Fares

The Commercial Passenger Vehicle Act (2017) outlines the rules for regulated maximum fares and hiring rates that apply to unbooked services beginning in the Melbourne Metropolitan or Urban and Large Regional zones.

Maximum fares for all unbooked services in Melbourne and the surrounding metropolitan area (including Frankston and Dandenong), the Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, are set by the Essential Services Commission (ESC).

Drivers who charge more than the maximum fare or hiring rate may face penalties.

Fare information for unbooked services must be displayed on the inside of the taxi, clearly visible to the passenger, along with a display on the outer left-hand side of the vehicle.

Download the printable passenger fares for Melbourne Metropolitan, Dandenong, Frankston & Mornington Peninsula Fares and Geelong, Ballarat & Bendigo.

Fares for all booked services and all CPV services provided outside the zones specified are not regulated.

From Thursday 28 September 2023, the fare calculating device (taxi meter) must be used to calculate the fare for all unbooked services.

Please note: The ESC reviews taxi fares and surcharges in Victoria annually. The latest review was published on 2 September 2025 and applies from 23 September 2025. This review outlines a fare increase of 2.8% for most trips, with high occupancy fees seeing a 2.6% rise.

Unbooked services

  • Unbooked services are hailed on the street or at taxi ranks.
  • Fares for unbooked services are determined based on distance, journey duration, and the time of travel.
  • Additional charges may apply for travel on some public holidays, electronic payments, toll road usage, or traveling with five or more passengers.

There is more than one way to structure a fare. You must select from one of the structures below.

Fare Structure 1: Rates based on ‘time or distance’ charging

Under this fare structure, in addition to the fixed flag fall, your fare rate depends on the speed at which the vehicle is moving.

Passengers will pay according to either the distance covered (while the vehicle is moving quickly) or the time spent (while the vehicle is moving slowly). The total fare will likely include a combination of these time and distance charges.

Maximum fares for unbooked trips from 23 September 2025

Rate Flag fall Distance 
(applies when the speed is above 21km per hour)		 Time 
(applies when the speed is below 21km per hour)
Day rate (9am – 5pm) $5.25 $2.037 per kilometre $0.713 per minute ($42.78 per hour)
Overnight rate (5pm – 9am) $6.55 $2.265 per kilometre $0.792 per minute ($47.52 per hour)
Peak rate (10pm – 4am Friday and Saturday and all-day Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and from 6pm New Year’s Eve until midnight at the end of New Year’s Day) $7.80 $2.493 per kilometre $0.872 per minute ($52.32 per hour)

Download the printable passenger fares for Melbourne Metropolitan, Dandenong, Frankston & Mornington Peninsula Fares.

Note that these fare rates are maximum rates. Providers may charge less than the rates displayed.

 

Fare Structure 2: rates based on ‘time and distance’ charging

Under this fare structure, in addition to the fixed flagfall, your fare depends on the overall journey time and distance – regardless of how fast the vehicle travels. Time and distance rates both apply for the whole journey. Under this fare structure, you can calculate what your journey should cost, without needing to know how fast you were travelling.

Maximum fares for unbooked trips 23 September 2025

Rate Flag fall Distance 
(applies at all times throughout the journey)		 Time 
(applies at all times throughout the journey)
Day Rate (9am – 5pm) $5.25 $1.685 per kilometre $0.433 per minute
Overnight Rate (5pm – 9am) $6.55 $1.871 per kilometre $0.476 per minute
Peak Rate (10pm – 4am Friday and Saturday and all-day Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and from 6pm New Year’s Eve until midnight at the end of New Year’s Day) $7.80 $2.070 per kilometre $0.513 per min

Note that these fares rates are maximum rates. Providers may charge less than the rates displayed.

 

Maximum extras

Maximum fares for unbooked trips from 23 September 2025

Airport rank fee Applies to trips taken from the Melbourne airport rank Pass-through
High occupancy fee For five or more passengers (including a person(s) who uses a wheelchair or other mobility aid) or where the hirer specifically requests a larger than standard vehicle regardless of the number of passengers (except where the booking is for a person(s) who uses a wheelchair or other mobility aid) $17.80
Electronic payments – CPV specific payment devices A maximum 6% fee applies when using a non-cash payment device designed for use only in commercial passenger vehicles. An example of this is the Cabcharge payment device used in taxis 6% (including GST)
Electronic payments – other non-cash devices A maximum 4% fee applies when using credit/debit cards, and all other non-cash payments other than commercial passenger vehicle specific payment devices 4% (including GST)
Toll roads Charges also apply to toll roads if the passenger requests a toll road route Pass-through
CPV Levy Recovery Fee Trip levy applies to every commercial passenger vehicle trip commencing in Victoria Pass-through
Cleaning fee A reasonable cleaning fee applies if a passenger soils the vehicle with food, drink or bodily fluids Up to $120

Remember: Speak to your service provider, or driver, if you have any questions about the fare or other fees and charges – and remember to ask for a receipt.

