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Department of Transport and Main Roads

Booked hire service licence

A booked hire service licence (BHSL) is a licence for a vehicle that ensures it is suitable and safe to provide booked hire services to customers.

If you provide a booked hire service to customers in a vehicle (excluding taxis and limousines), you need a BHSL for your vehicle.

All BHSL holders and drivers must be affiliated with an authorised booking entity to provide personalised transport services.

On this page

BHSLs are non-renewable and non-transferrable and are issued for a 12-month period only. If you wish to continue to provide booked hire services after your current BHSL expires you will need to apply for a new BHSL before the expiry date. It is recommended you apply at least 20 business days prior to your expiry date to ensure there are no disruptions to the services you provide.

Fines and sanctions will apply to drivers, operators and booking entities providing booked hire services in vehicles without a current BHSL.

You can check the details of any current BHSL by viewing the personalised transport public register.

Check your eligibility

Who can apply for a BHSL?

  • individuals
  • partnerships
  • companies/corporations
  • incorporated associations
  • trustees who manage a trust or superannuation fund (must be held in the name/s of the trustee of the trust or the superannuation fund).

Your vehicle must also meet the vehicle requirements to provide a booked hire service.

Transport history checks

The department will verify the transport history of everyone on the application. Your application may be refused if you have:

  • had a taxi service licence, limousine licence or BHSL cancelled or suspended within the previous year
  • committed an offence relating to providing a taxi service or booked hire service within the previous year.

Checks undertaken for a BHSL are different to those undertaken for a Driver Authorisation (DA).

How to apply for a BHSL

Before applying, please consider the following:

  • ensure you have all relevant documents and your vehicle is eligible before you start
  • you may include up to 9 additional persons on your BHSL at the time of application only
  • if your application is approved, you will receive an email from TMR with your BHSL—if you don't have an email address, your BHSL will be posted to the address provided on your application.

Note: applications can take between 5 and 20 business days to process and may take longer in peak periods. You can apply up to 6 weeks before your current BHSL expires.

There are 2 ways you can apply.

Online

You can apply online if you are an individual or a company with an Australian Company Number (ACN), and have the following:

In person

You can apply in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.

You must apply for your BHSL in person if you:

Application requirements

You will need the following before you start your application:

  • a valid CRN for each person on the application
  • if you or anyone on the application do not have a CRN, you must apply in person with evidence of identity and a completed F3503—New customer application form
  • the vehicle nominated on the licence must meet all requirements:
    • current registration in Queensland with the appropriate Purpose of Use (POU)
    • a current COI
    • the correct CTP insurance class (26, 4, 11 or 10A)—if you have not notified TMR of your CTP insurance class, you will need a letter from your insurer with the correct CTP insurance class
  • if you are using someone's vehicle, the registered operator must complete F5190—Registered Operator Consent for Vehicle to be stated on Booked Hire Service Licence
  • an email address for notifications about your application and BHSL (if it is approved)
  • payment:
    • if applying online, payments can be made with a credit or debit card
    • if applying in person, payments can be made using Visa, MasterCard, EFTPOS, money order or cash
    • Note: a surcharge will be added to the total amount payable when you pay with a Visa or MasterCard branded card, regardless of whether you select the debit (savings or cheque) or credit (credit) options on the EFTPOS device—read more about the card payment transaction surcharge.

If you're applying as a corporation, incorporated association or partnership you will also need:

  • an Australian Company Number (ACN)
  • a current copy of the Certificate of Registration of a Company—see an example of a certificate of registration
  • a current copy of the Current Company Extract listing all directors (issued by ASIC)—see an example of a current company extract (the 'next review date' on the second page must show a future date, review dates in the past cannot be accepted)
  • For partnerships:
    • a formal Deed of Partnership document which lists all involved parties—all parties must sign
  • For incorporated associations:
    • a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation
    • an official extract from the register of incorporated associations listing the current management committee members (issued by Queensland Office of Fair Trading)—all management committee members must sign
  • For trustees of a trust:
    • a copy of the Deed of Trust document which outlines the trustee's powers and lists all involved parties—all trustees must sign.

If you're a corporation with an ACN and would like to apply for more than 10 BHSL applications per transaction, you may be eligible for a bulk application process. Please email bhslhub@translink.com.au if you are interested.

Application forms

Application fee

Find out more about fees for a booked hire service licence.

