Charge codes 206
Sub-chapter 59B holds the rules for owners of for-hire bases — the licensed companies that dispatch car services, black cars and limousines: base licensing, records, dispatching only affiliated vehicles and licensed drivers, advertising and base conduct. It replaced the base parts of old Chapter 6 in April 2011 and is still in force.
A base must give people with disabilities 'equivalent service'. Item (c)(4)(ii)(D) covers the ability to accept reservations: if the base takes advance bookings for other riders, it must take them for riders who need an accessible vehicle too.
35 RCNY §59B-17(c)(4)(ii)(D)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must not dispatch a vehicle affiliated with a different base unless it gives the customer the name and license number of both the affiliated base and the dispatching base, clearly labeled, in every communication, material and receipt. Older versions only required telling the customer.
35 RCNY §59B-17(d)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must dispatch its own affiliated vehicles. In the 2011–2014 rules, (d)(1) allowed sending a car affiliated with another base only if the base told the customer. From 2016 to 2018 it also required the other base to be the same type (livery with livery, black car or limo with black car or limo) and both bases' names and license numbers in every message and receipt. Today 59B-17(d) is one undivided rule requiring that disclosure.
35 RCNY §59B-17(d)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (June 2014 version, Wayback Machine copy)
In the 2011–2018 rules, (d)(2) was the exception that let a base dispatch a vehicle not affiliated with it when the vehicle was wheelchair-accessible (from 2016, only if the base also gave the customer both bases' names and license numbers). A charge citing it means the base sent another base's car outside the allowed exceptions. Today's 59B-17(d) has no separate accessible-vehicle exception.
35 RCNY §59B-17(d)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (June 2014 version, Wayback Machine copy)
A street hail livery (green cab) base must make sure every affiliated street hail livery has an E-ZPass tag.
35 RCNY §59B-17(e)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Section 59B-18 covers a base's responsibilities for its drivers: driver conduct rules, keeping drivers from parking illegally or causing nuisances near the base, driving-hour limits, written base agreements, fair fees and prompt pay, and vehicle leases. Check the summons for the subdivision charged.
35 RCNY §59B-18TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Subdivision 59B-18(a) requires a base to create, maintain and enforce written rules for its drivers' conduct and to file them with TLC within seven days (not counting weekends and holidays) of creating or changing them.
35 RCNY §59B-18(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base owner must create, maintain and enforce rules for how its affiliated drivers behave while working as for-hire drivers, and must send them to TLC in writing within seven business days of creating or changing them.
35 RCNY §59B-18(a)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 'restricted area' around a base (the block front and both sides of the base's street), the base must make sure its 'base personnel' (affiliated vehicle owners and their drivers, on duty or not) do not double park, park on the sidewalk, across a driveway, or at a hydrant or bus stop, park or stand illegally, or do non-emergency repairs on the street.
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(4)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 'restricted area' around a base (the block front and both sides of the base's street), the base must make sure its 'base personnel' (affiliated vehicle owners and their drivers, on duty or not) do not double park. The base is charged for its drivers' conduct.
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(4)(i)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 'restricted area' around a base (the block front and both sides of the base's street), the base must make sure its 'base personnel' (affiliated vehicle owners and their drivers, on duty or not) do not park across a driveway. The base is charged for its drivers' conduct.
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(4)(iii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 'restricted area' around a base (the block front and both sides of the base's street), the base must make sure its 'base personnel' (affiliated vehicle owners and their drivers, on duty or not) do not park by or at a fire hydrant or bus stop. The base is charged for its drivers' conduct.
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(4)(iv)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 'restricted area' around a base (the block front and both sides of the base's street), the base must make sure its 'base personnel' (affiliated vehicle owners and their drivers, on duty or not) do not park, stop or stand in any way that breaks the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law or NYC traffic rules. The base is charged for its drivers' conduct.
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(4)(v)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 'restricted area' around a base (the block front and both sides of the base's street), the base must make sure its 'base personnel' (affiliated vehicle owners and their drivers, on duty or not) do not do mechanical maintenance or repairs on a vehicle, except emergency repairs needed to move a disabled car (like a dead battery or flat tire).
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(4)(vi)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base owner must make sure its 'base personnel', meaning affiliated vehicle owners and their drivers, obey all traffic and parking rules within the restricted area around the base: the block front and both sides of the base's street.
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(5)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base owner must make sure its affiliated owners and drivers do not create a nuisance in the restricted area around the base, such as needless horn honking, littering or playing loud audio.
