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TLC summons guides, in plain English
Step-by-step guides written for TLC-licensed drivers. Each one explains the rule or process in plain English, links to the official source, and tells you what to do next.
Uber, Lyft and other apps and bases: how they work with TLC rules, pay statements and deactivation.
Apps & basesPaid Sick Leave for Uber & Lyft Drivers in NYCNYC Uber and Lyft drivers earn 1 hour of paid sick leave per 30 hours, up to 56 a year. What counts, Uber's $18.58 rate, how to use it, what to do if refused.Read Apps & basesThe Cruising Cap Below 96th Street, ExplainedTLC rule 59D-21 caps empty app-car time in Manhattan below 96th St at 31%. How cruising is counted, who is fined, the WAV exemption and what it means to you.Read Apps & basesUber & Lyft $328M Settlement: What NY Drivers GotThe NY Attorney General's 2023 Uber and Lyft deal: $328M back pay for 2014–2017 deductions, who qualified, claim deadlines, and rights drivers keep today.Read Apps & basesUber's NYC Driver Appeals Panel: Who QualifiesUber's NYC-only deactivation review panel: who can use it, which cases are excluded, the AAA and IDG roles, how it differs from the Review Center, and timing.Read Apps & basesUnemployment Benefits for Uber & Lyft Drivers in NYCan NY Uber and Lyft drivers get unemployment? The 2018 Appeal Board ruling, Lowry (2020), Hossain (2022), what Uber says now and how to file with NYS DOL.Read Apps & basesWhat Riders Pay vs What Drivers Get on NYC App TripsWhere the money from an average NYC Uber or Lyft ride goes: driver pay, tips, the app's share, sales tax, Black Car Fund, congestion and airport fees.Read Apps & basesYellow Taxi vs Uber/Lyft: Which Should You Drive?Yellow cab, green cab, car service or Uber/Lyft? Compare TLC data on trips, hours and tips, lease caps vs app pay rules, benefits and summons risk.Read Apps & basesYour Base Agreement: What It Must Say Under TLC RulesTLC rule 59B-18(f) says what an FHV base agreement must include, which fees a base can charge, how fast it must pay you, and the receipts you are owed.Read
Driving an electric vehicle for hire in NYC: TLC EV rules, charging, costs and the Green Rides program.
EVs & chargingEV Charging for NYC TLC Drivers: Where, Discounts, TipsWhere TLC drivers can fast-charge in NYC: the five DOT sites with a 15% TLC discount and how busy each is, airport chargers, and how to sign up.Read EVs & chargingEV or Hybrid for Uber in NYC? Costs, Charging, RulesTLC's own numbers: a Model Y costs over 40% more to own over 5 years than a Camry Hybrid, and EVs ran 17% more per mile. When an EV still makes sense for you.Read EVs & chargingEV-Only FHV Licenses: Rules, History and StatusTLC's EV-only FHV licenses explained: the 2019–2023 windows, the 25-per-SSN rule, the Nov 2023 court cutoff, and why only WAV plates are open in 2026.Read EVs & chargingGreen Rides Initiative: EV and WAV Targets to 2030TLC's Green Rides rule makes Uber and Lyft send 25% of 2026 trips to EVs or WAVs, 100% by 2030. How it's counted, the fine, and what it means for you.Read
Taxi medallion ownership, transfers, leasing, medallion debt relief and what medallion holders must know.
MedallionsAnnual Medallion Owner Financial Disclosure: How to FileEvery NYC medallion owner files a yearly financial disclosure with TLC: who must file, documents you need, the July 15, 2026 deadline and how to file online.Read MedallionsATLAS: $30,000 Grant Toward an Accessible Taxi LoanTLC's ATLAS pilot: low-interest loans on an accessible Toyota Sienna for one-medallion owners, with the $30,000 TIF benefit up front. Rules and how to apply.Read MedallionsBuying a NYC Taxi Medallion in 2026: Prices and ProcessWhat a medallion sells for in 2026, TLC's transfer steps and paperwork, what brokers and agents do, the accessible-car rule, TIF grants and loan risks.Read MedallionsDOV Taxi Leases: Medallion Lease With a Car You BuyDOV taxi leases are capped at $952 a week for the medallion plus $275 toward the car, up to $42,900 in total, then title is yours. Deposits, extras, rights.Read MedallionsHistory of the NYC Taxi and For-Hire Industry: TimelineA dated, sourced timeline of NYC taxis and for-hire cars from the 1937 Haas Act to congestion pricing in 2025, with TLC trip data at each turning point.Read MedallionsHow to Hack Up a Yellow Taxi: Step by StepPutting a new car on a medallion: the accessible-only rule, which cars qualify, documents for Long Island City, the meter shop, Woodside inspection and fees.Read MedallionsHow to Start Driving a Yellow Taxi in NYCGot a TLC license and want a yellow cab? The four ways in (shift lease, DOV, medallion-only, buying), the legal lease caps and what a first shift involves.Read MedallionsNYC Medallion Relief Program (MRP+): How It WorksHow MRP and MRP+ cut medallion loans: who qualified, the $20,000 and $30,000 grants, loan limits, results, the April 30, 2024 deadline and the help left now.Read MedallionsPutting a Medallion in Storage (60 Days)How to store a taxi medallion and rate card by email, why 60 days matters, when TLC rules require storage, and the two ways out depending on your plates.Read MedallionsRenewing a Taxi Medallion: Dates, Fees, DocumentsMedallions renew every two years by May 30/31. TLC charges $370 now ($1,100 fee not charged). What to pay first, the April 30 penalty date and late renewals.Read MedallionsTaxi Improvement Fund Grants for WAV Owners and DriversTIF pays medallion owners $20,000 per new accessible taxi plus $625 a quarter, up to $30,000. Who qualifies, how to enroll, the $10 driver trip pay and rules.Read MedallionsTaxi Medallion Types: Independent, Corporate, Named DriverNYC taxi medallion labels decoded: independent vs corporate (minifleet), owner-must-drive vs named driver, and unrestricted, accessible and alt-fuel classes.Read MedallionsThe NYC Taxi Medallion: History, Crash and ReliefFrom the 1937 Haas Act cap to $800,000+ sales in 2014, the price crash, foreclosures, $470M+ in debt relief and the accessible-taxi rule: a medallion story.Read
Working the airports: holding lots, pickup rules, airport fees and access fees, and Port Authority enforcement.
