Permits

Yes, all Ground Transportation providers conducting business at the airport by either picking up or dropping off passengers, parcels or baggage, must have a SJC Ground Transportation permit. Ground Transportation providers include Hotel Courtesy Shuttles, Limousines, Pre-Arranged & Door to Door Shuttles, Off-Airport Parking Lot Shuttles, Other Courtesy Vehicles, Charter Buses, Scheduled Buses, Couriers, Transportation Network Companies, and Pre-Arranged & On Demand Taxicabs.

Passenger pick-ups and drop-offs

Per San José Municipal Code Section 25.08.700 - Operation by ground transportation providers. No ground transportation provider shall pick-up or drop off passengers, parcels, packages or baggage at the airport without a ground transportation permit issued pursuant to Section 25.08.710.

Infrequent Operator Permits

The Infrequent Operator Program is intended for companies that do not operate regularly at the airport. The Infrequent Operator Program (IOP) also serves for those permitted companies that wish to use a vehicle that does not have an AVI tag on an infrequent basis. For additional details and to obtain an IOP permit, please visit the Infrequent Operators Permit page.

PLEASE NOTE: Infrequent Operator permits must be obtained by the company. The company must meet all the Airport requirements listed on the website. Individual drivers may not obtain Infrequent Operator permits.

All ground transportation providers operating at the airport without a permit must obtain in advance a temporary Infrequent Operator Permit (IOP) for each vehicle operating at the Airport each day.

Ground transportation providers holding an airport permit and wishing to use a vehicle that does not have an AVI transponder tag required under the airport permit, must obtain a temporary Infrequent Operator Permit in advance for each vehicle to be used each day.

Please allow four to six weeks for processing. If there are documents missing from the packet, the application will be deemed as incomplete, and the submitter will be notified of the items that are missing from the application. Once an application has been fully reviewed and approved, the submitter will be contacted to set up an interview at the Airport, where the permit will be signed, fees paid, and vehicle(s) will be tagged. The interview normally takes about 45 minutes. 

An Automated Vehicle Identifier (AVI), otherwise referred to as a transponder, contains a small computer chip that records all the trips you make into and out of the Airport. Once installed by the Airport, the AVI tag is located on the windshield or front license plate and normally starts with “E02202B4." The AVI tag will track your vehicle(s) as you drive around the Airport and is used to calculate monthly trip fees.  You are billed each time a pick-up or drop off is performed at the designated locations and your AVI tag is recognized by the AVI system. Pick-Up locations are: Hourly Lot 2 – Limos Only, Hourly & Daily Lot 5 – Limos Only, Terminal A Ground Transportation Island, and the Terminal B Ground Transportation Island.

If you sell your vehicle, you must notify the Ground Transportation office and return the transponder so that we can remove the assigned vehicle from your fleet. If the transponder is not returned to the Ground Transportation Office when the car is sold, the original permittee will be responsible for trips made by the new owner.

All vehicles are required to have a SJC Ground Transportation Permit, display a valid and current vehicle decal and have a functioning Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) transponder affixed to each vehicle.

Operating with an invalid vehicle transponder and/or without a valid and current decal are violations of SJC Rules and Regulations and are subject to citation. Removing an AVI for any reason (this includes windshield replacements), invalidates the AVI and operators are subject to citation. AVI’s are non-transferrable and once removed, cannot be reused or reapplied to the windshield.

You may apply for a permit online.

Ground Transportation Permit Application

The permit application will be filed under your name if a sole proprietor, the partner’s names if a partnership, a corporate name if a corporation, or members of a limited liability company (LLC).

It Depends. Uber Black operators must hold a valid SJC Ground Transportation Permit or purchase a daily Infrequent Operator Permit for the days they work as Uber Black at the Airport. Lyft Black operators who are not permitted by the California Public Utilities Commission do not need to obtain a separate SJC permit, but those who are must follow the same requirements as Uber Black operators.