COVID Livery Recovery Act: Renew an Expired License

Why this law exists

Under TLC's normal rules, an FHV vehicle license can be renewed up to 60 days after it expires and never after that (§59A-06(c)). Because new FHV licenses have been capped since 2018, and today only wheelchair accessible vehicles can get one, an expired license is very hard to replace (the FHV license cap explained).

During the pandemic, livery work dropped sharply, and some owners' vehicle licenses expired. The state's COVID-19 Livery Vehicle Recovery Act, Chapter 382 of the Laws of 2024, required TLC to accept renewals for these licenses. TLC says the Act "went into effect in November 2024" (TLC rule notice).

Livery service has since grown back. TLC's industry indicators show livery trips per day fell from 38,993 in 2019 to 22,193 in 2022, then rose to 40,273 in 2025:

How the rule was made

Do you qualify?

The rule (§59A-06(f)) has four parts. Walk through them:

The conditions, one by one

1. Livery only. The license must have been "affiliated with a Livery Base" when it expired (§59A-06(f)(1)). Licenses with black car or luxury limousine bases are not covered.

2. No move to Uber or Lyft. "The For-Hire Vehicle must not transfer affiliation to a High-Volume For-Hire Service" (§59A-06(f)(2)). TLC currently licenses two high-volume services, Lyft and Uber. You can work with livery bases and other non-high-volume bases.

3. Old debts first. You pay "fees associated with the current license renewal cycle and any outstanding fees or fines already owed to the Commission prior to expiration" (§59A-06(f)(3)). TLC's normal renewal steps also require paying fines owed to the Department of Finance for parking, red-light and traffic violations (renewal page).

4. Same restrictions as before. "Applicants shall renew Livery Base Affiliated Vehicles with the same license restrictions that applied at the time of expiration" (§59A-06(f)(4)). TLC's annual report gives the examples: an EV-restricted license "may only renew as an electric vehicle," and a WAV-restricted license only as a WAV. See WAV-restricted license.

How to apply, if TLC still accepts it

TLC has not posted a separate how-to page for these renewals. The rule treats them as renewals, so expect the normal FHV renewal steps from TLC's renewal page:

1. Pay what you owe. Old TLC fines and fees, plus Department of Finance parking, red-light and traffic fines.
2. Pay the renewal fee in LARS using the TLC vehicle license number from your old decal.
3. Upload documents in TLC UP: a current FH-1 insurance certificate in your name, and DMV registration if the car is registered outside New York State.
4. Get the inspection. TLC emails you and your base an appointment. The license is renewed once the car passes.

Before you pay anything, call TLC's Call Center at (718) 391-5501 (listed on TLC's Licensed Vehicles FAQ) and ask:

• Is the one-year period under §59A-06(f) still open, and if not, when did it close?
• Does my license qualify, given its expiration date and base at the time?
• What do I need for new T&LC plates if I surrendered the old ones to DMV when the license expired?
• What exact amount do I owe, including old fines?

Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke to and what they said. Don't buy or lease a car for this until TLC confirms in writing.

What it costs

TLC's rule doesn't list a special fee. It says you pay the fees of the current renewal cycle. On TLC's renewal page (checked 2026-10-12), that is:

• $550 renewal fee for a non-WAV vehicle, $0 for a WAV
• $75 inspection fee if the vehicle has 500 miles or more
• $800 Commercial Motor Vehicle Tax where TLC lists it
• plus any TLC fines or fees you owed before the license expired

All TLC fees are non-refundable. Fees and the other renewal steps are in renewing TLC plates; WAV fees are explained in do WAV owners pay TLC vehicle license fees?

How many people used it

TLC's February 2026 License Review reports that from February 2025 to January 2026, 45 licenses "were reinstated through the Covid-19 Livery Recovery Act." In the same period TLC issued 1,241 new FHV licenses and 1,118 licenses expired. A year earlier, the February 2025 review said it was "not yet clear how many former licensees will apply." For the wider picture, see FHV license cap statistics.

If you missed it or don't qualify

• Need a licensed car now? New FHV licenses are WAV-only; see new plates with a WAV, or rent a licensed car.
• Thinking about a green cab? Read owning a green cab.
• Never let it happen again. File renewals at least 30 days early and use the 60-day late window only as a last resort (can my car work while its renewal is pending?). If you need a break, use FHV license storage instead of letting the license lapse.
• Your driver license has its own rules: TLC license renewal and what happens if my TLC license expires? If you drove with an expired driver license and got a summons, see 80-11(a)(1). More in the vehicles hub.