Airport use permits generally.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 9-53
in effectSec. 9-53. - Airport use permits generally.
(a) Application. A person desiring to obtain an airport use permit must apply to the director upon a form promulgated by the director. The form may require: (i) multiple signatures, in the case of transportation services provided by or for more than one entity, (ii) agreements to comply with applicable regulations, (iii) indemnities to protect the city and its officers, agents and employees, and (iv) other provisions related to this division.
(b) Form of permits, devices, etc. The director shall prescribe the form of airport use permits. There may be different permit forms (with different provisions) for different categories of vehicles and services. The director shall also prescribe the form of stickers, electronic devices, or other evidence of an airport use permit and the manner in which the evidence shall be affixed and displayed.
(c) Insurance. Each permittee must provide and maintain insurance coverage (or self-insurance) as required by this section throughout the term of the permit.
(1) Insurance policies maintained by permittees other than transportation network company drivers must meet all of the criteria, coverage limits and all prescribed times when the requisite coverage shall be in effect as provided in chapter 46 of this Code. The director shall approve self-insurance in lieu of liability insurance policies if the applicant submits proof that the applicant has qualified as a self-insurer under state laws and regulations applicable to motor carriers (see, e.g., § 643.102, Texas Government Code and 43 TAC § 18.16) up to the limits required by this section for liability insurance policies.
(2) Except for transportation network company drivers, a permittee not covered by chapter 46 is required to have and maintain motor vehicle (or automobile) liability insurance with limits of liability not less than $100,000.00 for bodily injury to one person or death of one person and $300,000.00 for bodily injury to or death of all persons injured or killed in any one accident.
(3) Because airport use permits are not required for taxicabs or non-Houston taxis, the foregoing insurance provisions (as well as the other permit requirements) do not apply to them; however, the provisions of chapter 46, including the insurance provisions, shall remain applicable to taxicabs, and the ordinances and regulations of the municipality regulating non-Houston taxis shall remain applicable to them.
(4) Each permittee shall submit written proof of insurance (or self-insurance) to the director: (i) with each application for a permit, including transfers and other changes, (ii) at least 15 days before any existing coverage expires, and (iii) at any other time when requested by the director. Except for transportation network company drivers, each proof of insurance shall meet the criteria of chapter 46 of this Code, or such other criteria as the director may promulgate, e.g., for self-insurance. The director may waive these requirements when proof is already on file with another city department as required by chapter 46 of this Code.
(5) A permittee who is a transportation network company driver shall have and maintain primary automobile insurance as required by Chapter 1954 of the Texas Insurance Code.
(d) Term. Each airport use permit shall be effective for a term prescribed by the director, not to exceed 18 months. A permit may be renewed. The standards and procedures for renewals are the same as for original permits.
(e) Issuance or denial. After a complete and effective permit application is received, the director shall grant it unless one or more of the following circumstances is present:
(1) The application does not meet a requirement of this chapter or another applicable regulation, or information required to be provided by the applicant is missing.
(2) The application includes false or misleading information or omits information necessary to prevent the application from being misleading.
(3) It appears that the proposed activity will not comply with applicable regulations, or the director is not able to discern from the application that the activity will so comply.
(4) An airport use permit or other regulatory approval relating to passenger transportation issued to the applicant, or to a closely-related party, was revoked within the 180 day period preceding the date the application is filed, and the revocation has become final, all because of a violation of a statute, rule, regulation or ordinance. This requirement may be waived if the applicant demonstrates clearly that the circumstances of the revocation have been changed so as to prevent another violation. If a permit is denied under this paragraph because of a previous conviction, the director shall follow the procedures of section 1-9 of this Code and applicable state law. It is found and determined that the previous conviction for a violation of a statute or ordinance that results in a revocation of an airport use permit shall be grounds for denial of a new permit because such a conviction would indicate an inability or an unwillingness of the applicant to comply with this division or the terms of the permit.
(5) The director determines that the proposed service: (i) would be inconsistent with any contracts, leases or other arrangements previously made, or in process, for service to a specified service area; (ii) would cause a reduction in the quality, reliability or traveler-orientation of the overall ground transportation system; (iii) would cause an increase in price, immediately or in the future, of scheduled or lower-priced services; (iv) would be inconsistent with efficient operation of the airport in question; or (v) would otherwise adversely affect the traveling public.
