Key facts
How many taxi, limo and NEMT businesses are there in North Carolina?
197 employer businesses across the three trades in 2023, with 1,634 employees: 59 taxi and ridesharing, 50 limousine and 88 special needs transportation firms. Fastest change since 2022: limousine, +6%.[1][2]
| Industry | Businesses | Employees | Annual payroll | Businesses vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi and ridesharing services (485310) | 59 | 283 | $19.3 million | +4% |
| Limousine service (485320) | 50 | 203 | $7.3 million | +6% |
| Special needs transportation (485991) | 88 | 1,148 | $33.3 million | -7% |
- Taxi and ridesharing: jobs 270 → 283 (+5%), payroll $24.8 million → $19.3 million
- Limousine: jobs 182 → 203 (+12%), payroll $6.1 million → $7.3 million
- Special needs (NEMT-type): jobs 1,469 → 1,148 (-22%), payroll $42.8 million → $33.3 million
How many self-employed taxi and limo drivers are there in North Carolina?
25,034 nonemployer taxi and limousine businesses filed in 2023 (22,537 in 2022, +11%), with $546.0 million in receipts, about $21,809 each. That is 230 for every employer taxi or limo firm.[3]
How does North Carolina compare with other states?
North Carolina ranks 28th for taxi and ridesharing firms per million residents and 36th for limousine firms per million residents among the 51 states and DC.[1][3][4]
| Measure | North Carolina | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi and ridesharing firms per million residents | 5.4 | 5.5 | 28th of 51 |
| Limousine firms per million residents | 4.6 | 6.3 | 36th of 49 |
| Special needs transport employees per 100,000 | 10.6 | 16.6 | 36th of 50 |
| Self-employed taxi and limo businesses per 1,000 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 26th of 51 |
What do taxi, limo and NEMT employers in North Carolina pay?
Special needs (NEMT-type) is North Carolina's biggest employer of the three, with 1,148 employees.[1]
| Industry | North Carolina | Median state |
|---|---|---|
| taxi and ridesharing | $68,148 | $37,725 |
| limousine | $35,788 | $34,898 |
| special needs (NEMT-type) | $29,021 | $34,646 |
How are taxi, limo and NEMT firms in North Carolina organised?
Among North Carolina's 50 limousine employers, the commonest form is S-corp (38).[1]
| Trade | S-corp | C-corp | Sole prop. | Partnership | Non-profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| taxi and ridesharing | 32 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| limousine | 38 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| special needs (NEMT-type) | 44 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 7 |
What does this mean if you want to start one in North Carolina?
North Carolina holds 1.7% of US employer firms in the three trades. Licensing is local for most taxis; check your city or county, and the state for limousines.[1]
- Taxi and ridesharing: 4.8 employees per firm on average
- Limousine: 4.1 employees per firm on average
- Special needs (NEMT-type): 13 employees per firm on average
| Trade | 1-4 | 5-9 | 10-19 | 20-49 | 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| taxi and ridesharing | 44 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| limousine | 42 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| special needs (NEMT-type) | 29 | 23 | 18 | 14 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
How many limo and NEMT companies are there in North Carolina?
50 limousine and 88 special needs transportation employers in 2023.
Sources
Fees and rules change. Each source is the official page we read, with the date we read it; check it before you apply or pay.
- [1] Census CBP 2023 (read 8 Nov 2026)
- [2] Census CBP 2022 (read 8 Nov 2026)
- [3] Census Nonemployer Statistics (read 8 Nov 2026)
- [4] Census population estimates (read 8 Nov 2026)
