What If I Don't Follow My TLC Settlement Agreement?

If you don't do what your settlement says, TLC can suspend your license without a hearing until you comply, unless the agreement says otherwise (TLC §68-20(a)(5)). Your agreement may also bring back penalties, with or without a new hearing (§68-20(a)(4)). And because signing waived your right to further hearings and appeals on that summons, you can't fall back on OATH (§68-20(a)(6)).

In short: a settlement is a promise. Treat its deadlines like court deadlines.

What the settlement rule says

TLC's settlement rule, §68-20(a), sets six points. In plain English:

What can go wrong, and what follows

Before you sign, check exactly what you're agreeing to:

• Payment amount and due date. Pay on LARS where allowed. E-check has no fee; cards cost a nonrefundable 2%. Unlicensed entities must pay summonses or settlements in person at TLC's Long Island City settlement unit.
• Any other conditions, like completing a course or sending a document, and their deadlines.
• What happens if you don't comply. Some agreements spell this out. If yours doesn't, the default rule (suspension until compliance) applies.

Is a settlement still a good deal?

Often it can be. A settlement may offer a lower penalty than the rule book, and TLC warns that if a judge doesn't believe your side, the fine may be higher than the settlement previously offered (TLC: Receive a Summons). The trade-off is that you give up the chance of a dismissal and the right to appeal. Our guide to TLC settlement offers walks through that choice.

To ask about a settlement, TLC says to visit its Long Island City office or email Settlements@tlc.nyc.gov. "Settlement offers will not be given over the phone."

If you are already suspended

1. Find your copy of the agreement and identify the missed term.
2. Fix it: pay, finish the course, or send the document. Keep proof.
3. Contact TLC to confirm the suspension is lifted. Don't drive for hire until it is: driving on a suspended license is unlicensed activity.

For general steps see TLC license suspended: what to do and how to lift a TLC suspension. See also the glossary entry for settlement.

Before you sign: compare your options

A settlement, a guilty plea and a hearing each end the case differently. A plea gives you the rule's plea amount, a settlement gives you whatever terms TLC agrees to in writing, and a hearing can end in a dismissal or a full penalty. Only a hearing keeps your right to appeal. If you're torn, run your summons through the fight-or-pay tool before you sign anything.