Tesla moved one step closer to its goal of operating a fleet of autonomous robotaxis on Tuesday when California regulators granted Elon Musk’s electric car maker a license to begin offering rides in the state.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) secured a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Tuesday to operate a transportation service in the state, marking the first step in a lengthy regulatory process that could ultimately pave the way for the company to launch a robotaxi service there.

Tesla has been granted its first permit in California for a transportation charter-party carrier, a crucial step towards launching robotaxi.