General requirements of operation.
Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 895-8
in effectSec. 895-8. - General requirements of operation.
Horse-drawn carriages shall be operated only in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(1) A registrant shall give the license administrator written notice within ten (10) days after a registered carriage, or coachman listed in the registration, is no longer used or employed by the registrant.
(2) A copy of the certificate of registration shall be displayed in all carriages.
(3) Each coachman shall carry an identification card or be wearing some type of visible identification at all times when operating such carriage.
(4) Horse-drawn carriages shall pick up and discharge passengers only upon the curb lane, while lawfully parked at the curb.
(5) Horse-drawn carriages, when in motion, shall be operated only in the curb-most traffic lane on any public street, and the coachman shall obey all applicable state and local traffic and parking laws, ordinances and regulations.
(6) Coachmen shall carry rate cards and exhibit them on demand. Rate cards shall also be affixed to the carriage in a prominent location so as to advise prospective clientele of the rates and fares. Rate cards shall bear the name and business address of the registrant, and a complete schedule of rates and fares, which shall be the same as those on file with the license administrator. It shall be the responsibility of the registrant to provide rate cards to all coachmen and affix same to the carriages. Registrants shall give the license administrator written notice at least ten (10) days prior to any change in the rates and fares.
(7) Horse-drawn carriage owners and operators shall maintain their horses in good health abiding by the rules of good animal husbandry. This shall include an annual health examination of each animal by a veterinarian of equine medicine licensed by the state. A copy of such examination shall be submitted to the license administrator to be placed on file.
(8) Occupancy of a horse-drawn carriage shall not exceed the rated seating capacity of the carriage.
(9) No passenger shall be allowed to ride on any part of the carriage while in motion except seated inside the carriage.
(10) Coachmen shall not solicit patronage in a loud tone of voice or in any manner to annoy or obstruct the movement of a person, or follow a person for the purpose of soliciting patronage.
(11) Coachmen are prohibited from smoking while carrying passengers.
(12) All horses must be shod with horse shoes that are either a rubber compound shoe, a steel shoe with borium or Drill-Tek on the street-gripping surfaces, or other type of shoe approved for use by the director of the department of public works.
(13) Each horse pulling a carriage on the city streets shall be equipped with manure-catching devices to prevent manure from falling to the street surface.
(14) Each carriage shall be equipped with a chemical to be poured over horse urine so as to break down and eliminate accumulated agents and odor, and coachmen shall use the chemical each time a horse urinates on the street surface.
(G.O. 97, 1999, § 1; G.O. 15, 2001, § 144; G.O. 63, 2009, § 144)
Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIVBUCORELI_CH895HOAWCA_S895-8GEREOPFetched: 10/27/2026