Hail Exclusionary Zone (TLC): Exact Boundaries

Q: Are the airports in the Hail Exclusionary Zone?

Yes. TLC's definition has two parts: Manhattan south of East 96th St. and West 110th St., and the New York City Airports. But the airports are NOT in the Pre-Arranged Exclusionary Zone, so a green cab may start a base-dispatched trip at JFK or LaGuardia.

Q: Can a green cab drive through the Hail Exclusionary Zone?

Yes. TLC rule 82-13(a)(6) says green cabs may drive through it to finish a trip that began outside it, or when not driving for hire. What they may not do is take a hail there or start a pre-arranged trip in Manhattan below the line.

Q: Does the Hail Exclusionary Zone apply to yellow taxis?

No. Yellow taxis may accept hails anywhere in the city except where taxi cruising is restricted, such as the airports and near taxi stands. The zone limits green cabs, and it raises the penalty for FHV drivers who take street hails.

Q: Is the Hail Exclusionary Zone the same as the congestion pricing zone?

No. The MTA congestion relief zone is Manhattan south of and including 60th Street. The NYS congestion surcharge uses 96th Street on both sides. Only the hail line uses 110th Street on the west side.

On this page (6)

The line in plain words
Who it affects and the penalties
Examples
Related terms
FAQ
Sources

The Hail Exclusionary Zone is the part of New York City where green cabs (street hail liveries) may not pick up passengers who hail them. TLC's rule book defines it as "(1) Manhattan south of East 96th St. and West 110th St. (2) The New York City Airports" (TLC rules, chapter 51, updated October 17, 2025). Everywhere else in the city is the Hail Zone, where green cabs may take hails.

The line in plain words

East side: the line is East 96th Street. Below it, no green cab hails.
West side: the line is West 110th Street, so the Upper West Side up to 110th is inside the zone.
Airports: the definition adds "The New York City Airports", which means JFK and LaGuardia. TLC's green cab page describes the Manhattan part the same way: green cabs "may not operate in the Hail Exclusionary Zone, south of West 110th St and East 96th St" (TLC).

A related term, the Pre-Arranged Exclusionary Zone, is only the Manhattan part. Green cabs may not start a base-dispatched trip there, but they may start one at an airport (rule §82-13(a)(3), chapter 82).

Green cab pickups in Manhattan, by taxi zone

Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 (TLC trip records). Most Manhattan green pickups are in East Harlem, Harlem, Morningside Heights and Central Park. Taxi zones don't follow the 96th/110th line exactly, so this map can't show the line itself.

Green cab pickups
0 – <45
45 – <118
118 – <184
184 – <570
570 – 137K
No data

Show data table (69 zones)

Zone	Borough	Green cab pickups

Source: NYC TLC Trip Record Data (yellow, green, high-volume FHV), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · Data as of Oct 12, 2026. Aggregated by TLC Help from TLC trip records, Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 (pickup date; TLC publishes trip files about two months after the month ends and may revise them). 'App' = high-volume for-hire services (Uber, Lyft). Taxi records with a negative fare (reversals) are excluded. Averages, medians and rates use 'clean' trips only: 1 minute to 4 hours, more than 0 and under 150 miles, fare above $0 and under $1,000. 'Fare' is the metered fare_amount for taxis and base_passenger_fare for app trips — before tolls, tips, taxes and surcharges — so it is not what the passenger paid in total. App driver_pay is TLC's 'total driver pay (not including tolls or tips and net of commission, surcharges, or taxes)'. Tips are separate. 'Per engaged hour' divides pay by passenger time only (pickup to drop-off). It leaves out time driving to pickups and waiting for requests, so real hourly earnings are lower; it is not the TLC minimum-pay formula. Medians/rates need ≥250 trips (else null). labels are LocationIDs as strings; zones[] has names, boroughs, service_zone (from taxi_zone_lookup.csv), suggested slugs and neighbouring zone ids (shared boundary, from taxi_zones.zip).

Zone boundaries: NYC TLC taxi zones (LocationID 1–263).

Who it affects and the penalties

Green cab driver takes a hail inside the zone
Rule §80-19(b)(1): first violation $500 and suspension; second within 24 months $750 and suspension; third within 120 months revocation. You must appear at the hearing. See 80-19(b)(1).
Green cab owner
Rule §82-13(a)(1)-(2): the permit holder must make sure drivers follow the line. Fines run $500 with suspension for a first violation, up to revocation for a third within 120 months, and TLC may seize the vehicle on probable cause.
FHV driver (Uber, Lyft, black car) takes a street hail inside the zone
Rule §80-19(c)(2) adds enhanced penalties: $500 first, $750 second within 24 months, revocation third within 120 months. See 80-19(c)(2).
Yellow taxi driver
No limit from this zone. Yellow taxis may take hails here, except where taxi cruising is restricted (for example at the airports, rule §80-19(a)(4)).

All driver penalties above are printed in TLC rules, chapter 80.

Examples

A green cab at West 105th Street and Broadway is inside the zone (south of 110th on the west side). No hails.
A green cab at East 105th Street and Lexington Avenue is outside it (north of 96th on the east side). Hails are allowed.
A green cab carrying a hail from Harlem to Midtown may drive into the zone to finish the trip. Rule §82-13(a)(6) allows driving through it to complete a trip that began outside.
After dropping that passenger in Midtown, the same green cab may not take a new hail until it is back north of the line. If the driver is heading home, the off-duty rule still requires being in the Hail Zone; see can I pick up a street hail on my way home?.
A green cab at LaGuardia may not take a hail, but it may start a trip that a passenger booked through its base.

Hail Zone · Pre-Arranged Exclusionary Zone · SHL (green cab) · who can pick up where · congestion relief zone boundaries · where green cabs get hails · places hub.

Frequently asked questions

Are the airports in the Hail Exclusionary Zone?

Yes. TLC's definition has two parts: Manhattan south of East 96th St. and West 110th St., and the New York City Airports. But the airports are NOT in the Pre-Arranged Exclusionary Zone, so a green cab may start a base-dispatched trip at JFK or LaGuardia.

Can a green cab drive through the Hail Exclusionary Zone?

Yes. TLC rule 82-13(a)(6) says green cabs may drive through it to finish a trip that began outside it, or when not driving for hire. What they may not do is take a hail there or start a pre-arranged trip in Manhattan below the line.

Does the Hail Exclusionary Zone apply to yellow taxis?

No. Yellow taxis may accept hails anywhere in the city except where taxi cruising is restricted, such as the airports and near taxi stands. The zone limits green cabs, and it raises the penalty for FHV drivers who take street hails.

Is the Hail Exclusionary Zone the same as the congestion pricing zone?

No. The MTA congestion relief zone is Manhattan south of and including 60th Street. The NYS congestion surcharge uses 96th Street on both sides. Only the hail line uses 110th Street on the west side.

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on Oct 12, 2026.

TLC Rule Book, Chapter 51 (Definitions) nyc.gov
TLC Rule Book, Chapter 80 (Drivers), §80-19 nyc.gov
TLC Rule Book, Chapter 82 (Street Hail Livery), §82-13 nyc.gov
TLC: Green Cab nyc.gov

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