AirportsAirport Meet-and-Greet Pickups: Rules for Black Car DriversHow black car and limo drivers can legally meet a passenger at JFK, LaGuardia or Newark: the announcement card, base booking, where to park, what not to do.Read AirportsJFK Flat Fare: What Taxi Drivers Add and Don't AddThe $70 JFK–Manhattan taxi fare line by line: the $5 rush charge, MTA tax, congestion charges, the $2 access fee, tolls, multi-stop trips and overcharge risk.Read AirportsJFK for Uber & Lyft Drivers: Lots, Queue, Terminal PickupsWhere app drivers wait and pick up at each JFK terminal: the two staging lots, Howard Beach for T5/T7, T4 Zone B, the FIFO queue, and the $250 and $500 rules.Read AirportsJFK Taxi Line: Holding Lot, Feed Lines & Dispatch RulesHow a yellow taxi gets a fare at JFK, step by step: the holding area, relief breaks, feed lines, short- and long-haul tickets, dispatcher rules and the fines.Read AirportsJFK vs LaGuardia vs Newark: Fares, Fees & Rules ComparedWhat changes between airports for NYC taxi and app drivers: fare rules, surcharges, access fees, who may pick up, where to wait, and the Newark exceptions.Read AirportsLaGuardia for App Drivers: Hold Lot, Queue & Pickup SpotsWhere Uber and Lyft drivers wait and pick up at LaGuardia: the Berrian Blvd FHV Hold Lot, lot hours, Terminal A, B and C pickup spots, ExpressMatch and fines.Read AirportsLaGuardia Taxi Line: Hold Lot, Terminal Stands & FeesHow yellow taxi pickups work at LaGuardia and what to charge: terminal stands, holding rules, the $5 LGA surcharge, the $2 access fee and the website mix-up.Read AirportsPort Authority Airport Rules for Drivers: The Fine PrintThe Port Authority's own airport rules on soliciting, pre-arranged pickups, the announcement card, loading and stopping, and how they stack with TLC rules.Read
Bridges, tunnels, E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail rates, congestion pricing, and who pays the toll on a trip.
Tolls & E-ZPassCongestion Charges on Receipts & Pay StatementsHow congestion charges, tolls and airport fees appear on taxi receipts, app fares, TLC trip data and your own pay records, and how to spot a wrong deduction.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCongestion Per-Trip Charge Plan: Bases, Meters & OwnersHow the MTA per-trip charge plan works behind the meter and the app: who signs, what bases owe, cash trips, and what an owner pays when a base isn't enrolled.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCongestion Pricing Crossing Credits ExplainedEnter through the Lincoln, Holland, Queens-Midtown or Carey tunnel with E-ZPass at peak and the congestion toll drops by up to $3. Who gets it, who doesn't.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCongestion Pricing in Your Own Car After Your ShiftYour own car pays the full congestion toll: $9 peak or $2.25 overnight with E-ZPass, once a day. Mail rates, credits, low-income discount and tax credit.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCongestion Pricing Increases in 2028 and 2031The MTA schedule raises the taxi and FHV per-trip charge to $1.00 and Uber/Lyft to $2.00 in 2028, then $1.25 and $2.50 in 2031. Every step, with dates.Read Tolls & E-ZPassCongestion Relief Zone Map: Boundaries for DriversWhere the congestion zone starts and ends: 60th Street included, the excluded highways, the 12 entry points, and the 38 taxi zones the MTA counts as inside.Read Tolls & E-ZPassE-ZPass for TLC Drivers: The Complete GuideHow E-ZPass works for NYC taxi and for-hire drivers, step by step: account, plates, tag, crossing, charge, toll bill, dispute, plus the TLC rules on tags.Read Tolls & E-ZPassE-ZPass Mid-Tier Rate: Why Your Tag Must Be MountedWhy NYC bridges charge you the Mid-Tier toll, what it costs per crossing at MTA and Port Authority, and how to mount and link your tag to pay E-ZPass rates.Read Tolls & E-ZPassE-ZPass Replenishment Accounts for Lease DriversHow much E-ZPass money a taxi or FHV owner can hold from a lease driver ($10 per 12-hour shift, $100 max), what they may deduct, and the 