Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-200 Scope.
Sec. 46-200. - Scope.
The provisions of this division shall apply to charter and sightseeing services and permittees thereof.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014)
SIGHTSEEING AND CHARTER SERVICES
Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 46, art. IV, div. 2
in effectHouston Code of Ordinances § 46-201 Permit and license required.
Sec. 46-201. - Permit and license required.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a sightseeing or charter service, or to drive or cause to be operated or driven any sightseeing motor vehicle or charter service motor vehicle upon and over the streets of the city, until such time as the director has approved and issued a permit for such service and a license.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-202 Permit term; operations authorized.
Sec. 46-202. - Permit term; operations authorized.
(a) A permit for sightseeing shall be issued for a term of five years and shall authorize the permittee to operate in a manner under which persons picked up. Proof that persons carried by a permittee are discharged and leave the motor vehicle at points other than those at which they are picked up shall constitute grounds for termination of the permit under the provisions hereinafter stated for notice and hearing; A sightseeing service permittee shall wait for the passengers and return them to the point of origin.
(b) A permit for a charter service shall be issued for a term of five years and shall authorize the permittee to operate in a manner under which persons picked up at the same or various points are taken to specific destination(s). A charter service permittee may operate between points within the city and between such points and points outside the city.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2015-997, § 21, 10-14-2015; Ord. No. 2025-1050, § 12, 12-17-2025)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-203 Reserved.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-204 Permit application; issuance procedure.
Sec. 46-204. - Permit application; issuance procedure.
(a) An application for a permit shall be submitted on forms to be furnished by the director and the applicant shall furnish the following information with each application, which shall be sworn to before a notary public or conform to minimum state law requirements for unsworn declarations:
(1) The name and form of business under which the service will be operated. (If a partnership or corporation, a copy of the partnership agreement or articles of incorporation must be attached.)
(2) The name, mailing address, and street address, if different, of the applicant's agent for service of legal process (which information a permittee shall keep current).
(3) A schedule showing the model, manufacturer model year date, type, make, vehicle identification number, license plate number, and mileage of each motor vehicle that the applicant proposes to place into operation and a statement as to the legal ownership of each vehicle.
(4) For a sightseeing service, a description of the sightseeing tours that the applicant proposes to furnish and a schedule of the routes proposed to be followed.
(b) An applicant for a permit under this division must:
(1) Be not less than 18 years of age.
(2) Not have been convicted of an applicable offense specified in section 1-10 of this Code unless the license is granted notwithstanding the conviction pursuant to section 1-9 of this Code.
(c) If the applicant is a partnership or association, the partners or associates, or if the applicant is a corporation, each person who is either an officer or director, shall be required to join in filing the application and all of the provisions and requirements of this chapter applicable to individual applicants shall apply to and be required of each partner, associate, officer or director. Failure of any of these persons to meet the requirements shall be grounds to deny the application of the partnership, association or corporation.
(d) Any change in associates, partners, officers, or directors of the business entity holding a permit shall require a permit amendment and must be reported to the director within ten days after the change. The new associates, partners, officers, or directors shall complete and file the forms and supply the information required of applicants for permits. The director shall consider the information supplied regarding the new or proposed associate, partner, officer, or director of the permittee, and if this examination discloses that the new or proposed person possesses the qualifications of a person to whom a permit would be issued under the terms of this article, he shall change his records to reflect the new associate, partner, officer, or director of the permittee.
(e) Except as provided in section 46-218 of this Code, the addition, removal or substitution of any vehicle with a replacement vehicle operated pursuant to a permit shall require a permit amendment.
(f) The director shall initially review each application for issuance or amendment of a permit to determine whether the application is complete and all required information has been provided. If not, the director shall return the application to the applicant with a statement of deficiencies.
(g) The director shall review complete applications to determine whether the applicant has met all applicable requirements of this article and of other applicable provisions, including section 1-10 of this Code. If so, the director shall issue the permit without conducting a hearing. If, based upon the review, the director determines that one or more requirements may not have been met, the director shall afford the applicant the right to a hearing before acting on the application.
(h) Prior to the denial of an application, the director shall notify the applicant of the proposed grounds for denial and that the applicant may, within 15 business days following the date of deposit of the notice in the mail, request a hearing. Where the grounds are based in whole or in part upon section 1-10 of this Code, the hearing shall conform to the requirements of section 1-9 of this Code with respect to those grounds.