There is more than one way to structure a fare. You must select from one of the structures below.

Fare Structure 1: Rates based on ‘time or distance’ charging

Under this fare structure, in addition to the fixed flag fall, your fare rate depends on the speed at which the vehicle is moving.

Passengers will pay according to either the distance covered (while the vehicle is moving quickly) or the time spent (while the vehicle is moving slowly). The total fare will likely include a combination of these time and distance charges.

Maximum fares for unbooked trips from 23 September 2025 

Rate Flag fall Distance

(applies if the speed is above 21km per hour)

 Time

(applies if the speed is below 21km per hour)
Standard rate – for vehicles carrying up to four passengers $4.50 $2.308 per kilometre $0.808 per minute
High occupancy rate – for five or more passengers (including a person(s) who use a wheelchair or other mobility aid) or where the hirer specifically requests a larger than standard vehicle regardless of the number of passengers (except where the booking is for a person(s) who use a wheelchair or other mobility aid) $4.50 $3.512 per kilometre $1.229 per minute

Download the printable passenger fares for Geelong, Ballarat & Bendigo.

 

Fare Structure 2: Rates based on ‘time and distance’ charging

Under this fare structure, in addition to the fixed flag fall, your fare depends on the overall journey time and distance – regardless of how fast the vehicle travels.

Time and distance rates both apply for the whole journey. Under this fare structure, the passenger can calculate how much the journey should cost, without needing to know how fast you were travelling.

Maximum fares for unbooked trips from 23 September 2025

Rate Flag fall Distance

(applies at all times throughout the journey)

 Time

(applies at all times throughout the journey)
Standard rate – for vehicles carrying up to four passengers $4.50 $1.875 per kilometre $0.617 per minute
High occupancy rate – for five or more passengers (including a person(s) who uses a wheelchair or other mobility aid) or where the hirer specifically requests a larger than standard vehicle regardless of the number of passengers (except where the booking is for a person(s) who uses a wheelchair or other mobility aid) $4.50 $3.111 per kilometre $0.674 per minute

 

Maximum extras

Maximum fares for unbooked trips from 23 September 2025

Late night fee

For trips commencing between 7pm on Friday and Saturday nights through to 6am the following morning; and from midnight to 6am on all other days.

 $4.30
Holiday fee $5.25
CPV Levy Recovery Fee Pass-through
Cleaning fee

A reasonable cleaning fee applies if a passenger soils the vehicle with food, drink or bodily fluids

 Up to $120

 

The holiday fee applies all day on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and from 6pm on New Year’s Eve. It also applies from 7pm on evenings prior to other Victorian public holidays until 6am the morning of the public holiday. The late-night fee does not apply during the holiday fee period. Charges may also apply to electronic payments and toll roads.

Since 2014, unbooked commercial passenger vehicle services in regional and country Victoria can set their own fares.

Levies

There is a $1.20 per trip levy which applies to every CPV trip that commences in Victoria.

If the trip is booked, the BSP is liable for this levy.

If a trip starts at a rank or a passenger hails the vehicle, the driver must pay the levy, unless they are employed by the vehicle owner, in which case the owner is liable.

You can choose to pass the cost of the levy on to your customers.

This levy is set under the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry Act 2017 (the Act) and is calculated in line with the consumer price index (CPI).

You must pay the levy every three months to the State Revenue Office Victoria, not Safe Transport Victoria. Register with the State Revenue Office by clicking here.

Driver responsibilities

The regulations set out responsibilities for drivers in relation to:

  • Positioning of fare information for unbooked services
  • Providing a fare estimate or fixed fare
  • Providing a receipt to passengers
  • Use of fare calculation devices.

Passengers can ask for a fare estimate upfront from the driver or BSP and can request an itemised receipt at the end of a trip.