30-day refund rule.Read Tolls & E-ZPassHow to Dispute a Toll Bill or Violation in New YorkGrounds to dispute a NY toll bill, the proof each one needs, where to mail it, and when to call a Toll Payer Advocate or a collection agency. For TLC drivers.Read Tolls & E-ZPassHow to Open an E-ZPass NY Account (Step by Step)Open an E-ZPass NY account online, in a store or by paper form: what you need, the $25 start, paying without a credit card, and what TLC rules require.Read Tolls & E-ZPassHow Tolls Appear on the Taxi Meter and ReceiptTolls go on the taxi fare at the end of the trip, at the E-ZPass amount, and must be listed on the receipt. Rate codes, receipt items and e-hail rules.Read Tolls & E-ZPassJFK to Manhattan: Tolls & Congestion Charges by RouteJFK to Manhattan by route: Queens Midtown, RFK or Hugh Carey ($7.46) vs free East River bridges, the $70 flat fare add-ons and the 60th Street charge.Read Tolls & E-ZPassLaGuardia to Manhattan: Tolls by RouteLaGuardia to Manhattan: RFK or Queens Midtown ($7.46) vs the free Queensboro, the $5 LGA surcharge, airport access fees and every taxi receipt line.Read Tolls & E-ZPassManhattan to Newark Airport: Tolls by RouteTaxi to Newark Airport: round-trip tolls via Holland, Lincoln or GWB with NJ Turnpike pairs and the PA return toll, $21.55 to $31.79, paid by the rider.Read Tolls & E-ZPassMTA Bridges & Tunnels: Toll Rules for TLC DriversAll nine MTA bridges and tunnels: 2026 E-ZPass, Mid-Tier and mail rates, why out-of-state tags pay more, resident plans, who pays, 2025 traffic.Read Tolls & E-ZPassNY vs NJ E-ZPass: Which Is Cheaper for NYC Drivers?An NJ E-ZPass pays the Tolls by Mail rate at MTA bridges. Compare NY and NJ tags at MTA, Port Authority, Thruway and NJ Turnpike crossings, plus TLC rules.Read Tolls & E-ZPassNYC Toll Changes for TLC Drivers: A TimelineEvery toll and charge change for NYC taxi and app drivers since 2019: state surcharge, Verrazzano split tolling, CRZ, Mid-Tier, airport fees, and 2028-2031.Read Tolls & E-ZPassPaying for E-ZPass Without a Credit CardFund E-ZPass NY with a bank account (auto-replenish or Pay Per Trip) or with cash at VanillaDirect stores, with no $10 deposit. How each works and its risks.Read Tolls & E-ZPassPort Authority Bridges & Tunnels: Toll Rules for DriversThe six Port Authority crossings: one-way tolls, peak hours, Mid-Tier, PASI and Green Pass plans, collections and who to call when a toll bill goes wrong.Read Tolls & E-ZPassRenting a TLC Vehicle? How Tolls Get Billed to YouRenting or leasing an FHV from a fleet: whose E-ZPass pays, how toll bills reach the owner then you, what TLC rules limit, and what to ask before you sign.Read Tolls & E-ZPassThe Return-Toll Rule: Verrazzano & Rockaway BridgesInto Staten Island or the Rockaways the rider pays the toll twice; coming out they pay nothing. The 2023 TLC rule, a direction table and the overcharge risk.Read Tolls & E-ZPassToll Bill Late Fees & Violations: The TimelineWhat happens day by day when a NY toll bill isn't paid: MTA $5 late fee at 30 days, $50 per toll at 60, Thruway and Port Authority steps, then DMV suspension.Read Tolls & E-ZPassToll Mistakes That Become Overcharge SummonsesCharging the mail rate, a double toll in the wrong direction, or a toll you never paid is an overcharge. Eight toll mistakes, the fines, how to avoid them.Read Tolls & E-ZPassToll Payer Advocate: Free Help With Toll ProblemsMTA, Port Authority and Thruway each have a free Toll Payer Advocate. Which one to contact, what to do first, how long a reply takes, and what they can't do.Read Tolls & E-ZPassTolls by Mail for TLC Vehicles: How Bills WorkHow Tolls by Mail bills a TLC car by plate photo, why it costs up to $5.45 more per MTA crossing than E-ZPass, and who gets the bill when the car is leased.Read Tolls & E-ZPassTolls on Taxi Trips Outside NYC: Westchester, Nassau, NJTaxi trips that leave NYC: tolls to and from Westchester, Nassau, Newark and flat-fare places, the in-city exception, and what to tell the passenger.Read
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