Tesla has reached a major milestone in its push to expand its robotaxi service in the United States, after officially completing Nevada’s self-certification process for autonomous vehicle operations. With this step complete, the company is now authorized to deploy and operate its self-driving vehicles on public roads across the state.
According to information confirmed with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Tesla has submitted its operations packet and received its Operations Certificate of Compliance. This approval means Tesla is legally cleared to run autonomous vehicles in live traffic conditions throughout Nevada. (via Sawyer Merritt)
However, the company still needs to secure one final regulatory green light before it can offer rides to paying customers.
One Last Hurdle: Ride-Hailing Approval
While Tesla is now allowed to operate autonomous vehicles on public roads, it cannot yet launch a commercial Robotaxi service. To do that, the company must obtain authorization from the Nevada Transportation Authority (NTA) to operate as a ride-hailing service provider.
That permit would allow Tesla to charge customers for autonomous rides, effectively turning its self-driving fleet into a commercial transportation network similar to what it has already launched in Austin, Texas. Tesla is widely expected to apply for the permit soon, given its aggressive timeline for expanding its Robotaxi footprint across multiple states before the end of the year.
How Tesla Got Here
Nevada’s regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles is split into two key phases:
The first is testing certification, which allows companies to test autonomous vehicles on public roads. Tesla secured this earlier step in September after submitting its application to Nevada on September 3. Shortly after, it received its Autonomous Vehicle Testing Registry certification, along with official autonomous vehicle license plates.
The second phase — which Tesla has now completed — is the operations self-certification process. This requires the manufacturer to formally confirm that its autonomous system meets Nevada’s safety and operational requirements under state law. Once approved, the company is issued a Certificate of Compliance, clearing the way for real-world deployment.
This puts Tesla much closer to full commercial operation in Nevada than ever before.
Why Nevada?
Nevada has emerged as one of the most competitive autonomous vehicle (AV) testing hotbeds in North America, with around a dozen companies currently operating nearly 500 AVs across the state.
Amazon-owned Zoox has already rolled out its fully driverless Robotaxi service in Las Vegas in September. Hyundai–Aptiv joint venture Motional continues to run autonomous rides in partnership with Lyft, while Waymo has been actively testing vehicles on the Las Vegas Strip, though without opening its service to the general public yet.
For Tesla, Las Vegas offers dense urban traffic, heavy tourism, and high visibility — ideal conditions for demonstrating the capabilities of its Full Self-Driving software in a high-profile environment.
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