FAQs

Transport for NSW will continue processing applications until they are finalised and licence owners have been notified of the outcome of their application. This will continue beyond the date that applications for financial assistance close on 31 May 2023. If we need further information in support of your application, a team member will contact you with those requirements.

In some instances, a Transport for NSW staff member may email or call to seek further details regarding your application or provide general advice in relation to the Point to Point Transport Financial Assistance Scheme. 

An online contact form is available on the Point to Point Transport Reforms page. Please use this form to confirm the identity of the staff member and reason for the call. Transport for NSW will never ask for your password or banking details.

The change of government in NSW will not have an impact on the processing, outcome or determination of applications for financial assistance. Applications for financial assistance were accepted until 31 May 2023, and Transport for NSW will continue processing applications until they have all been assessed and finalised.

Once you have received your email confirming that your application for financial assistance has been approved, please allow 3-4 weeks for your cheque to arrive.

We ask for your patience as Transport for NSW has received a large number of applications for financial assistance in the first month of applications being opened.

Your application will be carefully considered and our call centre will be in touch with you if any further information is required in support of your application.

Once you have submitted your application for financial assistance, please allow up to 8 weeks for notification of an outcome. Timeframes may vary for more complex applications and where additional information is required.

Once you have submitted your application for financial assistance it will be reviewed by our staff who will contact you to request any further information.

To assist us in processing applications please wait for our staff to contact you.

An online contact form is available at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/point-to-point-transport-reforms. If you still feel concerned about the details/information you’ve provided in your application, please advise us in writing by using the online contact form.

Once you have submitted your application for financial assistance it will be reviewed by our staff with any further information requirements being noted.

A member of our team will then contact you if any further information is required.

To assist us in processing applications please wait for one of our staff who will contact you with requests for any further information.

To assist us in processing applications please wait for one of our staff to contact you. If you have submitted further information it will be reviewed.

An online form is available at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/point-to-point-transport-reforms. If you still feel concerned about the details/information you’ve provided in your application, please advise us in writing by using the online contact form.

On Thursday 9 March, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) published a fact sheet on the tax implications for New South Wales (NSW) taxi licence owners who apply for financial assistance. You can read the factsheet on the Australian Taxation Office website.

Transport for NSW encourages taxi licence owners considering applying for financial assistance to seek independent tax and legal advice based on their individual circumstances.

The Department of Social Services (Federal) has determined that financial assistance payments to taxi licence owners are exempt lump sums for the purpose of the social security income test. The determination regarding this matter can be viewed by clicking the link below.
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2023L00105

It is expected that any ongoing income generated by the lump sum may be assessable under income testing, and any assessable asset produced from the lump sum may be counted under the social security assets test.

The continuing assets and income test treatment may be applicable, dependent on how the lump sum is used by individuals receiving the payment.

People who are receiving a payment can contact Services Australia by clicking on the link below:
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/phone-us?context=64107

Transport for NSW encourages taxi licence owners to seek financial advice based on their individual circumstances.

The NSW Government announced a financial assistance scheme valued at $905 million. $145 million has already been paid to the point to point transport industry. A further $760 million in financial assistance will be available to eligible taxi licence owners to assist them to adjust to the deregulation of taxi licence supply.

The value of the payments to be made are based on the operating area of each eligible licence. The operating area is the area of the state in which the taxi is authorised to provide rank and hail services. More than 100 operating areas have been grouped into five zones.

Operating areas are allocated to a zone based on the sale price of licences:

• Operating areas with a similar median taxi licence sale price during the pre-reform period, between 2010 and 2015, have been allocated to the same zone.
• Operating areas with a low number of sales during the pre-reform period have been allocated based on sale prices before 2010.
• Operating areas with no taxi licence sales have been allocated to a zone using characteristics such as location, total population, and the number of people per taxi licence.

To make an application for financial assistance as an owner of an eligible licence, you will need to provide certified identity documents and details of your taxi licence.  You will not need to provide a copy of your taxi licence certificate, you will only need the taxi licence number, last known number registration plate and the date you acquired the licence.

Once an application has been submitted with all required information, Transport for NSW will assess the application and determine whether a payment is to be made. The more complete your application, the more quickly it can be processed. Payments will be made via cheque.

The transition period will start at the same time as Transport for NSW opens applications for financial assistance (1 February 2023), however they are separate processes. 

