São Paulo court orders city to authorize Uber Moto taxi

The Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo (TJ‑SP), in a decision by Judge Patrícia Persicano Pires, ordered the municipal government to credential Uber for passenger‑transport by motorcycle (Uber Moto) within 48 hours. Failure to comply will trigger a daily fine of R$ 5,000, capped at R$ 500,000.

The order overturns a recent denial by the Committee of Municipal Use of the Road (CMUV), which had claimed the company lacked a required insurance document. Uber subsequently submitted an updated insurance declaration, and a prior ruling by Supreme Court minister Alexandre de Moraes had suspended broader municipal insurance requirements, limiting them to the federal personal‑accident coverage.

Mayor Ricardo Nunes announced the city will appeal, citing safety concerns and noting that 475 people died in motorcycle‑related accidents in the previous year. The dispute dates back to a 2023 municipal decree that banned moto‑taxis, a ban the Supreme Court later ruled municipalities could not enforce. The court’s mandate reinforces earlier judicial decisions that the service may operate nationwide under federal guidelines.