The respondent is the person who has to answer the summons — usually you, the driver. TLC's rules define a Respondent as "an individual or Business Entity who has been noticed and charged with a violation of one or more of these Rules or the Administrative Code, or with being not Fit to Hold a License" (35 RCNY §68-03(m)). The other side is the petitioner, usually TLC.
Being the respondent is not a finding of guilt. TLC says plainly: "A summons contains an allegation... TLC will be required to present evidence in court to prove the allegations" (TLC).
A respondent's rights, in one list
Sources: OATH's TLC chapter, 48 RCNY §5-02 and §5-04; OATH's general rules §6-05 and §6-07, §6-12 and §6-16.
A respondent's duties
The flip side: you must answer by the hearing date. For TLC cases, OATH treats your appearance as timely if you're ready to go within 90 minutes of the scheduled time (§5-01a). Miss it without rescheduling and you face a default decision.
Keep your mailing address current with TLC. TLC can serve a licensee by first-class mail to "the last Mailing Address filed with the Commission" (§68-05(b)). A summons sent to an old address still counts.
If you are a vehicle owner, you can be served through your driver, who must forward the summons promptly. If you are not a licensee at all — for example, someone charged with unlicensed activity — TLC can serve you in person or by mail to the address on your state driver's license or vehicle registration (§68-05(c)).
One more duty is easy to forget: if you lose, fines are due to TLC within 30 days of the decision. Filing a timely appeal pushes that to 30 days after the appeal decision (§68-02(c)).
Start with got a TLC summons?, then what TLC must prove. Need language help? Read interpreters at OATH. Planning to appeal? See do I have to pay before appealing?
Frequently asked questions
What does respondent mean on my summons?
The respondent is the person or business charged. TLC's rules define a Respondent as an individual or business entity that has been noticed and charged with violating TLC rules or the Administrative Code, or with not being fit to hold a license (35 RCNY §68-03(m)).
Am I guilty because I'm the respondent?
No. TLC itself says a summons contains an allegation, and if you choose a hearing TLC must present evidence to prove it.
Can the respondent be a business?
Yes. Medallion owners, bases and other businesses can be respondents. A vehicle owner can even be served through the driver, who must pass the summons on promptly.
Does a respondent have to pay before appealing?
Not in TLC cases. OATH's TLC rules say a respondent will not be required to pay the fines, penalties or restitution to file a timely appeal (48 RCNY §5-04(b)).
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC Rule Book, Chapter 68 (§68-03, §68-05, §68-06) nyc.gov
- OATH Rules, Chapter 5: TLC cases (48 RCNY §5-01a–§5-04) nyc.gov
- OATH Rules, Subchapter B: Pre-Hearing Procedures (§6-07 Discovery) nyc.gov
- OATH Rules, Subchapter C: Hearings (§6-12, §6-16) nyc.gov
- TLC: Received a Drivers License Summons? 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.