(a) In order to qualify for a license, whether upon initial application or upon application for renewal of a license:
(1) an applicant shall be in compliance with all City, State of Illinois and Federal laws, and the provisions of this chapter; and
(2) an applicant shall have a place of business in the City of Chicago:
(i) with respect to any corporate applicant, the corporation shall be organized or qualified to do business under the laws of Illinois and have a place of business in the City of Chicago; or
(ii) with respect to a partnership applicant, the partnership shall have a place of business in the City of Chicago; or
(iii) with respect to any applicant other than a corporation or partnership, he shall reside and be domiciled in the City of Chicago; and
(3) an applicant must successfully complete a course of study which the Commissioner may prescribe by rule; and
(4) an applicant must register with the Department of Finance to pay the City's ground transportation tax, as required under Chapter 3-46 of this Code.
(5) an applicant does not owe debt to the City as the term "debt" is defined in Section 4-4-150 of this Code.
(b) In determining whether an applicant is qualified for a license, or the renewal thereof, the Commissioner shall take into consideration:
(1) The character and reputation of the applicant or its members, officers or directors, including, if applicable, the disciplinary record of the applicant in the operation of his taxicab vehicle and the disciplinary record of the applicant, or of any officer or director of a corporate applicant, as a public chauffeur;
(2) The applicant's financial ability to render lawful, safe, suitable and comfortable service and to maintain or replace the equipment for such service;
(3) The applicant's ability to maintain mandated insurance (including but not limited to liability and worker's compensation) for the payment of personal injury, death, property damage, or other insurable claims;
(4) The applicant's financial ability to pay all judgments and awards which may be rendered for any cause arising out of the operation of a public passenger vehicle.
(c) No applicant is eligible for a license if: (1) any Chicago taxicab or public passenger vehicle license or any Chicago public chauffeur license or restricted public chauffeur license of the applicant, or any officer or director of a corporate applicant or partner in a partnership applicant, has held (i) was revoked within the previous three years; or (ii) was denied, rescinded, within the 12-month period preceding the date of application; or (2) if the applicant, or any officer or director of a corporate applicant or partner in a partnership applicant, within the three years immediately preceding the date of his application, has been either convicted, or in custody, under parole or under any other noncustodial supervision resulting from a conviction in a court of any jurisdiction for the commission of any felony as defined by Article 2 of the Illinois Criminal Code of 1961, as amended, or its equivalent under federal or other jurisdictional law. Provided, however, that this subsection (c) shall not apply to any conviction for a minor cannabis offense, as defined in Section 4-4-005.
In the case of a company licensee, if any officer, member, shareholder or director of the licensee is convicted of a felony, the licensee shall sever its relationship with any such officer, shareholder or director immediately upon such conviction or any license issued to such company licensee shall be subject to revocation pursuant to Section 9-114-190.
(d) The total number of licenses that each licensee holds will be based on the total licenses in each corporation, or legal entity, in which the licensee holds a 25 percent or greater share of ownership interest including, but not limited to, stocks and shares. No person shall own in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, or have a security interest in more than 25 percent of, the authorized licenses issued under Chapters 9-112 and 9-114.
(e) Eligibility for issuance of any license under this chapter shall be a continuing requirement for maintaining such license.
(f) As part of the application process, all officers, directors, shareholders and members of the applicant shall submit to a fingerprint background check by a fingerprint agency approved by the Department and submit passport-sized photos of such officers, directors, shareholders and members.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 101074, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 25; Amend Coun. J. 1-27-21, p. 26741, Art. II, § 13; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 31925, Art. VI, § 7; Amend Coun. J. 10-27-21, p. 39525, § 11)