35 RCNY §59B-18(b)(6)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must not dispatch a driver to carry passengers for more than 10 hours in total in any 24-hour period. Only time with passengers counts, and the count resets after the driver gets no dispatches for at least eight hours in a row. A single trip that began before the limit was reached is a defense.
35 RCNY §59B-18(e)(ii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must not dispatch a driver to carry passengers for more than 60 hours in total in any Monday-to-Sunday week. Only time with passengers counts, and hours already used for a daily-limit violation are not counted again.
35 RCNY §59B-18(e)(iii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
All agreements between a base and its drivers or vehicle owners, including amendments, must be in writing and signed by both sides (e-signatures are allowed). The driver must get a copy of the signed agreement and be able to get it on request.
35 RCNY §59B-18(f)(2)(i)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base agreement must explain in clear language how the driver's earnings are calculated. That includes the share of passenger fares passed to the driver or the formula the base uses.
35 RCNY §59B-18(f)(2)(iii)(B)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Base agreements between a base and its drivers or vehicle owners must be written in clear and unambiguous language.
35 RCNY §59B-18(f)(2)(v)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base may collect from drivers only the costs and fees listed in the base agreement; anything else is an overcharge. A base also must not take tips, make a driver pay a summons not written to the driver (with narrow franchise or co-op exceptions), or charge a fee on interior advertising revenue.
35 RCNY §59B-18(f)(3)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Drivers must be paid their earnings for every trip within one week after the trip is completed. The exception is a filed franchise or cooperative agreement that sets other payment times, at a base that does not dispatch for a high-volume app company.
35 RCNY §59B-18(f)(4)(ii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base cannot make a driver pay a summons that was not written to that driver. The only exception is a franchise agreement filed with the NYS Attorney General, or a cooperative agreement filed with TLC, that expressly allows it, at a base that does not dispatch for a high-volume app company.
35 RCNY §59B-18(f)(3)(iii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Every base must collect records of each dispatched trip (pickup and drop-off date, time and place, driver and vehicle license numbers, dispatching and affiliated base, shared-ride and cancellation flags) and send them to TLC every month. A month's records are due by the last day of the next month, or an Affidavit of No Dispatch if there were no trips. Fines are counted per day late or per bad record.
35 RCNY §59B-19(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners) Full explanation
For every dispatched call, a base's trip records must include the driver's TLC Driver License number (before October 2016, the For-Hire license number). Missing or wrong driver numbers make the record incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-19(a)(1)(ii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must submit trip records for each month no later than the last day of the following month (September's trips are due October 31). Penalties build up for every day the records are late, along with suspension until the records are in.
35 RCNY §59B-19(a)(3)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Trip records a base submits to TLC must be accurate. For example, the date, time and location of each pickup must be correct. Penalties are counted for each inaccurate trip record.
35 RCNY §59B-19(a)(5)(i)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Subdivision 59B-19(b) requires a base to keep its trip and vehicle records, make them available to TLC inspectors during business hours, and keep them at the base for the required period (now 18 months for operational records and 12 months for inspection records).
35 RCNY §59B-19(b)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep all required trip and vehicle records and make them available for inspection by TLC representatives during regular business hours. This charge is typically written when an inspector visits and the records can't be produced.
35 RCNY §59B-19(b)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Required operating records must be kept at the base: for six months under the 2011–2016 rules, 18 months under the current rule. Inspection records must be kept for 12 months. Discarding records early is a violation.
35 RCNY §59B-19(b)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Subdivision 59B-20(a) requires a base to file its name and any trade name with TLC and use only one approved base name and one trade name. It may not use a name approved for another base unless the owners are identical, and TLC can reject names too similar to another base's.
35 RCNY §59B-20(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A for-hire base must file with TLC its base name and every public-facing name it uses in branding, operations, promotions or advertising. Using an unfiled trade name breaks this rule.
35 RCNY §59B-20(a)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A for-hire base owner must file the address of its base with TLC. Notices sent to that address count as delivered.
35 RCNY §59B-20(b)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A for-hire base owner must have a working email address at all times. TLC can send most communications by email to the last address the base filed.
35 RCNY §59B-20(b)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must report any change of its mailing address or email address to TLC within ten days. TLC notices sent to the last address on file count as delivered, so an out-of-date address can mean missed summonses.
35 RCNY §59B-20(b)(3)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep a current telephone number on file with TLC. It must reach an answering machine, pager, answering service or similar so TLC can reach the base owner at any hour.
35 RCNY §59B-20(c)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Section 59B-21 lists records a base must keep or file with TLC: rate schedule, hours, public contact information, affiliated vehicles and drivers, off-street parking proof, TLC record-keeping procedures, and data-security policies. Check the summons for the subdivision charged.
