NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
COMMERCIAL PASSENGER (ROAD) TRANSPORT (RIDESHARING)
REGULATIONS 2017
As in force at 21 January 2026
Table of provisions
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1
2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1
3 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1
4 Rideshare vehicle ............................................................................ 2
Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager
5 Rideshare platform only to allocate to licensed drivers.................... 2
6 Operation of rideshare platform ....................................................... 2
7 Manager to notify drivers of suspension, revocation or
cancellation...................................................................................... 3
8 Surge pricing ................................................................................... 3
Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers
9 Identity card or approved form of identification ................................ 4
10 Driver to supply information ............................................................. 4
11 Driver may only accept journey from rideshare platform ................. 4
12 Driver may only drive approved vehicle ........................................... 5
13 Display of rideshare label on vehicle ............................................... 5
14 Driver to take shortest practicable route .......................................... 5
15 Driver not to purchase intoxicating liquor ......................................... 5
16 No touting ........................................................................................ 6
17 No advertising.................................................................................. 6
18 Parking restrictions .......................................................................... 6
Part 4 Miscellaneous matters
19 Approval of vehicle and rideshare label ........................................... 6
20 Register of rideshare platforms........................................................ 7
21 Fees ................................................................................................ 7
Schedule Fees
ENDNOTES
NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
As in force at 21 January 2026
COMMERCIAL PASSENGER (ROAD) TRANSPORT (RIDESHARING)
REGULATIONS 2017
Regulations under the Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport
Act 1991
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Citation
These Regulations may be cited as the Commercial Passenger
(Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017.
2 Commencement
(1) These Regulations (except Parts 5 and 6) commence on
1 December 2017.
(2) Parts 5 and 6 commence on 1 February 2018.
3 Definitions
In these Regulations:
rideshare driver means a person who makes a rideshare vehicle
driven by the person available for a rideshare journey.
rideshare journey means a journey by a passenger in a rideshare
vehicle in exchange for payment made by electronic means to a
rideshare platform manager.
rideshare label, for a rideshare vehicle, means the label issued for
the vehicle under regulation 19(3).
rideshare licence means a special passenger vehicle licence
issued under the Act to a person to operate a rideshare vehicle.
rideshare platform means a communications or dispatch network
approved by the Director under section 71 of the Act in connection
with rideshare vehicles.
Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 2
rideshare platform manager means a person who operates a
rideshare platform.
rideshare vehicle, see regulation 4.
4 Rideshare vehicle
(1) A rideshare vehicle means a motor vehicle:
(a) capable of undertaking hirings arranged through a
communications or dispatch network approved by the Director
under section 71 of the Act in exchange for a fare derived
through an algorithm or pricing structure not limited by period
of time taken or distance travelled; and
(b) where the driver of the vehicle does not receive payment from
the passenger for a hiring; and
(c) that is declared by the Director to be a special passenger
vehicle or is a vehicle of a class that is declared to be special
passenger vehicles.
(2) A vehicle mentioned in subregulation (1) is not a rideshare vehicle
when it is being used as a private vehicle and is unavailable for
hire.
Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager
5 Rideshare platform only to allocate to licensed drivers
A rideshare platform manager must ensure that the manager's
rideshare platform does not allocate a rideshare journey to anyone
other than a person who holds a rideshare licence.
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
6 Operation of rideshare platform
A rideshare platform manager must ensure that the manager's
rideshare platform:
(a) operates so as to communicate a prospective passenger's
request for a rideshare journey to an available rideshare
driver; and
(b) makes available to the passenger, before the rideshare
journey begins:
(i) an estimate of the fare for the journey; and
Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 3
(ii) sufficient information for the passenger to identify the
rideshare vehicle and rideshare driver for the journey.
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
Note for regulation 6
Section 71(7A) of the Act requires a rideshare platform manager to provide the
Director with information requested from time to time about the rideshare
platform.
7 Manager to notify drivers of suspension, revocation or
cancellation
If approval for a rideshare platform is suspended, revoked or
cancelled, the rideshare platform manager must take reasonable
steps to notify as soon as practicable each rideshare driver who
intends to use the rideshare platform.
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
Example for regulation 7
The rideshare driver receives a message from the rideshare platform when the
driver attempts to log onto the platform.
8 Surge pricing
(1) A rideshare platform manager must not apply surge pricing in an
area during:
(a) an emergency situation existing in the area; or
(b) the activation of an approved emergency plan in the area.
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
(2) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against
subregulation (1) if the rideshare platform manager took all
reasonable steps to prevent the rideshare platform from applying
surge pricing.
(3) In this regulation:
approved emergency plan, see section 8 of the Emergency
Management Act 2013.
emergency situation, see section 18(1) of the Emergency
Management Act 2013.
surge pricing means the practice of increasing rideshare vehicle
fares during times of high demand for rideshare journeys.
Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 4
Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers
9 Identity card or approved form of identification
(1) For section 74 of the Act, a rideshare vehicle is a prescribed class
of commercial passenger vehicle.
(2) An identity card issued to a rideshare driver under section 74(1)(a)
of the Act must:
(a) display the name of the driver; and
(b) display a recent photograph of the driver; and
(c) specify the expiry date of the card; and
(d) indicate that the holder of the card is authorised to drive a
rideshare vehicle.