Once you have your BHSL

  • It is mandatory for BHSL holders to carry a copy of the BHSL for the vehicle. This may be in either printed or electronic format (for example, on a smart phone) but must be presentable at all times.
  • Your BHSL cannot be transferred to another person.
  • Other drivers may use the vehicle listed on your BHSL to provide booked hire services, however they must have a current Driver Authorisation (DA) and they must carry a copy of the BHSL for the vehicle. The BHSL copy may be either printed or in electronic format (for example, on a smart phone) but must be presentable at all times while they are using the vehicle.
  • You can change the vehicle listed on your BHSL (for example, when your vehicle is sold or written-off or you have upgraded your vehicle) using the Apply for/amend booked hire service licence online service. You can also use this service to view, download or email a copy of your current or approved BHSL.

Surrendering your current BHSL

If you no longer want to use a vehicle to provide a booked hire service or the BHSL holder is deceased, you can surrender the BHSL at any time through our online service or surrender form.

Note: if your vehicle fails any of the ongoing BHSL checks (for example, currency of registration), your BHSL licence may be suspended or cancelled, which is different to surrendering your BHSL licence. If your BHSL is suspended or cancelled, this may impact any future reapplication for a BHSL.

Surrender using our online service

The quickest way to do this is to lodge a surrender request using the Apply for/amend booked hire service licence online service.

After you’ve surrendered your BHSL, you may need to update the purpose of use for your vehicle—message us or call 13 23 80 to find out. The purpose of use affects the cost of your registration and Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance.

Surrender using our request form

Alternatively, you can complete the Booked hire service licence surrender request (form F5289) using the digital signature function and email the completed form to bookedhire@translink.com.au.

Refund of BHSL fee

There are limited circumstances when a refund of the unexpired term of your surrendered BHSL licence is given. This includes: 

  • if your driver authorisation has been surrendered, suspended, or cancelled due to a medical condition
  • if you are applying on behalf of a deceased person and you are their legal representative.

Changing details on your BHSL

BHSL details

If details on your BHSL have changed (for example, change of motor vehicle, address details, director names) complete form F2976—Taxi/Limousine/Special Purpose Limousine/Booked Hire Licence Amendment Application and submit in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.

Vehicle registration details

If your vehicle registration details have changed (for example, compulsory third party (CTP), purpose of use (POU), plate or vehicle) use the Apply for/amend booked hire service licence online service—this is the quickest way to update your details.

Alternatively, complete form F3524—Change of Vehicle Particulars Notification and submit in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.

Contact details

Sign up to the e-notice and e-reminder service to ensure you receive important notifications and a reminder when your certificate of inspection (COI) is due to expire.

Fines and sanctions

Fines and sanctions will apply to drivers, operators and booking entities for non-compliance.

Drivers

  • It is an offence to provide a booked hire service in a vehicle without a current BHSL.
  • You can be fined up to 160 penalty units ($24,768) for a first offence and up to 320 penalty units ($49,536) for a second or subsequent offence.
  • Drivers can also have their driver licence suspended for 1 month if they have committed 3 relevant transport offences within a 3 year period.

Operators

  • It is an offence to operate a booked hire service in a vehicle without a BHSL.
  • You can be fined up to 160 penalty units ($24,768) for the first offence, 320 penalty units ($49,536) for a second offence and 2,400 penalty units ($371,520) for the third or subsequent offence.

Booking entities

  • It is an offence to issue jobs to drivers who are driving a vehicle without a BHSL.
  • You can be fined up to 160 penalty units ($24,768) for the first offence, 320 penalty units ($49,536) for a second offence and 2,400 penalty units ($371,520) for the third or subsequent offence.

Ongoing monitoring

The vehicle listed on your BHSL must meet the vehicle requirements at all times throughout the full 12 month BHSL term. We will monitor all vehicle requirements, including:

  • current Queensland registration
  • current certificate of inspection (COI) unless exempt—sign up for the e-notice and e-reminder service to ensure you receive alerts about COI expiry
  • correct compulsory third party (CTP) insurance class
  • correct purpose of use (POU).

If your vehicle fails any of these checks, your BHSL may be suspended or cancelled. If your COI expires and you don't renew it, your vehicle will be non-compliant and your BHSL will be suspended or cancelled.

You can update your vehicle registration details using the Apply for/Amend Booked Hire Service Licence online service.

Your affiliated Booking Entity will check the details of your current BHSL including vehicle registration expiry date, POU, CTP and expiry date on the personalised transport public register.

Last updated 26 March 2024

Fee increase

On 1 July 2023 our fees and charges increased by 3.4% in line with the government's indexation policy.