After several years, Ocean Shores and the North Beach area will have a licensed taxi service operating again.

The Ocean Shores City Council on Monday formally approved the taxicab license for South Sound Transportation doing business as Yellow Cab Northwest.

The city’s code requires council approval for business licenses for taxicab services, Finance Director Angela Folkers explained.

Driver Cory Sado had to produce proof of insurance and pass an FBI background check, along with being fingerprinted under the process.

“I am the original driver for Grays Harbor, having opened business in Aberdeen/Hoquiam,” Sado said in a letter to the city. “I sincerely hope to provide the same great service here in Ocean Shores.”

The city has been without cab service since former Red Cab driver Brian Sorensen died in 2015.

“The need for a taxi service here is greatly needed since the passing of our friend Brian at Red Cab, and I hope to be able to fill his shoes,” Sado said.

Questions from the public included what sort of rates would be charged and what the council could do to regulate rates and operations.

The city also now has an Uber ride service operating as well as Grays Harbor Community Transit Dial-a-ride service during weekday hours.

Mayor Crystal Dingler said the ride-sharing business also is going through the licensing process after the city discovered the driver was already operating in Ocean Shores without a license.

“We did go to that person and say your are operating without a license and need a license,” she said of the Uber service. “We don’t have anything in our code yet for ride sharing services, so what we have done is offer that person a temporary license and we are going through our process so that we have something in place with rules for that kind of business as well as what we already have for taxis.”