By Aberdeen Insider - January 29, 2026 in ORDINANCE NO. 26-01-01
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 58 –
VEHICLES FOR HIRE OF THE ABERDEEN CITY CODE REGARDING REGULATION OF TAXICABS AND MOTORBUSES
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Aberdeen is charged with protecting the health, safety, and property of its citizens through regulation of taxicabs and motorbuses; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the following ordinance will protect the health, safety, and property of its citizens.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF ABERDEEN, SD, THAT THE FOLLOWING CHANGES AND ADDITIONS SHALL BE MADE TO THE ABERDEEN CITY CODE:
- The following sections in Chapter 58 – VEHICLES FOR HIRE are hereby amended with strikethrough indicating text to be deleted, underline indicating text to be added, and the remainder of the Chapter to be left unaffected:
Sec. 58-24. License required; appeal.
(a) Issuance. No person shall operate a taxicab or motorbus within the city and within two miles of the corporate limits of the city without first having obtained from the finance officer a license therefor and without having complied with all provisions of this chapter.
1 SDCL § 9-35-11 grants the City exclusive jurisdiction over taxicab licensing two miles outside the city limits and was amended in 2023 to no longer permit the City to supervise fares:
SDCL § 9-35-11 Buses and taxis–Intercity service.
The governing body of each municipality in this state is empowered and vested with exclusive jurisdiction to license, regulate, fix the routes of travel, and the speed and point for stops, of all motor carriers of passengers, operators of taxicabs and motor buses conducting operations in such municipality or in a zone adjacent thereto not a part of another municipality and not to exceed two miles around the boundaries of such municipality. When such transportation service is being rendered between adjoining municipalities, the governing bodies of each municipality may act jointly to regulate intercity service.
(b) Appeal. Appeal by the applicant from the decision of the finance officer to deny the license may be made to the city council upon request filed with the finance officer within 20 days of such decision.
Sec. 58-25. Application for license.
Any person desiring a license for a taxicab or motorbus shall make a written application therefor to the finance officer upon an application to be furnished by the city finance officer. Such application shall contain the full name and address of the owner, the make, model and year of manufacture, and the state license number of the vehicle.
Sec. 58-26. Condition of taxicab and motorbus.
No taxicab or motorbus shall be allowed to operate if it is not in a thoroughly safe condition for the transportation of passengers, in a clean and sanitary condition, fit, and in good repair at all times, of good appearance without body damage, and well-painted.
Sec. 58-29. Transfer.
No taxicab or motorbus license shall be transferred from one owner to another. A taxicab or motorbus may be added or replaced upon payment of a transfer fee as provided in the city fee schedule on file in the finance office, and the information required by section 58-25 for the additional or replacement vehicle has been provided to the finance officer.
Sec. 58-30. Display of fare rates.
Each taxicab licensee shall conspicuously post in each of the taxicabs during all times that the taxicabs are in use a legible and concise list of the fares and rates. Each taxicab driver shall post such list at all times while the taxicab is in operation.
Secs. 58-34—58-80. Reserved.
Sec. 58-82. Driver’s license; city taxicab or motorbus operator license required.
(a) No person shall drive or operate a taxicab or motorbus unless they have in their possession a valid state driver’s license or permit and have a valid city taxicab/motorbus operator license.
(b) No license shall be granted to any person who is addicted to the use of alcohol or drugs or is not of good moral character or:
(1) Who has received judgments for more than three moving traffic violations in the preceding two years or at least one violation involving reckless driving or driving on a suspended or revoked license in the preceding two years;
(2) Who has a conviction within the last seven years of a felony crime of violence or has a date of discharge from prison, jail, probation, or parole within the last three years of a felony crime of violence, whichever is greater;
(3) Who has been convicted in the preceding three years of a misdemeanor or a felony not involving a crime of violence, or has a date of discharge from prison, jail, probation, or parole within the last one year of any such misdemeanor or non-violent felony, whichever is greater, and which crime involved:
a. Resisting a law enforcement officer;
b. Dishonesty;
c. Injury to a person;
d. Operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated;
e. Operating a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers a person;
f. Operating a motor vehicle with a suspended or revoked driver license;
g. Intentional damage to the property of another person; or
h. Possession or distribution of a controlled drug or substance or distribution of marijuana; or
(4) Who is a match in the state or national sex offender
(c) Every applicant for a license for a driver of a taxicab or motorbus shall make an application to the city finance office on an application supplied by the city finance office and if approved shall pay the amount as provided in the city fee schedule on file in the finance office for the issuance of a license and each year thereafter.
(d) The requirements of this section are in addition to the requirements set forth in this division with regard to identification badges.
(e) Fees for city operator licenses made after July 1 of each year shall be subject to proration as provided in the city fee schedule on file in the finance office.
(f) The finance officer shall grant a taxicab or motorbus operator license if satisfied that the applicant has complied with all of the terms and conditions of this article and if the evidence submitted in support of the application meets the conditions precedent to granting the license. If a license is denied by the finance officer, the applicant may appeal the denial to the city council in the manner set forth at section 58-24.
- Severability. The provisions of this ordinance are severable. If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
- Effective Date. The City Finance Officer shall cause this ordinance to be published in the official newspaper in clean text with all deletions and additions incorporated therein and footnotes omitted. This ordinance shall become effective twenty (20) days after the completed publication, unless the referendum is invoked.
/s/Travis Schaunaman, Mayor, ATTEST: /s/ Jordan McQuillen, Finance Officer, First Reading: January 20, 2026, Second Reading: January 26, 2026, Final Adoption: January 26, 2026, Published: January 29, 2026, Effective Date: February 18, 2026
Published once on January 29, 2026, at the total approximate cost of $78.61 and may be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com and www.aberdeeninsider.com