TLC Driver Calendar 2026–2027: Every Key Date

In short: the next shared dates for NYC TLC drivers are the TLC office closings in November and December 2026, the January 15, 2027 estimated-tax payment, and the yearly March 1 update to Uber and Lyft minimum pay. Two rule changes voted on in September 2026 (fee and fine cuts, and the ATLAS loan pilot) are still waiting to show up on TLC's adopted-rules page. Your own license renewal and drug test dates depend on the date on your license.

This calendar lists only items with a date and a source. If a date was not published when we checked (October 12, 2026), we say so instead of guessing. Dates change: check the linked source before you plan your week around one.

Coming up: October 2026 to spring 2027

Notes on each date

TLC closings. These come from the "2026 Holidays/Closings" list on TLC's contact page. On open days, the Long Island City office runs licensing appointments and the cashier from 8am to 4pm, takes settlement requests from 8am to 1pm and payment-plan requests from 8am to 3pm. OATH hearings are separate: check your summons for your hearing date and see OATH TLC hearings by month for how busy the calendar is.

January 15, 2027. IRS Form 1040-ES for 2026 lists four payments: April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. The form says you may skip the January payment if you file your 2026 return by February 1, 2027 and pay the full balance. How to figure the amount is in quarterly estimated taxes for TLC drivers. Also remember the 2026 IRS business mileage rate changed mid-year: 72.5¢ per mile from January 1 to June 30 and 76¢ from July 1 to December 31, 2026 (rates as of 2026-10-12). Keep your mileage log split at June 30.

March 1: pay update. Rule 59D-22(a)(4) says the HV minimum pay rates are adjusted every calendar year by the change in the CPI-W for the NY-NJ-PA area. The 2026 increase was 3.36%, effective March 1, 2026 (Industry Notice 26-03), bringing the in-city non-WAV rates to $1.283 per mile and $0.681 per minute (as of 2026-10-12). We will not guess the 2027 number.

Pending rule changes. TLC's proposed rules page shows a public hearing on August 13, 2026 and a Commission vote on September 17, 2026 for a package that would, among other things, end the $25 driver license replacement fee, end the $200 fine for taking the annual drug test more than 30 days late, and drop fines for missed vehicle inspections (suspension until compliance would remain). It also lets medallion owners in the MRP+ program transfer medallions to family. On October 12, 2026 TLC's adopted-rules page did not yet list it, so treat these changes as not yet in effect until TLC posts them. Details: TLC rule changes in 2026.

Congestion pricing. In the congestion relief zone (Manhattan at and below 60th Street), the MTA's per-trip charge, collected from passengers, is $0.75 for taxi, green cab and FHV trips and $1.50 for Uber/Lyft trips during Phase 1 (2025–2027). The MTA's toll schedule sets Phase 2 (2028–2030) at $1.00 and $2.00, and Phase 3 (from 2031) at $1.25 and $2.50 (rates as of 2026-10-12). The MTA may also charge more on gridlock alert days. Other toll changes are in NYC toll rates compared.

Already happened in 2026 (for context)

Your own recurring deadlines

Some of the most important dates are personal. TLC's rules set them by the date on your license, so no shared calendar can list them for you:

• License renewal. A TLC driver license lasts three years. Renewal opens 90 days before it expires and is done online. If you miss it, you can still renew within 180 days after expiration with a $25 late fee (TLC renewal page; as of 2026-10-12).
• Renewal drug test. Within the 90 days before your expiration date.
• Annual (interim) drug test. Within the 90 days before each yearly anniversary of your license. Missing it means suspension.
• Defensive driving course. The certificate can't be older than three years before your license expiration date. The TLC fees list shows what each step costs.
• Summons deadlines. Every summons has its own hearing date; use the summons deadline calculator.

When the renewal wave hits

TLC's list of active driver licenses shows how many licenses expire each month. In the next 12 months, the busiest are December 2026 and January 2027 (5,227 and 5,463 licenses), and about 45,500 active licenses expire between November 2026 and October 2027. If your license is in a busy month, finish the course and drug test early.

Dates we could not confirm (and won't guess)

These questions come up every year, but on October 12, 2026 we could not find an official date or number, so they are not on the timeline:

• The 2027 HV minimum pay rates. TLC posts them on its Driver Pay Rates page before they take effect. The rule fixes the method (CPI-W), not the percentage.
• Whether the September 17, 2026 rule votes passed. The proposals are posted; the adopted versions are not listed yet.
• The future of the deactivation law. Local Law 52 is blocked by a federal court order. Watch for a ruling before relying on it.
• The 2027 IRS mileage rate. The IRS announces it separately; use the 2026 rates for 2026 miles only.
• 2027 estimated tax dates. They appear on the 2027 Form 1040-ES when the IRS publishes it.

When one of these is published, it will be added here with its source. If you see an official notice before we do, the notice wins.

Why the calendar matters for summonses

A missed date can turn into a TLC problem. A late interim drug test leads to suspension. An expired license means you cannot drive for hire until it is renewed. A missed OATH hearing can end in a default decision against you. The dates in this calendar are the shared ones; the summons-related dates are on each summons, and the tools linked below calculate them for you.

Mistakes that cost drivers money or points

• Planning a TLC office visit on a closing day. Check the list above first.
• Treating a proposed rule as law. A proposal can change or fail at the vote. Until TLC posts it as adopted, the old fine or fee still applies.
• Forgetting the January payment after paying estimated tax in April, June and September.
• Missing the interim drug test. It is yearly, not only at renewal.

What changed last year is in TLC rule changes in 2025; more help is on the driver rights hub.