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Department of Transport and Main Roads

Booking entity authorisation

If you arrange bookings for a personalised transport service (taxi, limousine or ride-booking) you need to obtain a booking entity authorisation (BEA). If you're a personalised transport driver and you don't arrange your own bookings (for example taxi and Uber drivers) you don't need to apply for a BEA.

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Only booking entities who have a BEA can provide booking services. You can check current BEA holders by visiting the personalised transport public register.

The authorisation gives customers assurance that personalised transport services will be provided safely by suitable industry participants. Authorised booking entities have a range of responsibilities in the new chain of responsibility related to safety, fatigue management, data management and reporting.

To become authorised, you must apply for a BEA.

Apply for or renew a booking entity authorisation

BEA renewal applications can take at least 20 business days to be processed.

If you do not allow sufficient time for processing and your BEA renewal is not approved by the time of its expiry date, it is illegal for your entity to continue to provide a booking service while your BEA is not current.

If you operate without a current BEA, fines and other penalties apply.

There are 2 ways you can apply for a new BEA or renew your current BEA:

Online

New BEA application

You can apply online if you have a valid TMR customer reference number (CRN). If you are a company you must also have an Australian Company Number (ACN).

BEA renewal

You can renew your BEA 6 weeks before the expiration date of your BEA.

You can renew online if you have a valid TMR customer reference number (CRN) and your current BEA reference number. If you are a company you must also have an Australian Company Number (ACN).

In person

You can apply for a new BEA or renew your BEA at a transport and motoring customer service centre. If you do not have a TMR customer reference number you must apply in person.

Steps to apply or renew your booking entity authorisation

Step 1—Check your eligibility

  • Transport compliance history checks and other authentication documents are verified for everyone on the application.
  • Criminal history checks will be done for each person on the application.
  • National and New Zealand criminal history checks will be undertaken for each relevant person on the application—if an applicant holds a current Driver Authorisation (DA), a criminal history check is not required.
  • If you have lived overseas (excluding New Zealand) you may also need to complete a foreign criminal history check.
  • Any documents in a language other than English must be translated into English by a person accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) or an equivalent body recognised by a foreign government.
  • There are additional requirements if the application is for a company or foreign entity which can be found in the information following.

Foreign criminal history checks (excluding New Zealand)

New application—you must provide a clearance letter or report from a relevant foreign law enforcement authority if you lived overseas for longer than 12 months in the past 10 years, and were at least 18 for any period during that time.

Renewal—if you lived overseas for longer than 12 months in the 10 years before the BEA renewal (and were at least 18 for any period during that time) but have not travelled outside of Australia between the dates of the initial BEA approval and renewal application, you may provide either:

or

  • a current clearance letter or report from a relevant foreign law enforcement authority in each country you lived outside Australia for more than 12 months in the last 10 years, where you were at least 18 for any period during that time (except for New Zealand).

More information about applying for a record of international travel movement is available from the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs.

Step 2—Check you have all documents and completed required forms

  • To submit your application, you will need to provide supporting information to help us assess your application, this information is different depending on whether you are an individual or an organisation.

Step 3—Submit or renew your application

  • Applications may be submitted online or in person, read the criteria for each. You can renew your BEA 6 weeks before the expiry date.

Step 4—Pay your fees

Step 5—Obtain signage approval for ride-booking services

  • If you are a booking entity who provides ride-booking services (excluding taxis and limousines), you must obtain approval from TMR on your vehicle identification sign. This can be done using the apply for BEA or renew BEA online services or by emailing [email protected].  
  • Ensure you are familiar with the signage requirements for ride-booking vehicles before seeking approval from TMR.

Your application may be refused if you or anyone on the application:

  • had a BEA cancelled or suspended within the previous year
  • committed an offence during the previous year relating to:
    • providing a booked hire service, a booking service for a booked hire service or a taxi service
      or
    • using a motor vehicle to provide a booked hire service or a taxi service
  • have been convicted of or charged with a disqualifying offence.

A disqualifying offence is defined under schedule 3 of Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 (TOPTA). This includes, but is not limited to:

  • passenger transport offences
  • certain Criminal Code offences such as burglary, assaults and violence, homicide, rape and sexual assaults, conspiracy and other fraudulent practices
  • particular offences under the Drugs Misuse Act 1986 and/or Weapons Act 1990.

This applies to disqualifying offences committed in Queensland as well as in another Australian jurisdiction or outside of Australia. Please refer to TOPTA schedule 3 on Queensland Legislation website for the complete list of disqualifying offences.

Application and renewal requirements

You need a few documents ready before you apply. What you need differs according to your specific application and whether you apply online or in person.

What you need to apply online:

  • a valid Customer Reference Number (CRN) for each relevant person on the application
  • if you or anyone on the application has changed their name, provide evidence of identity
  • an email address so you can receive notifications about your application
  • a credit or debit card is required to pay the fee, a credit card surcharge will apply.

Resources

What you need to apply in person:

Forms

*Supplementary forms to Form F5188

Additional application requirements for organisations

Australian corporation

If you're applying as an Australian corporation you will also require:

  • an Australian Company Number (ACN)
  • a copy of the Current Company Extract listing all directors (issued by ASIC)
  • a completed form F5197 for all persons of a corporation.

Incorporated associations

Note: incorporated associations MUST apply in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.

  • A copy of an official extract from the register of incorporated associations listing the current management committee members (issued by Queensland Office of Fair Trading).

Partnerships

Note: partnerships MUST apply in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.

  • A signed, formal Deed of Partnership document, or another form of partnership agreement, listing all involved parties and proving the validity of the partnership.

For trustees of a trust

Note: trustees of a trust MUST apply in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.

  • A copy of the Deed of Trust document which outlines the trustee's powers, lists all involved parties and proves the validity of the trusteeship.

Foreign corporation

For a foreign corporation, you will also need to provide:

Note: you may apply online if the foreign corporation has a valid TMR CRN and ACN and all directors have a valid TMR CRN. If the corporation or any directors do not have a CRN you will need to apply in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.

Foreign individual

For a foreign individual you will also need to provide:

  • Form F5196 to nominate your local nominee (must live in Australia).
  • Form F5197 if your proposed local nominee is a corporation.

Updating details after you receive your BEA

If your contact details have changed you can:

If your fleet size changes:

If your fleet size increases or decreases in category, your fees will be adjusted accordingly.

Application fees

Find out more about fees for a booking entity authorisation.

Data and reporting

All authorised booking entities and taxi operators are required to keep and report regular data to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

There are 2 types of requirements:

  • Data to keep—data that must be kept for 2 years
  • Data to report—key data must be reported regularly to TMR, and other data to be provided upon request.

More information on the requirements.

Driver training requirements

All personalised transport drivers in Queensland must be trained in anti-discrimination awareness including sexual harassment and disability awareness before they provide a service.

Drivers who provide wheelchair accessible services must also complete training in providing wheelchair accessible services.

Authorised booking entities (BEAs) and operators must not engage drivers to provide a service until they have completed the mandatory training.

More information on driver training requirements.

Fines and sanctions

If a person or entity provides a booking service without a BEA, penalties of up to 160 penalty units ($25,808) for a first offence may apply. Penalties then increase for second, third and later offences.

Fines and sanctions will also apply to booking entities if they provide ride-booking jobs to drivers in vehicles without a BHSL. You can be fined up to 160 penalty units ($25,808) for the first offence, 320 penalty units ($51,616) for a second offence and 2,400 penalty units ($387,120) for the third or subsequent offence.

Last updated 1 July 2024

Fine increase

On 1 July 2024 our fines and penalties increased by 4.2% in line with the government's indexation policy.