35 RCNY §59B-21TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must file a rate schedule with TLC in an approved form. It must include any price multipliers or variable pricing policies and, for bases dispatching street hail liveries, rates for pre-arranged trips.
35 RCNY §59B-21(a)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must file a new rate schedule with TLC whenever it changes its rates, as well as every year, with every renewal, and with any application to change ownership or location.
35 RCNY §59B-21(a)(2)(i)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must file its hours of operation with TLC and tell TLC about any change in those hours.
35 RCNY §59B-21(b)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must file with TLC all contact information it offers the public for booking rides: telephone numbers, websites, email addresses and, in later versions, smartphone apps.
35 RCNY §59B-21(c)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 2011–2014 rules, (c)(2) said a base's public phone numbers, websites and emails may be used only with its approved base name. From about 2015, (c)(2) requires a base whose booking contacts can't reach it for customer service to file a working customer-service phone number or email.
35 RCNY §59B-21(c)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Subdivision 59B-21(d) requires a base to keep 12 months of records on its affiliated vehicles and their drivers and send the list to TLC every quarter. Street hail livery bases must keep and report it electronically.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of all for-hire vehicles affiliated with or dispatched by it during the past 12 months. Records include affiliation dates, VINs, registration numbers, FHV license numbers, inspection records and affiliation forms.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of every for-hire vehicle affiliated with or dispatched by it in the past 12 months. Clause (d)(1)(i) requires the dates each vehicle was affiliated with the base. Missing items make the vehicle list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(1)(i)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of every for-hire vehicle affiliated with or dispatched by it in the past 12 months. Clause (d)(1)(ii) requires each vehicle's vehicle identification number (VIN). Missing items make the vehicle list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(1)(ii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of every for-hire vehicle affiliated with or dispatched by it in the past 12 months. Clause (d)(1)(iii) requires each vehicle's DMV (or other state) registration number. Missing items make the vehicle list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(1)(iii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of every for-hire vehicle affiliated with or dispatched by it in the past 12 months. Clause (d)(1)(iv) requires each vehicle's TLC For-Hire Vehicle License number. Missing items make the vehicle list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(1)(iv)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of every for-hire vehicle affiliated with or dispatched by it in the past 12 months. Clause (d)(1)(v) requires the vehicle's inspection records. Missing items make the vehicle list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(1)(v)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of every for-hire vehicle affiliated with or dispatched by it in the past 12 months. Clause (d)(1)(vi) requires copies of the forms used to affiliate and disaffiliate each vehicle. Missing items make the vehicle list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(1)(vi)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of all drivers of its affiliated vehicles. Records include their dates of operation, DMV driver's license numbers and TLC license numbers.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of the drivers of its vehicles. Clause (d)(2)(i) requires the dates each driver operated. Gaps make the driver list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(2)(i)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of the drivers of its vehicles. Clause (d)(2)(ii) requires each driver's DMV driver's license number. Gaps make the driver list incomplete.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(2)(ii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep paper or electronic records of the drivers of its vehicles. Clause (d)(2)(iii) requires each driver's TLC Driver License number (For-Hire Driver's License number before October 2016).
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(2)(iii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base (other than a high-volume app service, which reports monthly under 59D) must send TLC its list of affiliated drivers and vehicles every quarter.
35 RCNY §59B-21(d)(3)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A livery base must keep at the base, ready for inspection, proof that it meets the off-street parking rules in 59B-15(j), such as a lease for enough spaces within 1.5 miles. Inspectors usually ask for it during base visits.
35 RCNY §59B-21(e)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base owner must comply with all record-keeping procedures TLC sets. It is the general record-keeping rule used when a base's records don't meet TLC's required format or process.
35 RCNY §59B-21(f)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must not quote or charge a passenger a fare higher than the rate schedule it filed with TLC. This is the base-level overcharge rule.
35 RCNY §59B-23(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Subdivision 59B-23(b) applies to livery bases. They must give every prospective passenger an accurate, binding price quote (or a binding explanation of how the fare is figured), disclose the right to a quote on app or web bookings, and honor the quote unless the passenger changes the trip.
35 RCNY §59B-23(b)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A livery base must give a prospective passenger an accurate, binding price quote for the trip and any stops. Since about 2015 it must also ask every caller for a destination; if none is given, it must explain in a binding way how the fare will be figured (time, mileage, zones).
35 RCNY §59B-23(b)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Before about 2015, (b)(2) required a livery base to honor its price quote unless the passenger changed the destination or stops. In later versions, (b)(2) requires a base taking app or web bookings to ask for the destination and tell the passenger in writing they'll get a binding quote.