Transport for NSW will communicate to owners of eligible taxi licences about financial assistance. The Point to Point Transport Commissioner will communicate with eligible taxi licence holders to assist them in the transition to the new taxi licensing framework.

From 1 February 2023, at the start of the transition period, owners of existing taxi licences can no longer buy or sell their licences or enter into a new lease. After the transition period concludes, taxi licences issued under the new taxi licensing framework will not be able to be traded or leased. Taxi licence owners are encouraged to seek advice based on their individual circumstances prior to the start of the transition period.

If you have leased your taxi licence out to an operator, they will be entitled to apply for a taxi licence under the new taxi licensing framework. If the licence is approved, the previous taxi licence they were leasing will be cancelled. If your taxi licence is cancelled through the transition process you will still be able to make an application for financial assistance for any taxi licences that meet the eligibility criteria.

There will be no need to take any action in relation to the registration plate associated with your taxi licence. If you have leased your licence out to an operator, they can apply for a new taxi licence issued under the new licensing framework. The lessee (or licence holder) will not need to exchange the registration plate as they can be transferred across to the new taxi licence.

Taxi licence owners and holders are advised to carefully consider any lease arrangements in the lead up to 1 February 2023, the start of the transition period. Following the transition period taxi licences will not be able to be leased and will be available only on application to the Point to Point Transport Commissioner. Transport for NSW encourages anyone involved in providing a taxi service to seek their own advice. 

After the transition period, anyone will be able to apply to the Point to Point Transport Commissioner for a taxi licence, for an annual fee of $200. Taxi licences will no longer be able to be bought, sold or leased which means that there will only be one entity associated with each licence – the licence holder. Each licence holder will be directly involved in the operation of the business and provision of the taxi service.

If you sell or transfer a taxi licence you may affect your eligibility to receive financial assistance. You must have owned an eligible licence on 21 September 2022 and continue to own that licence on 1 February 2023, the start of the transition period to be eligible to apply for financial assistance. Beneficiaries of a will, probate or property settlement are eligible to apply, provided they or the previous owner owned the eligible licence on 21 September 2022 and continue to own the licence at the start of the transition period and satisfy all other eligibility criteria.

All taxi licence holders will need to transition to the new framework for taxi licensing. The Point to Point Transport Commissioner will contact you to explain the next steps.

You will need to transition to the new framework if you:

• Lease an ordinary or short-term licence directly from a taxi licence owner, or via an agent;
• Have an annual licence issued by the Point to Point Transport Commissioner, including wheelchair accessible taxi licences; or
• Use an ordinary or short-term licence you own to provide a taxi service.

During the transition period, the Point to Point Transport Commissioner will help taxi licence holders to transition to the new taxi licensing framework. The transition period started on 1 February 2023 and concludes on 31 July 2023.

The transition period will start at the same time as Transport for NSW opens applications for financial assistance (1 February 2023), however they are separate processes. 

Transport for NSW will accept applications for financial assistance from eligible taxi licence owners. A fact sheet is available that provides more information about how to apply for financial assistance.

The Point to Point Transport Commissioner will manage the transition process for taxi licence holders. The transition period will enable taxi licence holders that are currently providing a taxi service to continue to do so without interruption.

No – the registration plate associated with the old taxi licence will be transferred across to the replacement licence with no need to physically exchange registration plates.

There will be no fees to apply for a licence during the transition period. Following the transition period there will be an annual $200 fee except for wheelchair accessible taxi licences.

No, following the transition period all restrictions on taxi licence supply will be removed.

After the transition period, anyone will be able to apply to the Point to Point Transport Commissioner for a taxi licence, for an annual fee of $200. Taxi licence holders are advised to carefully consider any lease arrangements in the lead up to the transition period.

No, once a taxi licence has transitioned it cannot be leased, sold or traded. 

After the transition period, taxi licences will no longer be able to be traded or leased which means that there will only be one entity associated with each licence – the licence holder. Each licence holder will be directly involved in the operation of the business and provision of the taxi service.

All taxis must be operated by a person who is either authorised as a service provider themselves or affiliated to an authorised service provider. This will not change.

Under the new taxi licence scheme, an applicant will be required to be authorised by the Point to Point Transport Commissioner, or be affiliated with an authorised service provider, before the Commissioner will grant a taxi licence.