(i) In the event that the director approves the permit, issuance shall be subject to compliance with this article, including, but not limited to, payment of any required fees, and submission of proof of insurance.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2021-804, § 16, 9-15-2021; Ord. No. 2025-1050, § 13, 12-17-2025)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-205 Vehicle certification decals.
Sec. 46-205. - Vehicle certification decals.
The director shall devise a system of identification for authorized vehicles and prescribe and issue a certification decal identifying each vehicle as one lawfully operated under the permit.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2015-997, § 22, 10-14-2015; Ord. No. 2015-997, § 22, 10-14-2015; Ord. No. 2025-1050, § 14, 12-17-2025)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-206 Reserved.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-207 Insurance requirements.
Sec. 46-207. - Insurance requirements.
(a) Every vehicle operated under a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this division shall at all times be covered by commercial automobile liability insurance meeting all requirements of Chapter 643 of the Texas Transportation Code.
(b) Policies issued under this section shall contain provisions for a continuing liability thereon up to the full amount thereof, notwithstanding any recovery thereon, and include an endorsement requiring 30 days' written notice of termination or cancellation to the director and an endorsement requiring ten days' written notice of non-payment to the director. In the event that a policy terminates or is cancelled without replacement, then each permit to which it pertains shall be suspended, and all sightseeing and charter service vehicles within such coverage may not be operated. If a proper replacement policy is not provided to the director on or before the tenth business day after the date of termination or cancellation of the policy, the permit shall automatically terminate.
(c) The insurance required in subsection (a) shall be issued by either a company listed as an authorized auto liability lines carrier on the Texas Department of Insurance's List of Authorized Insurance Companies or a surplus lines insurer listed on the Texas Department of Insurance's list of Eligible Surplus Lines Insurance Companies. The eligible surplus lines insurance company is required to have a Best's Rating of at least B+ and a Best's Financial Size Category of Class VI or better according to the most current edition of Best's Key Rating Guide, Property-Casualty, United States. Proof of coverage shall be accepted only in the authorized form approved by the Texas Department of Insurance for that purpose.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2025-1050, § 15, 12-17-2025)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-208 Maintenance and operation of vehicles; qualifications of licensees.
Sec. 46-208. - Maintenance and operation of vehicles; qualifications of licensees.
(a) A permittee shall not permit or cause to be driven, and shall not drive on any street of the city any vehicle which does not comply with all of the provisions of this article. It shall be a violation of this article on the part of any permittee and licensee to fail to comply or to fail to require compliance with any of the provisions of this article.
(b) All vehicles operating as a sightseeing or charter service shall be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition and shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at least once in each 24-hour period.
(c) If applicable, all vehicles operating as a sightseeing or charter service shall be equipped with rear vision mirrors, a double windshield wiper, a partition or other guard to keep passengers from standing to the left of the driver, proper headlights and taillights in good working condition, which shall be lit from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, and four-wheel hydraulic or air brakes in good working condition.
(d) Every vehicle operating as a sightseeing service shall have posted in a conspicuous place in the vehicle the route to be traveled thereby and a schedule of the rates of fares.
(e) The director may at any time make tests and inspections of all vehicles operating as a sightseeing or charter service, and if the director finds any vehicle to be in an unsatisfactory condition, he shall notify the owner or operator thereof of the defects observed. The owner or operator shall immediately correct all defects to the satisfaction of the director. If the director finds any sightseeing or charter service vehicle to be unfit or unsafe for the carriage of passengers, he shall forthwith notify the operator of the sightseeing or charter service and the operator shall not thereafter cause or permit the vehicle to be operated on any street of the city until it has been made safe for the carriage of passengers. The director and any employee whom he may designate to the duty of inspection of sightseeing or charter service vehicles shall be given free and ready access to all sightseeing or charter service vehicles. Proof of a valid state inspection in the last twelve months will suffice for the purposes of this subsection in determining that the sightseeing and charter vehicle is fit and safe for the carriage of passengers.
(f) Licensees shall not smoke or use tobacco during the time they are driving vehicles that are operating as a sightseeing or charter service.
(g) A licensee shall not drive for more than 12 hours in any consecutive 24-hour period and a permittee shall not permit or cause a licensee to drive a vehicle operating as a sightseeing or charter service more than 12 hours in any consecutive 24-hour period.
