1100+ operating licences available for metered taxi and e-hailing operators
18 June 2025
The City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate, in collaboration with the Western Cape Government’s Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE), is initiating a two-phase process to support operating licences to meet the demand for metered taxi and e-hailing services within the city. This follows a recent review that recommended an additional 1 106 operating licences be made available to ensure adequate service provision for commuters. Read more below:
In May 2025, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure a balanced, efficient and legally compliant metered taxi and e-hailing sector, the City concluded a comprehensive review of existing operating licences, service needs, and recent legislative and policy changes.
Based on the updated demand assessment, the City, as the Transport Planning Authority, has confirmed the need for 6 600 legal metered taxi and e-hailing operators in the Cape Town metropolitan area. The Western Cape Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) found that 5 494 valid operating licences are currently registered on the Public Transport Regulation System (PTRS). These include all sub-categories of metered taxi operations: rank, base, and e-hailing services.
• This represents a shortfall of 1 106 operating licences to meet current demand. However, a portion of this figure comprises expired or lapsed operating licences, where the licence holders have not applied for renewal within the required timeframes.
• The PRE identified a total of 260 such expired operating licences and the holders of these will be notified of their status via the PTRS.
• In an effort to ensure maximum market participation, the remaining 840 are new licences that are now available for first-time applicants.
To address this gap and allow new applications to be submitted in an orderly and transparent manner, the City and the PRE are implementing a two-phase process:
• Phase 1 addresses the late renewal applications for licences that expired between 1 March 2023 and 1 June 2025. Operators with expired licences must apply between 18 June – 30 June 2025 for a new operating licence in lieu of a lapsed one.
Requests for deadline extensions (well motivated) must be submitted by 1 July 2025 to Shantel Radien at shantel.radien@westerncape.gov.za or 021 483 0241.
• Phase 2 addresses new applications for the 840 new licences available, starting from 1 July 2025. First-time applicants are encouraged to take the following key requirements into consideration:
• A maximum of two applications per applicant (individual or company) may be submitted
• Proof of residence or commercial parking is required (lease agreements, utility bills, affidavits from property owners, or body corporate approval for sectional titles)
• Manual applications only at Vanguard Shared Services, Bridgetown, and Athlone (no online submissions)
• Compliance checks are strict and incomplete applications will be rejected
New licences will be valid for two years, renewable for seven years if operators demonstrate continuous service.
The transfers of licences will be scrutinised to prevent resale abuse, and applicants must provide proof of vehicle ownership (if applicable) and may submit e-hailing platform records to demonstrate existing operations.
Application periods may be paused intermittently for processing, for a period of approximately two months.
Successful applicants must complete vehicle inspections at designated testing stations.
For full details, visit Western Cape Government Mobility or contact the PRE – send an email to Shantel Radien at shantel.radien@westerncape.gov.za or phone 021 483 0241.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