(3) A rideshare driver must:
(a) carry the driver's identity card mentioned in subregulation (2)
or other form of identification approved by the Director under
section 74(10) of the Act while driving a rideshare vehicle; and
(b) produce that identity card or other approved form of
identification when requested by an inspector.
Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units.
10 Driver to supply information
When requested by the Director to do so, a rideshare driver must
give the Director, within the time specified by the Director, full and
correct information of any details specified in the request relating to
rideshare journeys undertaken in the driver's rideshare vehicle.
Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units.
11 Driver may only accept journey from rideshare platform
(1) A rideshare driver must not accept a journey in the driver's
rideshare vehicle for hire or reward other than through a rideshare
platform.
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
(2) It is a condition of a rideshare driver's rideshare licence that the
driver accepts journeys in the driver's rideshare vehicle for hire or
reward only through a rideshare platform.
Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 5
12 Driver may only drive approved vehicle
A person must not drive a rideshare vehicle for hire or reward
unless a current approval under regulation 19 is in effect for the
vehicle.
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
13 Display of rideshare label on vehicle
(1) A rideshare driver must ensure that, at all times when the driver's
rideshare vehicle is being used for a rideshare journey, or the driver
is connected to the rideshare platform, the vehicle's current
rideshare label is displayed in accordance with subregulation (2).
Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units.
(2) The rideshare label must be displayed:
(a) so the information on the label is readable from the outside of
the vehicle; and
(b) on the passenger's side of the front windscreen at the bottom
corner, or another location specified by the Director.
14 Driver to take shortest practicable route
When conveying a passenger for hire or reward, a rideshare driver
must take the shortest practicable route to the destination
requested unless the passenger specifies another route.
Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units.
15 Driver not to purchase intoxicating liquor
A rideshare driver must not:
(a) accept a request for a rideshare journey under which the
driver is required to purchase intoxicating liquor for or on
behalf of another person, whether or not that other person is a
passenger; or
(b) in the course of a rideshare journey purchase intoxicating
liquor for or on behalf of a passenger.
Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units.
Part 4 Miscellaneous matters
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 6
16 No touting
A person must not tout or solicit for passengers for a rideshare
vehicle.
Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units.
17 No advertising
(1) A rideshare driver for a rideshare vehicle must ensure that, at any
time (whether or not the vehicle is being operated as a rideshare
vehicle), the vehicle does not display any advertising indicating that
the vehicle is available for hire or reward.
Maximum penalty: 40 penalty units.
(2) To avoid doubt, subregulation (1) does not apply to the display of a
label on a vehicle in accordance with regulation 13.
18 Parking restrictions
(1) A rideshare driver must not stop a rideshare vehicle:
(a) in a taxi rank or a minibus rank; or
(b) in a place that is marked or indicated by sign as a reserved
place for private hire cars.
Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units.
(2) In this regulation:
minibus rank includes a bus stop whenever a minibus is parked or
standing in the bus stop in accordance with section 38K(1) of the
Act.
taxi rank, see regulation 3(1) of the Commercial Passenger (Road)
Transport (Taxis) Regulations 1992.
Part 4 Miscellaneous matters
19 Approval of vehicle and rideshare label
(1) The Director may approve a vehicle as being suitable for use as a
rideshare vehicle if the Director is satisfied that the vehicle is safe.
(2) An approval is subject to any conditions imposed by the Director.
(3) If the Director approves a vehicle, the Director must issue a
rideshare label for the vehicle.
Part 4 Miscellaneous matters
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 7
20 Register of rideshare platforms
(1) The Director must keep a register of rideshare platforms, including
the conditions to which the approval of each rideshare platform is
subject.
(2) The Director must publish the register on an appropriate website.
21 Fees
The fees set out in the Schedule are payable in relation to the
matters specified in the Schedule.
ENDNOTES
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 9
ENDNOTES
1 KEY Key to abbreviations
amd = amended od = order
app = appendix om = omitted
bl = by-law pt = Part
ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule
cl = clause rem = remainder
div = Division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired rep = repealed
f = forms s = section
Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule
hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision
ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation
lt = long title sub = substituted
nc = not commenced
2 LIST OF LEGISLATION
Ridesharing Regulations (SL No. 35, 2017)
Notified 29 November 2017
Commenced pts 5 and 6: 1 February 2018; rem: 1 December 2017 (r 2)
Statute Law Amendment (Territory Economic Reconstruction) Act 2022 (Act No. 5,
2022)
Assent date 14 April 2022
Commenced pt 7: 25 May 2023 (Gaz G11, 25 May 2023, p 2);
rem: 25 May 2022 (Gaz G21, 25 May 2022, p 1)
Transport Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (Act No. 23, 2025)
Assent date 12 September 2025
Commenced pts 2, 4, 5 and 6: 21 January 2026 (Gaz S5,
19 January 2026); rem: 18 November 2025 (Gaz S69,
17 November 2025)
3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22 of 2018) to: rr 1, 8 and 18.
4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
r 1 amd Act No. 23, 2025, s 66
r 9 amd Act No. 5, 2022, s 75
r 18 amd Act No. 23, 2025, s 66
pt 5 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
pt 5
div 1 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
rr 22 – 28 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
ENDNOTES
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 10
pt 5
div 2 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
rr 29 – 30 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
pt 5
div 3 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
rr 31 – 32 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
pt 5
div 4 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
rr 33 – 34 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
pt 6 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
r 35 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35
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