Where you operate
One region. Three authorities.
DC, Maryland and Virginia do not work the same way, and assuming they do is the most expensive mistake a new provider makes. Here is each one, with the date we last checked it, and the authority to contact when you need them rather than us.
Start with the trip pattern, then confirm the authority stack.
What governs here
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission licenses passenger carriers across the metropolitan district. Whether its certificate applies depends on the trip pattern and any exemption, so confirm the intended service in writing before purchasing vehicles.
DC company authority and business licensing sit alongside that question, not instead of it. Different offices answer different parts of the operating stack.
What District of Columbia requires
Only what the authority publishes. Where nothing is published we say so and name who to ask, because a confident guess is worth less than a true blank.
- 01Published requirementVerified August 26, 2026
Operating authority
WMATC certificate of authority may be part of the operating stack for covered trip patterns in the metropolitan district. Confirm applicability and exemptions directly with WMATC.
- 02Published requirementVerified August 26, 2026
Active vehicle list
When operating under WMATC authority, each vehicle must be recorded on the carrier’s active vehicle list. Confirm the filing before placing a van in service.
- 03Published requirementVerified August 26, 2026
Business licensing
A DC Basic Business License, handled by DLCP. Which category applies to an NEMT operator is a question for them, and the answer is worth having in writing.
- 04Not establishedVerified August 26, 2026
Vehicle-for-hire registration
Whether DFHV treats an NEMT van as a public vehicle for hire is not settled in anything published. Ask DFHV directly before assuming either way. Their office is listed below.
Insurance: the figures WMATC publishes
- $1.5M combined single limit for restricted certificates.
- $5M combined single limit for unrestricted certificates.
- An endorsement lapse causes automatic suspension of your authority. Not a warning, not a grace period.
Check which certificate class you actually hold before you buy a policy against either number. Confirm the current requirement with WMATC.
WMATC Regulation No. 58, verified against WMATC orders on August 26, 2026.
Who to call
The authority is always the final word. If what they tell you differs from what you read here, they are right and we want to know.
- Authority record
WMATC
Operating authority, the active vehicle list, and insurance endorsements.
- Authority record
DC DFHV and DLCP
Vehicle-for-hire questions and business licensing.
- Authority record
Nexo Access
What our standard asks for, and what is missing from your file.
Start with these three
- Open PDF: Provider Getting-Started Guide, opens in a new tab
v1.1 · DOC-8
Provider Getting-Started Guide
First contact to first trip, step by step.
PDFDistrict of ColumbiaVerified 2026-08-26
- Open PDF: Provider Vehicle Standard and Inspection Guide, opens in a new tab
v1.6 · DOC-1
Provider Vehicle Standard and Inspection Guide
The standard itself: what a vehicle must carry, and how the inspection runs.
PDFDistrict of ColumbiaVerified 2026-08-27
- Open PDF: Provider Insurance Guidance, opens in a new tab
v1.1 · DOC-9
Provider Insurance Guidance
The coverage types that matter, and where the real numbers come from.
PDFDistrict of ColumbiaVerified 2026-08-26
Start the conversation
Tell us which jurisdiction you intend to work and what you run today. We will tell you what that authority asks for, and what is missing from your file, before you commit anything.
Not ready to apply? Ask us a question first.