TLC & FHV Insurance Requirements: Minimums and FH-1

In short: Every TLC-licensed vehicle must carry commercial liability insurance at or above TLC's minimums, all day, every day. Proof of that policy, called the FH-1 certificate, must be on file with TLC. If your policy changes or is cancelled, you must tell TLC quickly. If coverage lapses, TLC can fine you and suspend the license until you fix it, and if the lapse lasts 60 days, an FHV license must be revoked.

New in 2026: since March 1, 2026, the required personal injury protection (PIP, also called no-fault) is $100,000, down from $200,000, for taxis, FHVs, luxury limousines and green cabs. If your policy still carries more, that is allowed; the rule sets a minimum, not a maximum.

This page covers for-hire vehicles (black cars, including Uber and Lyft cars, livery and luxury limousines), yellow taxis, commuter vans and paratransit vehicles. It explains the rules TLC enforces. It does not compare insurance companies or prices, and it is not advice about any claim.

The minimums

The amount you need depends on what kind of vehicle you have and how many passengers it seats (not counting the driver). These numbers come from TLC rule 59A-12(c) for FHVs and rule 58-13(d) for taxis. TLC's FHV license page shows the same table.

The PIP change in 2026

PIP pays medical bills and lost wages for people hurt in a crash, no matter who caused it. Until 2026, TLC required $200,000 of it. Local Law 90 of 2025 let TLC lower the requirement to no more than 200% of New York State's $50,000 minimum. TLC's 2025 Annual Report says the Commission adopted the rule on September 17, 2025, chose the highest amount the law allows, $100,000, and made it effective March 1, 2026 for taxis, FHVs, luxury limousines and street hail liveries.

What this means for you:

• At renewal, your insurer can write PIP at $100,000 and still meet TLC's minimum. Whether that lowers your premium is between you and the insurer. We have no price data.
• Old web pages may still say $200,000. On October 12, 2026, TLC's medallion owners page still listed "$200,000 PIP" in its document list, while the rule and TLC's insurance chart (updated March 3, 2026) say $100,000. If a TLC clerk or your broker asks for $200,000, ask them to check the current chart.
• Nothing else in the table changed. Liability and property damage limits stayed the same.

Three more rules apply to every policy:

• No time or place limits. Policies on TLC vehicles "cannot have any limitations or restrictions on location or timeframes of coverage." Coverage must be 24/7, whatever the vehicle is used for (59A-12(c)(5); 58-13(d)(3)).
• Licensed insurers only. The policy must come from a company authorized by the NYS Superintendent of Insurance, on a form TLC approves. Excess policies from authorized companies can count toward the minimum (59A-12(c)(6)).
• Paperwork must match. The documents for each vehicle must show the VIN, the policy start and end dates, the coverage amounts and Certificates of Liability. TLC can ask for declaration pages showing the list of covered vehicles and the policy number (59A-12(c)(7)).

Taxi owners have one extra rule: a fleet, a minifleet, or an independent owner running more than one shift a day must carry double-shift coverage (58-13(d)(2)).

Not every insurer writes TLC policies. TLC's daily insurance file names the carriers on file for each licensed vehicle; see which companies insure TLC vehicles and can I insure my TLC car with any company.

The FH-1 and how TLC knows you're covered

TLC's Vehicle Insurance page says each licensed vehicle must have "proof of a current liability insurance policy (insurance certificate / FH-1) on file with the TLC." To update your record, email a current FH-1 in your name, plus a declaration page showing the coverage dates, to TLCinsurance@tlc.nyc.gov. The page notes this is not the ACORD form. You do not need to visit a TLC office. Step-by-step help is in how to send TLC your new insurance.

You can see the policy TLC has on file at any time in TLC UP, TLC's self-service portal (the "Licensee Snapshot" screen shows the policy period and number). TLC also publishes a daily list of insurance for licensed vehicles.

Why it matters: TLC says a new, renewal or transfer application will not be approved if the insurance on file is expired or below the minimums. Check the insurance on file well before you renew. See TLC plates and FHV license steps.

Deadlines when something changes

What happens if coverage lapses

The penalties written into the rules:

• No required insurance (FHV), rule 59A-12(a): $150–$350 and/or suspension up to 30 days. Appearance required.
• Coverage below the minimums or with restrictions, 59A-12(c): $350 and suspension until compliance.
• Not notifying TLC of a change, 59A-12(b): $100.
• Taxi with no required coverage, 58-13(a): $150–$350 and/or suspension up to 30 days; below minimums, 58-13(d)(1): $350 and suspension until compliance.
• Revocation for non-use: TLC must revoke an FHV license that goes 60 or more days without required insurance (rule 59A-08(c)(2)).

TLC's insurance page also explains the usual path: when coverage on file expires, TLC may send a directive asking for updated proof. If you ignore it, you can get a summons and a hearing, and if found guilty, a fine and suspension until you comply. Not answering TLC directives is itself a violation under §59A-13(j)(1).

Crashes: two reports, not one

After a crash, owners have duties to both the insurer and TLC:

1. Insurer: report in writing, immediately, every collision your policy requires you to report. Missing this carries a $500–$1,000 fine (59A-12(d)(1); 58-13(e)(1)).
2. TLC: report in writing, immediately, every collision that must be reported to DMV under Vehicle and Traffic Law §605, and send TLC a copy of the DMV report within 10 days of when it was due at DMV. The fine is $150 plus $25 per day, and suspension until you comply (59A-12(d)(2); 58-13(e)(2)).

Drivers have their own reporting duties too. See accident reporting for TLC drivers.

Insurance is not the same as workers' compensation

Vehicle liability insurance protects passengers and the public. Driver injury coverage is a separate system. TLC's rules name the Black Car Fund (the New York Black Car Operators' Injury Compensation Fund, set up under Article 6-F of the NYS Executive Law) and, for livery bases, the Livery Fund or a workers' compensation policy (rule 59B-12). Taxi owners must keep a workers' compensation certificate or a valid exemption on file with TLC (rule 58-14). Ask the fund or your base what applies to you. We don't describe benefits here because they depend on facts we can't check.

A quick self-check before renewal

Insurance problems tend to surface at renewal, when TLC compares your file against the rules. A month before your license expires:

• Open TLC UP and confirm the policy period on file runs past your renewal date.
• Check that the FH-1 is in the license holder's name, the same name or company on the vehicle license.
• Check the seating capacity on your registration. If a vehicle seats 8 or more passengers, the $1.5 million tier applies.
• If you changed insurers during the year, make sure TLC received the change notice.
• Clear any open TLC fines too; unpaid fines also block renewals. Our fine lookup explains typical amounts.

Then book the renewal inspection. App drivers who own their car can find more in our Uber and Lyft drivers hub. If a suspension is already on your license, see how to lift a TLC suspension.

If you're a driver, not the owner

If you lease or rent the car, insurance is the owner's legal duty, but a lapse can still stop you working. Before you drive, ask for the insurance card, which must be kept in the vehicle under rule 80-24(a)(1), and check that the dates are current. Driving without required documents in the car can mean a driver summons. Read buying or leasing a TLC vehicle for what your lease must say about damage and costs.