What are the requirements and documents needed to operate a ride-hailing service?
2 Answers
To operate a ride-hailing service, you need to obtain an operation permit from the Industrial and Commercial Administration Bureau. The following are the specific requirements for joining Didi Express: 1. Vehicle age requirement: For Didi Express, the vehicle must be less than 8 years old, and for premium services, less than 6 years old; the mileage should be under 100,000 kilometers, and the vehicle must be in good condition. 2. Compliance with ride-hailing requirements: All traffic violations must be resolved, and the vehicle must have local license plates and a ride-hailing operation permit, meeting local ride-hailing regulations. 3. Luxury vehicle requirements: Didi's luxury vehicle service has stricter criteria and is currently only available in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou. Eligible luxury models include Audi A6L, Audi A6 (imported), Audi A8L; BMW 5 Series, BMW 5 Series (imported), BMW 7 Series; Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Mercedes-Benz Vito, Mercedes-Benz S-Class; Tesla Model-S, and Tesla Model-X.
When I started driving for ride-hailing platforms last year, I thoroughly researched these requirements. There are three main conditions for operating express services: Personally, you must be at least 21 years old with a C2 or higher driver's license and 3 years of driving experience. For the vehicle, it must be a locally registered car with fewer than 7 seats, typically no older than 5 years. The most crucial documents are the ride-hailing driver's license and the vehicle transport permit. First, for the driver's license, you need to undergo a medical examination at a qualified hospital, then obtain a certificate from the traffic management department proving no major accidents in the past 3 years, and finally apply for an exam on the platform—only after passing will you receive the license. The vehicle transport permit is slightly more troublesome, requiring changing the private car to commercial use, which increases insurance costs. Initially, the process seemed complicated, but now it's much more convenient as most local government apps allow online applications.
