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Someone Is Using My TLC License or Identity

Summonses for trips you never drove? Report it to TLC's Driver Protection Unit and the police, and answer any TLC affirmation. Why fast action matters.

  • Reviewed
  • 2 min read
  • 5 official sources
On this page (8)
  1. Signs someone else is working as you
  2. What to do, in order
  3. Affirmation letters from TLC
  4. Summonses issued to you for someone else's driving
  5. Lost or stolen license card
  6. Don't make it easier for them
  7. FAQ
  8. Sources

Report it to TLC's Driver Protection Unit and to the police right away, and answer any letter TLC sends you. TLC's Driver Protection Unit (DPU) investigates "acts of identity theft" against licensees (TLC). You can reach it at DriverProtection@tlc.nyc.gov or (718) 391-5539 (TLC Driver Resources). Speed matters for a second reason. Under rule §80-11(e), letting someone use your TLC license or app login costs $10,000 and revocation. A quick report and a paper trail are how you show you didn't let them.

Signs someone else is working as you

  • You get a TLC summons, or a Port Authority or NYPD summons, for a time and place where you weren't driving.
  • TLC sends you an affirmation asking who drove a certain vehicle at a certain time, and you don't know that car.
  • Your app shows trips, ratings or earnings you didn't make, or your login stops working.
  • A tax form such as a 1099 shows income you never earned.
  • You stopped driving, but TLC lists you as an active driver. See why is my name on the TLC active driver list.

What to do, in order

Someone is using my TLC license or identity

  1. Write it all down

    Dates, times, vehicle and plate numbers, summons numbers, screenshots of trips you didn't drive. Note where you really were (other trip records, work, receipts).

  2. Watch out: Lock your accounts

    Change your app passwords from the official app and check your payout method. Never share a login code. If money is missing, see the payout page.

  3. Police report

    File at your precinct. Get the report number. You will use it with TLC, the app, your bank and at any hearing.

  4. Driver Protection Unit

    Email DriverProtection@tlc.nyc.gov or call (718) 391-5539. Attach the police report and your evidence.

  5. Good to know: Answer every TLC letter

    Affirmations go to Investigationsunit@tlc.nyc.gov. Answer truthfully and on time.

  6. Important: Don't ignore summonses

    A summons in your name stays your problem until it is decided. Respond and bring your evidence to the hearing.

Affirmation letters from TLC

TLC's contact page says to email Investigationsunit@tlc.nyc.gov if you "received an affirmation (formally known as an affidavit) to identify the individual that was operating a specific vehicle on a particular date and time" (Contact TLC). Treat it seriously. Rule §80-12(i) says a driver "must truthfully answer all questions and promptly comply with all communications, directives, and summonses" from TLC. Not doing so is $300 plus suspension until you comply. If you weren't driving and don't know who was, say exactly that, and attach your police report.

Summonses issued to you for someone else's driving

A summons in your name doesn't go away because it is unfair. If you miss the hearing, you can lose by default. Prepare like any other hearing, with proof of where you really were, the police report, the DPU case and app records. Our guide on preparing for a TLC hearing shows how. If the summons is under §80-11(e), read the 80-11(e) violation page and get a lawyer, because revocation is on the table.

Lost or stolen license card

Report a stolen card to the police. TLC charges $25 to replace a lost, stolen or mutilated (badly damaged) license (§80-07(e), Chapter 80). The steps are in replacing a lost or stolen TLC license. If your Social Security number or other personal details were used, the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov gives you a free recovery plan and pre-filled letters to businesses (FTC).

Don't make it easier for them

An account takeover can start with a fake "support" call asking for a login code. See someone called saying they're Uber support. Lending your login or your car to a friend is also covered by the rules. See can someone else drive my TLC vehicle. If your app earnings were moved to someone else's card, follow my app earnings went to someone else's card. More on the safety hub.

Frequently asked questions

Who at TLC handles identity theft?

The Driver Protection Unit. TLC lists 'acts of identity theft' among the complaints it investigates. Contact: DriverProtection@tlc.nyc.gov or (718) 391-5539.

TLC sent me an affirmation asking who drove a car. What is it?

TLC's contact page describes it as an 'affirmation (formally known as an affidavit) to identify the individual that was operating a specific vehicle on a particular date and time'. Questions go to Investigationsunit@tlc.nyc.gov. TLC rules require you to answer TLC truthfully and promptly.

Can I get in trouble if someone else drove under my license?

If you let them, yes. Rule §80-11(e) bans letting anyone use your TLC license or app login, and the penalty is $10,000 and revocation. If you did not allow it, report it fast and keep records that show you didn't.

My TLC license card was stolen. What now?

Report the theft to the police and ask TLC for a replacement. TLC charges $25 to replace a lost, stolen or mutilated (badly damaged) license (§80-07(e)).

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on .

  1. TLC: Driver Protection Unit nyc.gov
  2. TLC: Contact TLC (affirmations, DPU email) nyc.gov
  3. TLC: Driver Resources (DPU phone number) nyc.gov
  4. TLC Rule Book, Chapter 80 (PDF dated June 5, 2025), §80-07(e), §80-11(e), §80-12(i) nyc.gov
  5. FTC: What to know about identity theft (IdentityTheft.gov) consumer.ftc.gov

Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.

TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.

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