DC Limousine Face ID: Eligibility, Fees, and Renewal

To drive a limousine for hire in Washington, DC, you need a DC limousine Face ID issued by the Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV). A new card costs $150 and is good for one year; renewals run $300 for two years. Getting one means clearing an FBI background check, passing the DFHV’s for-hire operator exam, assembling a specific set of documents, and, at renewal, submitting a notarized medical exam. Here is what the process actually looks like, and what trips people up along the way.

Who Needs a Face ID and What Happens Without One

Anyone paid to transport passengers in the District falls under the Face ID requirement, including limousine operators, taxicab drivers, and other for-hire vehicle operators under DFHV jurisdiction. The card is your proof of licensure, and you cannot legally pick up a fare without it.

Under 31 DCMR § 814, operating without a valid Face card carries a $500 fine for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $1,500 for a third within any 24-month period.¹ The DFHV will not issue a card until every piece is in place: a completed application, all required documents, a passing exam score, and a favorable FBI background investigation.² Fail any single step and you restart that step, so it pays to understand the full sequence before you begin.

Qualifying to Apply

Driver’s License and Driving Record

You need a valid driver’s license from the Washington, DC metropolitan area and at least 12 consecutive months of driving experience in the region.³ A license from outside the metro area will not satisfy the requirement; if you just moved here, the 12-month clock starts when your metro-area license is issued. Eight or more points on your driving record is an automatic disqualifier, and the DFHV makes no exceptions.

FBI Background Check and Fingerprinting

Every applicant goes through an FBI background investigation that begins with fingerprinting. The combined fingerprint and examination fee is $149.50.³ A criminal history the DFHV considers unfavorable will block issuance. The check can take several weeks, so build that into your timeline.

For-Hire Operator Exam

You have to pass the DFHV’s for-hire operator exam before your application moves forward. Training materials and instructions are on the DFHV’s Driver Training page, and no Face ID will be issued until the exam is passed.²

Medical Exam

At renewal, you must submit a physical examination form completed and signed by a physician located in the DC metropolitan area, and the form must be notarized. The exam covers vision, hearing, cardiovascular and neurological health, and sleep disorders. New applicants should confirm current medical requirements directly with the DFHV, since examination standards may apply at initial licensing as well.

Documents to Gather

The DFHV requires originals or specific document types for several items. Showing up with the wrong version means another trip. You will need:

Your original Social Security card. Copies are not accepted.³
Your DC metro-area driver’s license with the required 12 months of experience.
Proof of residency matching the address on your license: a utility bill, bank statement, residential lease, deed, or property tax record.³
Passport-sized photos: two full-face color and one side-view profile, white background.²
A Clean Hands certificate from the DC Office of Tax and Revenue, confirming you don’t owe the city more than $100 in taxes, fines, or fees.
An original copy of your DC Business Tax Registration form.³
Proof of authorization to work in the United States.

The Clean Hands requirement catches more applicants than anything else on this list. Unpaid parking tickets, overdue taxes, or other District debts above $100 will keep you from getting the certificate, and without it your application cannot be processed.

How to Apply

The DFHV offers an online path and an in-person path. Online, you register on the DFHV portal, schedule your exam and fingerprinting, then upload your application and documents. In person, you report to the DFHV office after the exam and background investigation with your completed application, photos, and documents in hand.²

One thing to know before you arrive: the DFHV does not accept cash. All fees must be paid by credit or debit card, online or in person.²

What It Costs

Fees depend on the type of card and whether you’re applying new or renewing:

New limousine Face ID: $150 for one year
Renewal limousine Face ID: $300 for two years
New combined taxi/limo Face ID: $275 for one year
Renewal combined taxi/limo Face ID: $550 for two years

Add the $149.50 fingerprinting and exam fee for new applicants, and a first-year limousine operator is looking at roughly $300 before photos, the medical exam, and travel to the DFHV office.²

Displaying the Card in Your Vehicle

Once issued, the Face card has to be displayed inside the vehicle any time you are operating. Under 31 DCMR § 814.3, it goes in an approved bracket firmly attached to the right sun visor, visible to passengers.⁴ Enforcement officers can ask to see it during stops or roadside checks, and a missing card during a fare is a citable offense. Remove the card when you leave the vehicle to prevent theft. Counterfeiting, copying, or altering a Face card is a separate violation that can bring suspension or revocation on top of fines.

Renewing and the Late-Fee Schedule

A limousine renewal covers two years for $300. You will submit many of the same documents as the first time, plus a fresh medical examination signed and notarized by a DC-area physician, a Metropolitan Police Department criminal history request (Form PD-70), and updated proof of residency if your address has changed.⁵

Don’t let the renewal lapse. Late fees stack on top of the $300:

1–15 days late: $25
16–30 days late: $50
31–45 days late: $100
46 days to one year late: $150

Operating with an expired card exposes you to the same $500 fine as operating without one at all.⁵ You also cannot renew with outstanding tickets against your driving permit or Social Security number; those must be paid or have a scheduled hearing date before the DFHV will process the renewal. The eight-point rule applies at renewal too, so a bad driving year can cost you the card.

Keeping Your Information Current

If your address, vehicle, or limousine company affiliation changes, update your DFHV records right away. Under 31 DCMR, failing to report changes can suspend your Face ID, which bars you from operating until the records are corrected. A suspended card earns nothing.

When your address has changed at renewal, you must submit new proof of residency showing at least one year of current residency in the DC area. A current residential lease, deed, property tax statement, or settlement papers will satisfy this.⁵

If You Get a Citation

Face ID and other for-hire citations are disputed at the DC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), which runs the DFHV hearings docket. You can file a hearing request and upload supporting documents through the OAH’s online E-Filing Portal.⁶

One useful protection: under 31 DCMR § 822.1, if you file a timely appeal of fines or assessments, you can receive temporary operating authority while the appeal is pending. A disputed fine does not automatically ground you, but only if you file within the required timeline.⁴

1
DC Rules. Section 31-2000 Fines and Civil Penalties
2
Department of For-Hire Vehicles. Driver Licensing
3
District of Columbia Department of For-Hire Vehicles. For-Hire Operator License Requirements
4
Department of For-Hire Vehicles. CHAP 8 DRAFT 31-800
5
Department of For-Hire Vehicles. Renewal Application Instructions for Public Vehicle Operator License
6
Office of Administrative Hearings. Office of Administrative Hearings