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Your fare responsibilities

Unbooked commercial passenger vehicle fares

A booked service is a ride that has been booked through a Booking Service Provider or booked directly by a passenger with a driver whereas an unbooked service is one that is hailed on the street or at a taxi rank, where the fare is not negotiated beforehand.

Unbooked fares vary based on distance, location and time of travel.

In the metropolitan and urban and large regional zones, there’s a maximum fare you can charge for unbooked trips.

You must provide your customer with a fare estimate or a fixed fare, that is agreed upon, before the start of the journey. You must also provide a receipt on request.

For unbooked trips, vehicle owners and drivers must display fare information on the outside of the vehicle, that’s clearly visible from the left side, and inside the vehicle where it can be clearly read from each seating position (see the ESC website for current maximum fare tables) ). Unbooked trips also require a functioning fare calculation device that meets the required standards.

Displaying fare labels for unbooked services 

All unbooked commercial passenger vehicles must display fare information on the inside of the vehicle, clearly visible to passengers, and on the outside of the vehicle on the left-hand side. This information should provide the hiring rates, and all fees and charges.

All unbooked commercial passenger vehicles must have a working fare calculation device (e.g. taxi meter) that meets ST Vic specifications. The driver must be able to provide the passenger with a fare estimate or fixed fare before the journey begins, and an itemised receipt at the journey’s end

Maximum taxi fares

The ESC set maximum charges for unbooked commercial passenger vehicle services that begin in the Melbourne Metropolitan or Urban and Large Regional Zones. These areas cover:

  • most of metropolitan Melbourne
  • Geelong
  • Ballarat
  • Bendigo
  • Frankston
  • Dandenong
  • the Mornington Peninsula.

Current maximum fares

  • Large regional area of the Urban and Large Regional Zone, including Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo (from 15  September 2022)
  • Country and regional services -in Country Victoria, unbooked services can set their own fares and are no longer required to notify us. If you operate a country service, your fare label should clearly indicate how your tariffs are calculated (e.g. charge per distance and time taken, when these rates are applied and the location where the fares are intended to apply).

Booked commercial passenger vehicle fares

If a passenger has booked your commercial passenger vehicle, for example via phone or an app, this is considered a booked trip.

Booked fares are not regulated, but you must provide the passenger with either an estimate of the fare or a fixed fare on request.

If you are allocated bookings via a Booking Service Provider, the Booking Service Provider will need to provide this information to the passenger.

Country and regional services

Country and regional services can continue to set their own fares but are no longer required to formally notify us of their fare structure under the price notification system. However, as with metro and urban unbooked services, vehicle owners and drivers must display fare information on the outside of the vehicle, that’s clearly visible from the left side, and inside the vehicle where it can be clearly read from each seating position. Vehicles also require a functioning fare calculation device that meets the required standards.

For more information visit see fares.