TLC Overcharging Rules: Fares, Tolls & the $10 Line

In short: an overcharge is any fare above what TLC allows. In a yellow taxi or green cab, that means anything above the TLC-approved meter rates, surcharges and tolls. In an FHV or app ride, it means charging more than the base's fare quote or estimate. Overcharges are charged under rule 80-17(a)(1) and nearby paragraphs, use the mandatory penalty ladder, and an overcharge of $10 or more means revocation.

An overcharge does not have to be deliberate. It can come from the wrong rate code on the meter, a toll billed twice, an out-of-town trip priced the wrong way, or a fee the rules do not allow. This guide shows the allowed charges side by side with the mistakes that turn into summonses. It is general information, not legal advice.

What the rule says

Rule 80-17(a) of chapter 80 has four overcharge paragraphs. All use the mandatory penalties in rule 80-02(e):

• (a)(1) Taxi and street hail livery: must not charge or attempt to charge above Commission-approved rates. This includes hail trips, e-hail trips and Flex Fare trips.
• (a)(2) FHV, and green cab on pre-arranged trips: must not charge more than the rate, fare quote or fare estimate the base provided, unless the passenger changed the destination after the quote.
• (a)(3) Disability: must not add any charge for carrying a person with a disability, their service animal, or a wheelchair or other mobility aid.
• (a)(4) Attendant: must not require an attendant, and must not charge extra for one.

The words "or attempt to charge" matter. Asking for the higher amount can be enough, even if the passenger refused to pay it. Rule 80-17(j)(2) adds that e-payments must not exceed approved rates plus an optional tip, and that also carries mandatory penalties.

Allowed charges vs. overcharges in a taxi

The yellow taxi meter rate is set in rule 58-26: $3.00 to start plus the $1.00 Taxicab Improvement Surcharge, then 70 cents per one-fifth mile (above 12 mph) or per 60 seconds (slow traffic). TLC's taxi fare page lists the current state and MTA surcharges on top. Check that page whenever surcharges change.

Two details catch drivers often:

• Trips that leave the city but start and end inside it. Rule 58-26(c)(4) says a trip where both pickup and destination are in NYC is not an out-of-town trip, even if the shortest route passes through a nearby county. The meter stays on the standard rate.
• Tolls. Passengers pay only the actual E-ZPass amount (rule 58-26(e)(3)). Rule 58-26(f)(3) says charging more than the actual toll is an overcharge under rule 80-17. Some bridge crossings within the city are charged at zero or double the toll depending on direction, and the rule lists them.

OATH's guide to taxi cases says many overcharge cases involve charging the out-of-town rate (called "Rate 4") for trips that begin and end in town, and that TLC may use GPS trip records to show the overcharge. You have the right to review those records and point out errors.

Overcharges in FHVs and app rides

Black car, luxury limousine and high-volume bases (app companies) must give a fare estimate on request before dispatch, including all fees and any price multiplier. Under rule 59B-23(g) in chapter 59, a base generally may not charge more than 120% of the estimate unless the passenger changes the trip. That rule is aimed at the base. For you as the driver, rule 80-17(a)(2) is what matters: never ask a passenger for more than the base's quote, for example cash "for tolls" that the app already charged, or a "late night" extra. If the passenger changes the destination mid-trip, rule 80-16(b) says the fare can change, but the change should flow through the base's system, not a side deal.

Extra charges for passengers with disabilities

Paragraphs (a)(3) and (a)(4) are overcharge rules too, with the same mandatory penalties. You must not add any charge for a passenger with a disability, a service animal, or a wheelchair or other mobility aid, and you must not charge for an attendant who rides along. Rule 58-26(d) also says there is no charge for luggage, for mobility aids carried inside the taxi, or for using the trunk. So a "wheelchair fee", a "dog fee" for a service animal, or an extra fare for the attendant is an overcharge, even if it is small. Our accessibility guide covers the other duties that come with these trips.

Penalties

Refusals and overcharges count together toward the 24- and 36-month steps. After a revocation for these violations, rule 80-02(e)(3) bars any new TLC license for one year. See TLC license revocation for what that means in practice.

Related payment violations have their own fixed fines, not the mandatory ladder: a credit card mark-up (80-17(e)(1)(vi): $200, $300, $500 and possible restitution), not giving correct change (80-17(a)(5): $50 / $100 and 2 points), and asking for a tip (80-17(a)(6): $50). They are covered in taxi payment rules.

Summons trend

How to protect yourself

• Check the rate code on the meter before every airport or out-of-town trip.
• Tell the passenger how a Westchester, Nassau or Newark fare is calculated before the trip. The rules require it (80-17(f)), and it prevents disputes.
• For trips beyond those areas, agree a flat dollar amount in advance and keep the meter running.
• Offer a receipt at the end of every taxi trip (80-16(d)). It shows the fare, tolls and surcharges, and it is your best record.
• Never collect a toll in cash that already went through E-ZPass at a different amount.

If you were charged

Pull the trip record and receipt, write down the route and why it was priced the way it was, and compare it against the table above, or against our list of every NYC taxi surcharge and the rules on who pays tolls on taxi trips. An honest mistake on the rate code is still a violation if the passenger paid more, so understand the settlement and plea trade-offs before your hearing. Our responding to a passenger complaint guide covers the next steps.