The Director must not issue or renew a license to any person, licensee, or applicant:
(a) who, within five years before the application is submitted, was convicted of, pled guilty or no contest to, or was placed on probation without a finding of guilt for, or who when the application is submitted, has a charge pending for, or who has, within three years before the application was submitted, completed a sentence or period of probation based on a charge for:
(1) any offense involving violence or a weapon;
(2) any sex offense;
(3) soliciting for prostitution;
(4) illegal sale or use of alcoholic beverages;
(5) any felony involving controlled dangerous substances;
(6) any offense involving driving under the influence of alcohol; or
(7) any act of moral turpitude;
(b) who has a pattern of reasonably verifiable complaints of substandard customer service during the previous 24 months;
(c) whose traffic record of “moving” offenses for the 3 years immediately before the application was submitted, or while licensed to drive a taxicab, demonstrates that the applicant is not a responsible, safe, or careful driver. This record may include eyewitness testimony of unsafe or dangerous driving;
(d) who makes a false statement or gives a false answer to obtain, or who obtains, a license by fraud, misrepresentation, misleading statements, evasion, or suppression of material fact;
(e) who is unable to safely operate a taxicab, who may otherwise endanger the public health, safety, or welfare, or who would be unable to fulfill the duties of a driver as required by applicable regulation;
(f) who has substantial delinquent debts to the County, State, or Federal government; or
(g) whose record of violations of this Chapter or other laws or regulations of the County, State, or any other jurisdiction indicates to the Director that to protect public safety a license should not be issued.
If a license is denied or revoked, the applicant is not eligible to reapply for 2 years, unless the Director for good cause otherwise orders. (2004 L.M.C., ch. 27, § 1; 2015 L.M.C., ch. 39, § 1.)