35 RCNY §59B-23(b)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
If the passenger accepts a livery base's quoted price, the base must charge that price. The only exceptions are when the passenger changes the pickup date, time or place, the destination, the number of stops, or the vehicle type.
35 RCNY §59B-23(b)(3)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must keep and enforce rules that stop its affiliated or dispatched vehicles and their drivers from picking up street hails. Street hail liveries may take hails only in the Hail Zone. If its cars are found taking hails, the base can be suspended until it complies.
35 RCNY §59B-25(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A for-hire base must not present itself as a 'taxi' or 'taxicab' service or use the words 'taxi', 'taxicab', 'cab', 'hack' or 'coach' to describe its business. Only yellow medallion taxis are taxis under TLC rules.
35 RCNY §59B-25(b)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Subdivision 59B-25(c) requires a base to state that it is TLC-licensed, and to show its base license number, in all ads, websites, apps, fliers, business cards and receipts.
35 RCNY §59B-25(c)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must clearly state that it is licensed by TLC in all passenger-facing ads (print, broadcast, online) and in handbills, fliers, websites, apps, other promotional materials, business cards and receipts.
35 RCNY §59B-25(c)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
All of a base's advertising, promotional materials, business cards and receipts must include its For-Hire Base License number.
35 RCNY §59B-25(c)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
In the 2016 rule book, 59B-25(g) said a base must not dispatch a vehicle parked or waiting at Kennedy or LaGuardia Airport unless it was parked outside the airport's designated passenger pickup locations. That rule is now 59B-25(f); today's 59B-25(g) is about base names and rates in booking apps.
35 RCNY §59B-25(g)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (May 2016 version, Wayback Machine copy)
Section 59B-26 has one rule: for-hire vehicles must be inspected three times a year, at least once every four months. A base must not dispatch a vehicle that has missed an inspection until it passes.
35 RCNY §59B-26TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
For-hire vehicles must pass TLC inspection three times a year, at least once every four months. A base must not dispatch a vehicle that missed an inspection until it passes. This charge is the base's share of an overdue-inspection violation.
35 RCNY §59B-26(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Section 59B-27 bars use of vehicles that TLC or DMV found unsafe or unfit. It also requires seat belts and shoulder belts that are visible and working, including rear outside shoulder belts. Seat belt violations under (b) and (c) carry $100–$250.
35 RCNY §59B-27TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
No for-hire vehicle may be used in for-hire service after TLC or the NYS DMV has found it unsafe or unfit and ordered it off the road. The base is responsible for not dispatching it.
35 RCNY §59B-27(a)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A for-hire vehicle must not be altered after manufacture to increase its length, width, weight or seating capacity, or to change its chassis or body design. Exceptions exist for manufacturer-approved modifications and certain certified larger vehicles.
35 RCNY §59B-28(a)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A for-hire vehicle may be altered after manufacture only if the change was done under a program the original manufacturer approved and, under (a)(2)(ii), by a company the manufacturer approved and certified to do such alterations.
35 RCNY §59B-28(a)(2)(ii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must not dispatch a vehicle unless the plate number on its NYC motor vehicle tax stamp, its state registration and its TLC decals all match each other and the plates on the car.
35 RCNY §59B-28(b)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must not dispatch a vehicle unless the last six digits of the VIN on the TLC decals match the last six digits of the VIN on the state registration and on the vehicle itself.
35 RCNY §59B-28(b)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Under the vehicle-identification rule in 59B-28(b), a base must not dispatch a for-hire vehicle registered in New York unless it has official 'T&LC' license plates. It overlaps with the unlicensed-activity plate rule in 59B-11(b)(1)(i) but carries its own penalty: a fine plus suspension until the plates are fixed.
35 RCNY §59B-28(b)(3)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Section 59B-29 lists the markings a vehicle needs before a base may dispatch it: TLC decals, registration and inspection stickers, no taxi-yellow paint, no unpermitted ads, tax stamp, base signs on liveries, accessible and clean-air signs, and required safety stickers. Penalties differ by subdivision.
35 RCNY §59B-29TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
A base must not dispatch a vehicle unless it carries valid TLC license decals put on by TLC staff: three for most vehicles (front windshield and both rear quarter windows), one for luxury limousines. New decals are needed after renewal, a vehicle change, an affiliation change or new plates.
35 RCNY §59B-29(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 59 (Sub-chapter 59B: For-Hire Base Owners)
Fines and points are shown only where they were checked against the official penalty text. Counts come from NYC Open Data — OATH Hearings Division Case Status; some dates in that data are entry errors. Look up your summons to see the charges on it, or scan it for a plain-English explanation.
TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.