(h) The doors of a vehicle operated as a sightseeing or charter service shall be securely closed at all times while the vehicle is in motion.
(i) Passengers of a sightseeing or charter service shall not be picked up or discharged in the traveled portion of any street. Licensees shall pull the vehicle to the curb and pick up and discharge the passengers on the side of the vehicle immediately against the curb.
(j) A licensee shall not permit or allow passengers or employees to stand or ride on the running board, dash board, fender or any outside portion of the vehicle, or permit any passenger to stand in such a position that the driver's vision forward or to the right front or left is blocked.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2015-997, § 23, 10-14-2015; Ord. No. 2025-1050, § 16, 12-17-2025)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-209 Schedule of fares.
Sec. 46-209. - Schedule of fares.
Upon being issued a permit, a permittee shall file with the director a complete schedule of fares to be charged. In the event any changes are made in the fares, the permittee shall file the changes with the director not later than 30 days before the effective date of the changes.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-210 Routes and schedules.
Sec. 46-210. - Routes and schedules.
A permittee operating a sightseeing service shall operate its motor vehicles only over and along routes and schedules filed with and approved by the director. The permittee shall submit all proposed routes and schedules for review and approval by the director. Routes and schedules may be amended from time to time. Routes shall not be exclusive.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2025-1050, § 17, 12-17-2025)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-211 Annual permit fee.
Sec. 46-211. - Annual permit fee.
(a) Fees. The annual fee for a permit under this division for each sightseeing or charter vehicle is stated for this provision in the city fee schedule and shall be paid in advance to the department of administration and regulatory affairs in two installments on or before January 1 and March 1 of each calendar year in amounts prescribed in the city fee schedule. In the event the permit is issued for a period of time less than one year, the fee shall be prorated, payable at the rate stated for this provision in the city fee schedule for each month or fraction thereof remaining in the calendar year, not to exceed the full annual fee. The reissuance of each certification decal that is lost, mutilated, or otherwise rendered unusable shall be provided only upon reinspection of the sightseeing or charter service vehicle.
(b) Additional to other required fees. The fees established in this section shall be payable in addition to any other applicable fees imposed by this Code or other ordinances of the city.
(c) In addition, before a permittee may replace a sightseeing or charter vehicle that is an electric-drive vehicle or a wheelchair accessible vehicle with a vehicle that is not an electric-drive vehicle or a wheelchair accessible vehicle, the permittee shall be required to pay, in full, the difference between the permit fee amount he paid for the electric-drive vehicle or the wheelchair accessible vehicle and the permit fee amount for the replacement vehicle.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2015-997, § 24, 10-14-2015; Ord. No. 2019-669, § 36, 9-4-2019; Ord. No. 2021-804, § 17, 9-15-2021)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-212 Statements, reports, records.
Sec. 46-212. - Statements, reports, records.
Permittees shall furnish and render to the director statements and reports incident to the operation of a sightseeing or charter service required by the director, including but not limited to records of the operation sufficient to show the amount of gross receipts during any and every monthly period.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-216 Transfer of permit.
Sec. 46-216. - Transfer of permit.
A permit may not be transferred.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-217 Reserved.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 46-218 Temporary certification decals.
Sec. 46-218. - Temporary certification decals.
In addition to the vehicles regularly operated by a permittee, the permittee may place one or more vehicles into use on a temporary basis from time to time to meet seasonal or unexpected needs in accordance with this subsection. Temporary certification decals shall be issued for a term of 30 consecutive calendar days to commence on the date of issuance at the fee stated for this provision in the city fee schedule per vehicle, per certification decal, upon provision to the director of proof of the identity of the vehicle to be used including verification that the vehicle is in compliance with all requirements of this division including proof that it is insured as required in section 46-207 of this Code and has been inspected and approved for use as provided in section 46-208 of this Code within twelve months preceding the date the certification decal is issued. For vehicles placed in service on a temporary basis that are less than or equal to two years of age (manufacturer's model year date counted as first full year), proof of a valid state inspection will suffice for the requirement of section 46-208 of this Code. If the permittee's insurance policy on file with the director pursuant to section 46-207 of this Code also covers the vehicles that will be placed in service on a temporary basis, no additional proof of insurance is required.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2025-1050, § 18, 12-17-2025)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH46VEHI_ARTIVSICHCHLISE_DIV2SICHSEFetched: 10/26/2026