FARMINGTON — Selectmen unanimously agreed last week to bring an ordinance governing taxicabs before voters at the March town meeting.

The board had previously reviewed the plan twice and agreed on final revisions to the licensing fees last week.

With adoption of the new rules, any business carrying passengers for hire will need to obtain a taxicab license from the town’s selectmen. The license is contingent on a background check by the Farmington Police Department.

The licenses will be issued for one year and will not be issued to any person or company who hires a person to drive who is a registered sex offender, has been convicted of a Class A crime or has convictions for periods of time before the application. For instance those convicted within the previous 10 years for a misdemeanor sexual assault or habitual offender, within five years for assault, operating under the influence or operating after suspension or within three years for driving to endanger or three moving motor vehicle violations would not be eligible for a license.

It is up to the taxicab owner to make sure no person is hired to drive who’s in violation of these. Licenses can be revoked by selectmen if the owner hires someone with one of these offenses and doesn’t correct the situation after being notified.

Licenses are not issued without the applicant’s furnishing proof of liability coverage for each vehicle used, qualified drivers hired, insured owners and drivers, registered vehicles and payment for licensing fees. Each taxicab used in Farmington needs to be inspected by May 1 of each year by the chief of police or whomever he designates. A certificate of inspection is issued if the taxicab is found to be safe, clean and otherwise suitable.

A taxicab fee will cost $50 for each taxicab. The sum of $15 plus the cost of background checks for an initial license will be charged for each driver, with the cost going down to $5 for each driver and the cost of background checks for renewals.

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