Obtaining a Driver Accreditation

To drive a taxi, hire car, commercial bus service, local bus service, special purpose vehicle or restricted hire car in Victoria, you must hold a Driver Accreditation as well as a Victorian Drivers Licence.

Quality Assurance Programme

From Monday 3 October 2011, the VTD commenced a quality assurance programme to report on the skills and knowledge of applicants for Metropolitan Taxi and Hire Car Driver Accreditation that have passed driver training with a VTD recognised Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

Under the new arrangement, some applicants who present their Taxi Training Passport or Taxi Training Register at the VTD to obtain a driver accreditation will be randomly selected to undertake a mandatory summarised test of the driver accreditation training and Knowledge of Melbourne test by a VTD representative. The test will take approximately 30 minutes.

In addition, all new applicants for Metropolitan Taxi and Hire Car Driver Accreditation will be asked four on-the-spot questions before being issued an authority to proceed to training. These questions are designed to assist in identifying any areas of weakness before training commences.

This new process will help the VTD ensure new drivers have the skills and knowledge they need to drive in Melbourne.

Changes to driver accreditation application and renewal processes at VicRoads

From 5 December 2011, applications for non metropolitan driver accreditation and applications to renew driver accreditation will not be processed on the spot at VicRoads offices. Please note applicants for metorpolitan driver accreditation will continue to be required to apply in person at the Victorian Taxi Directorate (VTD).

From this date, applications lodged at VicRoads offices will be forwarded to the VTD for assessment. Once your application or renewal has been assessed by the VTD you will receive your accreditation certificate in the post. This process may take up to 10 business days.

If you are submitting your application for renewal at a VicRoads office on or after 5 December 2011 please ensure that you submit it at least 2 weeks before it is due to expire.

Please note that applications and renewals will be accepted at the VTD office in person and will be processed on the spot.

Applications for renewal of driver accreditation are sent out 8 weeks in advance.

To ensure your accreditation does not expire, you are urged to submit your application for renewal as early as possible.

If you have any questions please contact the Victorian Taxi Directorate.

For information on the new Driver Accreditation scheme, see Driver Accreditation scheme.

Mutual Recognition Agreement

'Passenger vehicle drivers' are covered under the Mutual Recognition Agreement implemented through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on 11 May 1992. It should be noted that the Mutual Recognition Agreement is based on skills transference from one state or territory to another and that, 'the scheme does not seek to interfere with regulation by the states, … of initial entry to, the conduct of, or practice in, occupations;'.

In summary the Mutual Recognition Agreement allows a skill or training to be recognised Australia-wide but also allows each state or territory to assess suitability criteria, including medical and criminal assessments.

Under the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983 (VIC) upon application of driver accreditation, the Secretary must first ensure that the issuing of accreditation is appropriate having regard to the public care objective, the applicant is technically competent, sufficiently fit and healthy, and suitable in other respects to hold driver accreditation.

In order to determine that an applicant meets these criteria, the VTD requires on initial application, the provision of:

• a National Police Check issued by an Australian State or Territory Police Agency within the last six months; and
• a medical certificate completed by a registered medical practitioner with an opinion as to the applicant’s fitness to drive a commercial passenger vehicle.
  

However, providing that the respective State or Territory (where the accreditation/authority was previous held) can provide the VTD with the information outlined above and the applicant meets the legislative requirements for driver accreditation within Victoria, they will be granted accreditation without the need for an additional medical or police check.

The VTD will accept medical reports and police checks utilised and obtained for the purposes of interstate authorities or VicRoads Licensing, providing they meet the requirements above. Whilst the VTD will assist in reducing the regulatory burden where possible, it must adhere to current legislative requirements when issuing driver accreditation.

Types of Driver Accreditation

An additional endorsement is required to drive metropolitan taxis and hire cars.

More information

For more information, contact the Victorian Taxi Directorate.