How to Own a Taxi Cab in West Virginia

Fill out a CDL application to own a taxi cab in West Virginia.

Becoming a taxi cab driver in West Virginia is a simple process. You are not required to do anything special to the car you intend to use as a cab, although advertising it as a cab using a magnet, for example, is ideal. WV authorities only require the driver to possess a Class D license and a medical waiver for owning and operating a taxi cab in the state.

Things You'll Need

• Personal identification
• CDL application
• Medical waiver

Instructions

1. Go to the official West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles website (see Resources). Type "Forms and Applications" into the prefabricated text box at the top of the page. Click the "Search" tab and open the "Forms and Applications" link.

2. Click the "Commercial Driver's License" tab on the Forms and Applications page. Select both the "Commercial Driver's License Application" and "CDL Medical Examination" tabs to open, then download and print each form.

3. Complete each form in full and sign them both. Check off that you are applying for a "Class D" license on the CDL Application. Contact the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) at 1-800-832-5660 to apply for an additional medical waiver if you intend to have permission to drive customers across state boundaries; to an airport, for example.

4. Copy all forms and return the original set to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Keep the form copies for your own personal records. Pay all necessary filing fees, beginning at $19.25 as of May 2011. Call 304-558-3900 or 800-642-9066 to find your local DMV facility.

References

• DMV: WV Taxi Drivers
• WV-DMV: Class D Licenses
• WV-DMV: CDL Application

Resources

• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: Contact Us
• WV-DMV: Contact
• West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles