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WAV stands for Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle: a TLC-licensed car or van built or modified so a passenger can ride while using a wheelchair, usually with a ramp or lift. TLC's rule book uses several related terms for different industries, but they all mean the same idea (35 RCNY §51-03).
Four accessible vehicle types in TLC's rules
Why does the label matter to you? Because the rules that apply to the vehicle — inspection, equipment, which trips it may take — depend on which of these it is. Your vehicle's TLC license tells you which category you're in.
How many are out there
What WAV means for every driver
Training is for everyone. Every applicant for a new or renewal TLC Driver License must complete the Passenger Assistance and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Training (§80-04(j)(4)). TLC's definition says the course covers the law on transporting people with disabilities, passenger assistance techniques, hands-on ramp and lift practice, hands-on training with a person who uses a wheelchair, sensitivity and conflict resolution, and accessible dispatch. TLC's own application tracker shows the WAV course is one of the items incomplete applications are still missing. See our WAV training guide.
Refusals carry mandatory penalties. Two refusal rules are about passengers with disabilities: requiring an assistant, or charging extra for one (80-20(a)(2)); and refusing to transport wheelchairs, crutches or other mobility aids (80-20(a)(3)). They share the refusal penalty ladder in §80-02(e): fines for the first and second violations (with a possible suspension of up to 30 days for a second within 24 months after a hearing), and revocation for a third within 36 months. Our service refusal rules guide has the exact amounts.
Service animals are not wheelchairs — but the rules protect them too. See service animals and accessibility.
If you drive a WAV, the WAV driver hub covers the work itself. Accessible yellow and green cabs are explained further under medallion and SHL.
Frequently asked questions
What does WAV mean?
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle. TLC's rules define an Accessible Vehicle as a TLC-licensed vehicle designed to permit access to and transport people who use wheelchairs, authorized to carry passengers for hire by prearrangement (35 RCNY §51-03).
Do I need WAV training if I don't drive a WAV?
Yes. TLC's rules require applicants for a new or renewal TLC Driver License to complete the Passenger Assistance and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Training as a condition of licensure (35 RCNY §80-04(j)(4)).
How many WAVs are licensed in NYC?
TLC's active FHV list on 2026-10-12 marked 9,348 for-hire vehicles as wheelchair accessible. That count is for FHVs only and does not include accessible yellow or green cabs.
What happens if I refuse a passenger's wheelchair?
Refusing to transport wheelchairs, crutches or other mobility aids for a passenger with a disability is Rule 80-20(a)(3), one of the refusal violations with mandatory penalties that rise to revocation for a third violation within 36 months (35 RCNY §80-02(e)).
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC Rule Book, Chapter 51 (Definitions: Accessible Vehicle, Accessible Taxicab, Paratransit Vehicle) nyc.gov
- TLC Rule Book, Chapter 80 (§80-02(e), §80-04, §80-20) nyc.gov
- NYC Open Data: For Hire Vehicles (FHV) - Active (8wbx-tsch) data.cityofnewyork.us
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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.