How to Vet a Limousine Company: Licensing, Insurance & Red Flags

The large majority of limousine companies are legitimate, insured, professional operations. A few are not — running personal-insured vehicles as livery, or taking deposits and disappearing. This checklist takes ten minutes and rules them out.

Licensing

Ask which operating authority the company holds — a state or provincial transportation permit (for example, a CPUC TCP number in California) and any local license required for your city or its airport. A real operator answers this instantly.

Insurance

Request a certificate of insurance showing commercial livery/for-hire auto liability, typically $1.5M or more. Personal auto policies do not cover paid passenger transport.

Reviews and Track Record

Read the most recent reviews across more than one platform and look for patterns: repeated late pickups, bait-and-switch on vehicle type, or surprise charges. A recurring theme is a signal.

The Booking Itself

• You get a written confirmation with the vehicle type, rate, and cancellation policy.
• The company has a real business address and phone, not just an app handle.
• Payment goes to the company, not a personal payment-app username.

Red Flags

• Can't or won't name their operating authority or provide a certificate of insurance.
• Quotes only verbally and avoids written confirmation.
• Requires a large cash deposit to a personal account.

Listings marked Verified in the directory have had their core details checked, but still confirm licensing and insurance directly.