facilities, the person who receives city notices, and a way for the director to check at once which drivers and vehicles run under your authority now or did in the past 90 days. It also includes proof that an insurer has bound itself to provide the required coverage, proof of paid property taxes on local property used in the business, and your zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. Report any change within 10 days (Sec. 47A-2.1.3).

### 3. Post your company information online

Every operating authority keeps a public website or app showing its rates, its zero-tolerance policy and how riders can report a violation, its contact information, a statement that wheelchair accessible vehicles are available on request, and how to complain to the city (Secs. 47A-2.1.6 and 47A-2.1.7).

### 4. Permit each vehicle

The vehicle form asks for the current registration, your company insurance card, and a current vehicle inspection, plus a lease or a letter from the registered company if the vehicle is not in your name. Since January 1, 2025, Texas no longer requires a safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles (commercial vehicles still need one), but vehicles registered in Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman, and Rockwall counties still need a passing emissions inspection. Bring your latest report and ask what the division accepts.

Under Sec. 47A-2.3.3, as amended June 14, 2023, each vehicle is kept up under the Texas Department of Public Safety vehicle inspection program and must be safe, mechanically sound, and roadworthy, clean inside and out, and free of dents and scratches beyond minor ones under 5 inches long and half an inch deep. The standards also cover paint, matching tires and wheels, finished recall work, air conditioning, heater, defoggers, exterior lights, and doors that open smoothly from inside and out.

### 5. Permit each driver

A driver qualifies for a permit when he or she (Sec. 47A-2.2.2):

1. Holds a driver's license that meets Texas Transportation Code Chapter 521.
2. Has no more than three moving violations, and no more than one accident in which they were more than half at fault, in any 12 months of the past 24.
3. Has no recent conviction for listed crimes, including homicide, kidnapping, sexual and assaultive offenses, robbery, and felony drug or weapon offenses. Two years must pass after a misdemeanor and five after a felony, counted from the conviction or release from confinement, whichever is later.
4. Has no DWI in the past 12 months and no more than one in five years, and no outstanding Texas warrant.

Each driver gives the city a Texas Department of Public Safety criminal history report issued in the past 12 months, a current driving record, and a list of any warrants (Sec. 47A-2.2.4), and new drivers take a city training class on the rules, the city, and customer service (Sec. 47A-2.2.5). A driver denied over a conviction or DWI still inside those waiting periods can appeal to the Permit and License Appeal Board, which weighs evidence that the driver is fit now. Your ride vendor runs its own checks on top, covered in [NEMT driver background checks](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-background-check/).

## Rules on every Dallas trip

- **Wheelchair service.** When a rider asks for a [wheelchair accessible vehicle](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/wheelchair-accessible-vehicle/), you must provide one, or have one provided, without unreasonable delay, and you may not charge more for it (Sec. 47A-2.4.4).
- **City-wide service.** An operating authority may not leave any part of the city out of its service, or refuse to pass a ride request to an available driver because of its pickup, destination, or length (Sec. 47A-2.4.3).
- **Driver ID.** Drivers carry the permit and show their first name, picture, permit number, and how to complain to the city where riders can see it (Sec. 47A-2.2.9).
- **Rates.** Tell whoever pays the fare the rate before the ride and post your rates online (Sec. 47A-2.4.8).
- **Airports.** At Dallas Love Field or DFW International, you follow airport rules too (Sec. 47A-2.1.8).

The director may inspect any transportation for hire vehicle with or without notice (Sec. 47A-4.1). Each violation can bring a fine of up to $500 (Ordinance 29596, Sec. 7), with each day a separate offense (Sec. 47A-4.7), and a vehicle running without operating authority, a vehicle or driver permit, or insurance is towed and impounded (Sec. 47A-4.3).

## Medicaid plans and ride vendors in the Dallas area

HHSC's Dallas service area covers Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall counties. As of September 2026, its STAR plans are Molina, Parkland, and Wellpoint, its STAR+PLUS plans are Molina, Superior, and UnitedHealthcare, and its STAR Kids plans are Aetna and Wellpoint. The part of Dallas in Denton County falls in the Tarrant service area instead, where Aetna, Cook Children's, and Wellpoint run STAR.

