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A medallion is the numbered plate fixed to the outside of a yellow taxi. It is the proof that the car is a licensed Medallion Taxicab. TLC's rule book defines it as "the numbered plate originally issued by the Commission and affixed to the outside of a Taxicab as physical evidence that the Taxicab has been licensed" (35 RCNY §51-03).
In the rules, "Medallion Taxicab", "Licensed Taxicab" and "Taxicab" mean the same thing: a yellow vehicle with a medallion, licensed to carry up to five passengers and allowed to accept street hails. That right to pick up a hail anywhere in the city is what a medallion really sells. TLC says taxis are "the only vehicles that have the right to pick up street-hailing and prearranged passengers anywhere in New York City" (TLC: Yellow Cab). Green cabs (street hail liveries) can take hails only outside the Manhattan core and the airports.
How many medallions are on the road
The gap between the two numbers is normal: the first is the legal cap, the second counts vehicles currently authorized to operate. TLC's vehicle list also tags each medallion with a type. The two types in the current list are "Named Driver" and "Owner Must Drive". Chapter 58 of the rules sets the owner-driving requirements that come with each type; if you lease or drive a cab, the medallion type is listed for each vehicle in TLC's open data.
Medallion vs your license
Drivers often mix these up on summonses:
A driver can be personally served with a summons meant for the owner. TLC's rules say the driver must then "promptly forward the summons" to the owner or agent, and a driver who doesn't is in violation (35 RCNY §68-05(b)(3)). If you drive someone else's cab, hand those papers over the same day and keep a photo.
Buying, selling, transferring
Medallions can be sold, but every transfer — even a partial one — needs TLC approval, and the buyer must apply to own and operate the taxi (35 RCNY §58-05). TLC says medallions are auctioned by the City and transferred on the open market by licensed brokers. Medallion finance, debt relief and ownership disputes are outside what this site covers; talk to a lawyer for those.
For the driving side, see the yellow taxi driver hub, the TLC vehicle inspection guide and vehicle retirement rules. Accessible medallions are explained under WAV.
Frequently asked questions
What is a taxi medallion?
TLC's rules define a Medallion as the numbered plate issued by the Commission and fixed to the outside of a taxicab as physical evidence that the vehicle is licensed to operate as a Medallion Taxicab (35 RCNY §51-03).
How many taxi medallions are there in New York City?
TLC says that by law there are 13,587 taxis in New York City and each must have a medallion. TLC's open data showed 10,236 vehicles authorized to operate on a medallion on 2026-10-12, which is a count of vehicles in service, not of medallions issued.
Is a medallion the same as my TLC driver license?
No. The medallion licenses the vehicle and its owner. Your TLC Driver License licenses you to drive. A medallion owner and a driver can each get their own summonses.
Can I buy or sell a medallion privately?
Medallions are transferable, but every transfer, including a partial one, must be approved by TLC, and the buyer must apply to own and operate the taxi (35 RCNY §58-05(a)–(b)).
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC Rule Book, Chapter 51 (Definitions) nyc.gov
- TLC Rule Book, Chapter 58 (Taxicab Owners) nyc.gov
- TLC: Yellow Cab nyc.gov
- NYC Open Data: Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb) data.cityofnewyork.us
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.