(f) Conditions. The director may grant a permit with conditions, to be stated in the permit, if the director determines that such conditions are: (i) required by this division; (ii) required to allow the permit to be issued under the criteria set out in this division; or (iii) reasonably necessary to achieve compliance with applicable regulations. An application for a permit shall be deemed denied if not granted on or before the thirtieth day next following the day the application is completely and effectively filed.
(g) Non-transferable. A permit is personal to the applicant or commercial business entity to whom it is issued and may not be sold, transferred or conveyed by operation of law or otherwise.
(h) Revocation. The director shall have the authority to revoke a permit for any one or more of the following reasons:
(1) The activity covered by the permit appears not to comply with any applicable regulation or with any condition imposed in connection with the permit, regardless of whether the noncompliance was shown on the application for the permit or was otherwise known to the city.
(2) The activity has been substantially abandoned or ceased for a period of 30 consecutive days or more, unless such abandonment or cessation is caused by circumstances beyond the control of the applicant, and the applicant is proceeding with due diligence, given all attendant circumstances, to resume the activity.
(3) Information provided in or as part of the permit application is materially incorrect.
(4) The permit should not have been issued pursuant to the criteria of this article or the criteria of any other ordinance applicable to the permit.
(5) Any check or instrument presented to the city in connection with the permit was returned unpaid for any reason.
(6) A change in an applicable regulation requires that the permit be revoked.
(7) The director is denied access to inspect or examine any vehicle or place where the activity occurs or any records to which the director is required to have access under this division.
(8) The permittee does not have other regulatory approval to operate the service in question (where required).
(9) In the case of permits issued pursuant to a contract for service, the contract is not in effect.
(10) Any permit, sticker, electronic device, or other required evidence of an airport use permit is counterfeited, disabled, tampered with, transferred, affixed, displayed, or removed contrary to rules issued by the director.
(11) Any fees or charges required by this division are not paid when due.
(12) Cancellation, termination or other lack of insurance or self-insurance.
(13) The permittee does not file the reports evidencing its commercial activities or revenue required under section 9-56 of this Code.
(i) Procedures. Before revoking or suspending a permit (and except as provided below), the director shall make a reasonable attempt to:
(1) Notify the permittee (or local management personnel of the permittee, in case the permittee is not notified) orally or in writing at an appropriate address (physical or electronic), telefax number or telephone number shown on the permittee's most recent permit application;
(2) Describe the evidence supporting the revocation or suspension; and
(3) Provide the permittee an opportunity to respond. If requested by the permittee, the director shall grant a reasonable time extension for the permittee's response, unless it is obvious that there has been a serious or repeated violation of applicable regulations. The proceedings may be handled informally. If, after making such an attempt, the director is of the opinion that the permit should be revoked or suspended, he may issue a written order so stating, which shall be effective (unless a later time is indicated in the order) when notice thereof is given to the permittee.
(j) Suspension. If the director so determines, based upon the nature of the violation, that the ends of justice would be served by a suspension in lieu of a revocation, the director may suspend the permit for a period of time to be stated in the order of suspension. The director may suspend a permit without prior notice if the permittee knows, or should know, that: (i) any other regulatory approval required to operate the vehicle is not in effect, (ii) required insurance or self-insurance is not in effect, or (iii) fees or charges required by this chapter are not paid when due. In case of such a suspension, the director shall provide an expedited opportunity for the permittee to respond and appeal.
(k) Demerit system. The director may classify violations and assign each a specified number of demerits. Accumulated demerits may be used to determine when permits are suspended or revoked.
(l) Refund of annual permit fees. A permit holder whose permit has been suspended or revoked for a reason other than nonpayment of fees shall be entitled to a refund of the pro rata share of the annual fee paid.
(m) Nature of permits. An airport use permit is only a nonexclusive, conditional permission to use airport premises. No permit confers a vested right or property right of any kind, and all permits are subject to amendment, cancellation, revocation, or suspension at any time.
(Ord. No. 02-1184, § 1(Exh. A), 12-18-02; Ord. No. 2010-354, § 2, 5-12-2010; Ord. No. 2014-1013, §§ 5, 6, 11-12-2014; Ord. No. 2020-371, §§ 9, 10, 5-6-2020)
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_CH9AV_ARTIILAARRE_DIV3GRTR_S9-53AIUSPEGEFetched: 10/26/2026