- **MTM Health** arranges rides for Aetna, Parkland, and Wellpoint. See [MTM Health in Texas](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/texas/).
- **SafeRide Health** arranges rides for Molina, Superior, and UnitedHealthcare. See [SafeRide Health in Texas](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/texas/).

STAR+PLUS members in the Dallas service area ride only with SafeRide and STAR Kids members only with MTM, so a company that wants the whole Dallas market applies to both.

## What to do first

1. **Call the Transportation Regulation Division** at 214-670-3161, Monday through Thursday before 12:30 p.m., and ask which service type fits your vans.
2. **Quote insurance at $750,000 combined single limit** or more, with the city named as an additional insured, and SafeRide too if you join it.
3. **File the company application** and the $108 fee, then permit each vehicle and driver.
4. **Book the city training class** for each new driver.
5. **Apply to MTM Health and SafeRide Health** once you have your Texas Medicaid enrollment, so your city permits and vendor contracts are ready at the same time.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do NEMT companies need a transportation for hire permit in Dallas?

Chapter 47A covers any business that offers or provides transportation of people for compensation inside Dallas, and its exclusions, such as DART, carpools, and ambulances licensed under Chapter 15D, do not include wheelchair vans or medical rides. A Medicaid vendor's payment is compensation, so plan on operating authority, vehicle permits, and driver permits, and ask the Transportation Regulation Division to confirm in writing.

### How much does a Dallas transportation for hire permit cost?

Under Ordinance 33232, adopted September 17, 2025, operating authority costs a $108 application fee and then $198 a year for 1 to 5 vehicles, $292 for 6 to 10, or $327 for 11 or more. Each vehicle permit costs $39 a year and each driver permit $125 a year. Reinstating a suspended permit costs $23, and a duplicate driver permit $21. No fee is refunded.

### What insurance does Dallas require for a transportation for hire company?

Primary commercial auto liability with a combined single limit of at least $300,000 for vehicles rated for 1 to 5 passengers, $500,000 for 6 to 10, and $1,000,000 for 11 to 14, covering every vehicle you use. The city, its officers, and its employees must be additional insureds, and you cannot self-insure. Texas Medicaid's handbook sets $750,000 for NEMT companies.

### How long does a Dallas transportation for hire driver permit last?

One year from the day it is issued, since a 2020 change to Sec. 47A-2.2.7, at $125 a year. New drivers take a city training class on the rules, the city, and customer service first. The permit becomes void if the state suspends or revokes the driver's license, and the driver must tell the city and every company they drive for.

### Do I need a Dallas permit to drop off a rider who lives outside the city?

Not for that leg alone, if your vehicle is licensed by another government and leaves Dallas without picking anyone up there (Sec. 47A-1.4). The return ride starts inside Dallas, though, so a round trip to a Dallas clinic or dialysis center needs the city permits. Operating authority is required for any passenger carried for hire inside the city.

### Where do I apply for a transportation for hire permit in Dallas?

At the Transportation Regulation Division, 3448 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas 75235, phone 214-670-3161. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is closed Fridays. Vehicle decals are processed Monday through Thursday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The company, vehicle, and driver application forms are on the division's page.

## Official resources

- [City of Dallas: Transportation Regulation](https://dallascityhall.com/departments/transportation/Pages/transportation_regulation.aspx)
- [Company operating authority application (PDF)](https://dallascityhall.com/departments/transportation/Documents/Transportation%20regulation/TFH%20Company%20Application_TPW2025.pdf)
- [Vehicle permit form (PDF)](https://dallascityhall.com/departments/transportation/Documents/Transportation%20regulation/TFH%20Vehicle%20Application_TPW2025.pdf)
- [Driver permit application (PDF)](https://dallascityhall.com/departments/transportation/Documents/Transportation%20regulation/TFH%20Driver%20Application_TPW2025.pdf)
- [Ordinance 33232, current permit fees (PDF)](https://citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com/resolutions/2025/09-17-25/25-1491.PDF)
- [Texas HHSC: Health plan transportation contacts](https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/health/medicaid-chip/medicaid-chip-members/nonemergency-medical-transportation-program/health-plan-transportation-contact-information)
- [MTM Health: Texas transportation providers](https://www.mtm-inc.net/texas/transportation-providers/)
- [SafeRide Health: NEMT provider signup](https://www.saferidehealth.com/what-to-expect-nemt-provider)