Reviewed by Lee Benson, licensed Arizona broker. Updated October 26, 2026.
Which passenger-service details change the insurance review?
Describe who is transported, how compensation works, seating capacity and where trips go. A limousine, wheelchair-accessible NEMT van and interstate charter can face different requirements. Include assistance outside the vehicle, contracts and airport work. A service label alone cannot establish the correct limits, filings or endorsements; the submission should explain the actual activities before markets are approached.
Start with commercial auto insurance and open a passenger-transport intake. Identify the service in your answers; the broad transport preset does not select a passenger subtype for you.
What does Arizona’s passenger minimum table say?
For passenger operations subject to Arizona’s financial-responsibility article, seating capacity affects the listed minimums. The table preserves the small-vehicle statutory alternatives instead of assuming one limit applies to every service. Taxi, livery, limousine and transportation-network provisions also distinguish operating periods. Confirm applicability and contracts with the broker; required minimums do not establish that the coverage is adequate.
| Arizona category in A.R.S. §28-4033 | Listed liability minimum | Listed uninsured-motorist requirement |
|---|---|---|
| More than 8 but fewer than 16 seats, including driver | $750,000 | At least $300,000 |
| 16 passengers or more | $5,000,000 | At least $300,000 |
| Not more than 8 seats, including driver | $250,000, or applicable §28-4038/4039 alternative | $250,000 under the first option; applicable alternative has its own requirements |
Primary sources checked October 26, 2026: A.R.S. §28-4032 applicability, §28-4033, transportation-network §28-4038, taxi/livery/limousine §28-4039 and ADOT compliance guidance. Do not combine the liability amount from one alternative with the UM requirement from another.
How do federal interstate passenger rules differ?
An interstate for-hire operation needs a separate federal review, even when its state policy appears sufficient. FMCSA lists different passenger limits and determines the minimum by the highest designed seating capacity in the fleet. Specific exceptions exist. Confirm whether authority and filings are required and active before transporting passengers; an insurance quote does not complete that regulatory process.
FMCSA’s passenger-carrier guidance lists $1.5 million for vehicles designed for 15 or fewer passengers and $5 million for 16 or more, including the driver, for applicable interstate for-hire operations. It also describes exemptions; the Arizona table alone does not settle the federal question.
What should Sky Harbor operators check before airport work?
Treat Phoenix Sky Harbor permission as a separate review from ordinary road-use insurance. Use the airport’s current ground-transportation forms to identify the permit, insurance evidence and vehicle or driver documents for the actual service. A broker can review requested insurance wording, but only the airport can confirm whether the operator’s application and supporting documents meet its requirements.
Use the official Sky Harbor ground-transportation forms and information and its linked permit checklist and sample insurance ACORD. Give the broker the actual airport request, vehicle schedule and service description. Confirm current permit categories and any fees directly with Ground Transportation; this guide does not quote unverified airport tiers or fees. Do not assume a generic certificate grants access.
What should a passenger carrier give the broker?
Provide a service description, vehicle schedule and designed seating capacities, along with operating area, contracts and any airport requirements. Explain wheelchair assistance, attendant services, hired drivers or leased vehicles. Driver and loss information should follow the broker’s secure process. More information or inspections may be needed; a complete submission does not guarantee insurance or regulatory approval.
- Passenger services, routes, interstate trips and compensation model.
- Vehicles, seating capacities, accessibility equipment and garaging.
- Driver experience and losses through the secure intake process.
- Payer, customer, airport and regulator requirements, including requested filings.
Start an Arizona passenger-carrier insurance intake. Coverage and binding are subject to underwriting; confirm authority and permits separately before operating.