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To hack up a car means to turn it into a yellow taxi. TLC's Chapter 51 defines it as "to outfit a vehicle as a Medallion Taxicab and obtain approval from the Commission for that vehicle to serve as a Taxicab for the first time." The word comes up whenever a medallion owner replaces a car, and its date matters later, because retirement rules count from the hack-up.
One sentence: a hack-up is the paint-meter-inspection process that puts a new car on a medallion, and today that car must be wheelchair accessible.
What a hack-up involves
Step-by-step with documents: how to hack up a yellow taxi.
The rule today: accessible cars only
- 67-06(a): "Only Accessible Taxicab Models may be Hacked-Up." TLC's Yellow Cab Hack-Up page says this applies "as of October 18, 2024 ... even if you do not own an accessible medallion." See can my taxi be a non-accessible car?
- New or converted (67-06(b)): the car must be new (fewer than 500 miles and one of the maker's two latest model years) or a used non-accessible car converted to accessible under 67-05.2. Used accessible cars are allowed if the make, model, year and converter are approved.
- Alternative-fuel medallions: TLC's hack-up page says "An Alt-Fuel Restricted medallion is required to hack up an accessible hybrid vehicle."
- Moving a hacked-up car to another medallion is a re-hack, allowed only in limited cases (67-06(d)); TLC may charge a $50 inspection fee for it (67-06(e)).
Which cars are on the road
Example
A medallion owner's old non-accessible Camry reaches its retirement date. To keep the medallion working, the owner buys a new accessible hybrid model from TLC's approved vehicle list. Because it is a hybrid, the owner needs an alternative-fuel restricted medallion. A meter shop outfits it, and the owner brings it to Woodside for the hack-up inspection. That date becomes the car's hack-up date.
Related terms
Medallion · Roof light · Taximeter · IVCS (in-vehicle camera) · WAV · Hack license (the driver license — a different thing). Grants for accessible hack-ups: Taxi Improvement Fund grants. Retirement dates: TLC vehicle retirement age.
Frequently asked questions
What does hack-up mean?
TLC's Chapter 51 defines it: "Hack-up means to outfit a vehicle as a Medallion Taxicab and obtain approval from the Commission for that vehicle to serve as a Taxicab for the first time." In practice that means yellow paint, roof light, taximeter, partition or camera, and a Woodside inspection where TLC installs the medallion.
Can I hack up a regular (non-accessible) car?
No. Rule 67-06(a) says only Accessible Taxicab Models may be hacked up, and TLC's Yellow Cab Hack-Up page says that as of October 18, 2024 you must hack up an accessible vehicle even if your medallion is not an accessible medallion.
Is hack-up the same as a hack license?
No. 'Hack license' is old slang for the TLC driver license. A hack-up is about the vehicle: preparing a car and getting it approved to run on a medallion.
Is there money to help pay for an accessible hack-up?
The Taxi Improvement Fund pays eligible medallion owners a hack-up payment for an accessible taxi. TLC's 2025 Annual Report says the up-front grant rose from $14,000 to $20,000. Check TLC's TIF pages for current terms before you buy.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC Rules Chapter 51: Definitions (Hack-up) nyc.gov
- TLC Rules Chapter 67, §67-05, §67-06 (updated Oct 24, 2025) nyc.gov
- TLC: Yellow Cab Hack-Up nyc.gov
- TLC: Taxicab Medallion (owners and agents) nyc.gov
- TLC 2025 Annual Report nyc.gov
- TLC: Taxicab and SHL Improvement Funds Report for 2025 nyc.gov
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.
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.