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In short: On 2026-10-12, TLC licensed 104,845 for-hire vehicles and authorized 10,236 medallion taxis, served by 859 bases. The FHV fleet is ten times the taxi fleet and is almost all affiliated with black car bases, the bases app-based vehicles generally use. Taxis are the newer fleet: 72% are model year 2022 or newer, versus 62% of FHVs. About 9,350 FHVs are listed as wheelchair accessible.
The numbers come from TLC's daily license lists and monthly industry indicators on NYC Open Data. Snapshots change every day as vehicles are licensed and retired.
The fleets at a glance
For-hire vehicles by base type
Every FHV must keep an affiliation with a licensed base. Under TLC rule 59A-08(c), an FHV license must be revoked if the owner goes 60 or more days without a base affiliation, insurance, or the required inspections (chapter 59). Black car bases account for 101,350 vehicles (97%), livery bases 2,112 and luxury limousine bases 1,383. See FHV base affiliation.
Note the contrast: livery bases are about a fifth of all bases, but have about 2% of FHVs. Black car bases are bigger on average by far.
Vehicle type codes: hybrid, electric, accessible
TLC's FHV list codes 15,548 vehicles as hybrid, 13,684 as battery electric and 9,348 as wheelchair accessible. But 66,212 vehicles, about 63%, have no code at all. So we can say there are at least 13,684 battery-electric FHVs (more in TLC electric vehicle fleet statistics), not what share of the fleet is electric. For accessible-vehicle driving, see WAV drivers and WAV training.
How old the vehicles are
| Model year | FHVs | Medallion taxis |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 or newer | 61.6% | 72.1% |
| 2019–2021 | 17.9% | 20.4% |
| 2018 or older | 20.5% | 7.2% |
The most common FHV model year is 2023 (19.4% of the fleet). For taxis, 2025 (18.3%) and 2022 (17.8%) lead. About one in five FHVs is model year 2018 or older. Retirement rules differ by vehicle type and have changed over time, so check the current rules before relying on a vehicle's age; our vehicle retirement age guide covers them.
Medallion taxis by type
TLC's list splits authorized taxis into "Named Driver" (6,232) and "Owner Must Drive" (4,003). Chapter 58 of TLC's rules sets out what each type requires; check it, or ask TLC, before relying on either label.
Vehicles actually on the road
In 2025, an average of 81,581 vehicles a month made app-based trips and 9,925 made yellow taxi trips. The 2025 monthly average of active yellow taxis (9,925) is close to today's 10,236 authorized medallion taxis, which suggests most of the taxi fleet is in regular use, though the two figures cover different dates. For FHVs the comparison is harder, because one vehicle can show up under more than one industry. Green cabs fell from 6,324 active vehicles a month in 2015 to 602 in 2025.
If you own or lease a TLC vehicle
A licensed vehicle comes with ongoing duties: inspections three times a year for FHVs, continuous insurance, a base affiliation, and following any TLC notice to fix a defect. Missing them is one of the most common sources of owner summonses, and several carry a suspension until you comply. See TLC vehicle owner summons statistics for the numbers and buying or leasing a TLC vehicle before you sign anything.
What this data can and cannot tell you
It can tell you how many vehicles and bases are licensed today, how old the fleets are, and how many vehicles make trips each month.
It cannot tell you:
- The full fuel mix. Most FHVs have no fuel code.
- Who owns the vehicles (individual drivers, fleets or leasing companies).
- Medallions issued or medallion values. The list counts authorized vehicles.
- History. These lists are one-day snapshots; we don't have past snapshots for comparison.
- Exact overlap between industries in the monthly active-vehicle counts.
Frequently asked questions
How many TLC-licensed for-hire vehicles are there?
TLC's active FHV list had 104,845 vehicles on 2026-10-12. About 97% of them (101,350) were affiliated with black car bases, which is where app-based vehicles generally sit.
How many yellow taxis are there?
10,236 vehicles were authorized to operate on a medallion on 2026-10-12. That counts authorized vehicles, not medallions issued.
How old are TLC vehicles?
On 2026-10-12, about 62% of active FHVs and 72% of medallion taxis were model year 2022 or newer. About 21% of FHVs, but only about 7% of taxis, were model year 2018 or older.
How many TLC vehicles are wheelchair accessible?
TLC's FHV list marks 9,348 for-hire vehicles as wheelchair accessible (plus 412 as PILOT). The same list codes 13,684 as battery electric and 15,548 as hybrid, but most vehicles have no code, so it is not a full fuel census.
How many TLC bases are there?
859 licensed FHV bases on 2026-10-12, including 543 black car bases, 190 livery bases, 87 luxury limousine bases, 24 paratransit bases and 15 commuter van bases.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- NYC Open Data: For Hire Vehicles (FHV) - Active (8wbx-tsch) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NYC Open Data: Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NYC Open Data: Current Bases (eccv-9dzr) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NYC Open Data: TLC Industry Indicators (v6kb-cqej) data.cityofnewyork.us
- TLC Rules, Chapter 59: For-Hire Vehicles nyc.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.