Robotaxi rules by state and country
A patchwork of state laws, regulator permits, city ordinances and national schemes decides who may run a driverless taxi and where. Each page below covers one jurisdiction in plain English and names the services it affects.
Updated . By the Robotaxi Atlas desk.
Rules by place
- California robotaxi rulesCalifornia splits the job between two agencies. The DMV governs testing and deployment of the vehicles, while …
- Texas robotaxi rulesDriverless vehicles can carry paying riders in Texas. Since May 28, 2026, though, any company running commerci…
- New York robotaxi rulesAutonomous vehicles may be tested in New York, but driverless passenger service is not allowed. A plan to open…
- Washington, DC robotaxi rulesNo law in the District yet allows paid driverless rides. A bill before the DC Council would change that and pr…
- Boston robotaxi rulesMassachusetts has no law for driverless operation, and the Boston City Council has been weighing an ordinance …
- Minneapolis robotaxi rulesOn Oct 1, 2026, the Minneapolis City Council voted 7-6 for an ordinance requiring a licensed human safety moni…
- Arizona robotaxi rulesArizona's statute is short and permissive. A fully autonomous vehicle may operate with no human driver once th…
- Florida robotaxi rulesA single line in Florida's statute settles the main question. A fully autonomous vehicle may operate "regardle…
- Nevada robotaxi rulesNevada sets robotaxi rules at the state level and stops counties and cities from adding their own. That helps …
- Georgia robotaxi rulesGeorgia allows driverless operation by statute. The code section was read through Justia rather than the offic…
- Tennessee robotaxi rulesTennessee settled its approach early. A law enacted on Jun 6, 2017 lets vehicles driven by an automated drivin…
- United Kingdom robotaxi rulesThe UK has a national law for self-driving vehicles and, since May 15, 2026, a permit scheme for passenger ser…
- Japan robotaxi rulesJapan has had a legal route to driverless operation since April 2023. An amendment to the Road Traffic Act set…
Why the rules matter to riders
A company can have a fleet ready and still be barred from taking fares. In California, the permit an operator holds decides whether it can charge for rides at all. Texas requires an active state authorization before anyone runs commercial automated vehicles. New York law still expects a human hand on the wheel, which is why Waymo's testing there ended when its permits expired.
When a city page shows a service as testing or announced, the holdup is often legal. Each rules page ties that status to the statute, permit or vote behind it.
Three layers to keep apart
State or national law. Statutes in Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Georgia and Tennessee let a fully autonomous vehicle run with nobody in the driver's seat once certain conditions are met. The UK and Japan run national permit systems.
Regulator permits. Some places add a licensing step on top of the law. California divides permits between the CPUC and the DMV. Texas has a TxDMV authorization, and a London service needs Department for Transport approval plus consent from Transport for London.
City ordinances and councils. A handful of cities are writing rules of their own. Minneapolis passed a safety-monitor ordinance in Oct 2026. Boston has one under discussion, and a Washington, DC council bill proposes a cap on fleet size.
How sourcing is labelled
Every page names its sources. A point taken from a statute or a regulator's own bulletin is stated plainly. When a point depends on news coverage or a secondary legal summary, it is marked reported and the outlet is named. Federal recalls and investigations sit on the safety page, and the tracker logs each dated rule change.
Questions people ask
Who decides where robotaxis can operate in the US?
Each state sets most of the rules, sometimes with an extra permit from a state agency. A few cities, including Minneapolis and Washington, DC, have also voted on or drafted rules of their own.
Which states let robotaxis run with no one in the driver's seat?
Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Georgia and Tennessee have laws allowing a fully autonomous vehicle to operate without a human driver when it meets the statute's conditions. California and Texas get there through a permit or authorization from a state agency.
Are there robotaxi rules outside the US on Robotaxi Atlas?
Robotaxi Atlas covers two systems outside the US: the United Kingdom's Automated Vehicles Act with its passenger-service permits, and Japan's Level 4 permit system under its amended Road Traffic Act.