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You have 90 calendar days from the day you file your TLC application to finish everything. Inside those 90 days there are smaller deadlines that catch people: schools stop taking sign-ups for the 24-hour course and WAV training after day 85, and you must pass the exam by about day 87 (three days before the application expires). Two documents also have date limits that reach back before you applied: the medical form (no older than 90 days before filing) and the defensive driving certificate (no older than three years).
Use the timeline below to turn your filing date into a personal plan, then print the checklist.
How to use this planner
- Find your filing date (the day you paid the $252 fee in LARS; fee as of 2026-10-12). Write it down as day 0.
- Add the day numbers in the timeline to that date with a calendar. Day 85 is the course sign-up cutoff; day 87 is the exam cutoff; day 90 is the end.
- Look up your expiration date in TLC UP and correct your plan if it is different.
- Tick items off in the checklist as you go. It remembers your ticks on this device, and you can print it.
Your 90 days, step by step
A worked example
Say you file on Monday, October 12, 2026 (day 0). Counting calendar days:
| Milestone | Day | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Oldest medical form TLC accepts | day −90 | July 14, 2026 |
| Oldest defensive driving certificate | 3 years back | October 12, 2023 |
| TLC's "finish courses" target | day 30 | November 11, 2026 |
| Last day to register for courses | day 85 | January 5, 2027 |
| Last safe day to pass the exam | day 87 | January 7, 2027 |
| Application expires | day 90 | January 10, 2027 |
Notice that day 90 here falls on a Sunday and the run-up crosses the winter holidays, when schools and test centers may be closed. Plan around holidays and weekends; the rule counts calendar days, not business days.
What each deadline means
Day 85 — course sign-up. TLC's Driver Education page says you must register for the 3-day course and WAV training no later than five days before the application expires, and schools will not register you after the 85th day. Registering on day 85 still leaves very little time to sit three 8-hour class days and then the exam. Book early. Find schools with our course and exam location finder.
Day 87 — the exam. You can only book the exam after the school reports your 3-day course to TLC and PSI emails you. You can retake it as many times as you need until the application expires, with a 24-hour wait and $49 each time. Details: what happens if you fail the TLC exam.
Medical form — 90 days back. The missing-requirements page says the form cannot be dated more than 90 days before your filing date. A form signed long before you applied will come back as "Expired Medical Form."
Defensive driving — 3 years back. Rule 80-04(j)(1) accepts a certificate issued no more than three years before the application date. Otherwise you must complete a new six-hour course inside the 90 days.
What happens if you miss day 90
TLC denies the application, keeps the fees and you start again with a new application. There is a small help if you reapply quickly: under TLC's course transfer policy (effective October 1, 2024), a denied applicant who reapplies within six months of finishing the 3-day course or WAV training does not have to retake it. The 3-day course part does not apply to anyone who was disqualified from the exam. Disqualification from the exam is a different problem: it carries a three-year ban (see TLC application bans). If you are unsure why you were denied, read why TLC applications are denied.
Where to go next
- The full list of steps and fees: how to get a TLC license.
- Already licensed and planning a renewal? The deadlines are different — use the license renewal planner.
- Crash, deactivation or other urgent deadline instead? Try the crash deadline planner or the deactivation path finder.
- Probation or parole? TLC will ask for a status letter — see do I need a probation letter.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 90-day clock for a TLC application start?
On the date you file the application online in LARS. TLC rule 80-08(d)(1) says a new application is denied if you have not completed every requirement within 90 days of the date it was filed. TLC UP shows the date your application expires; use that date, not your own count.
What is the last day to sign up for the 24-hour course?
TLC's Driver Education page says schools will not register you after the 85th day of your application, and that you must register no later than five days before the application expires. The same cutoff applies to WAV training.
How late can I take the TLC exam?
TLC asks you to take and pass the exam no later than three days before your application expires. With a 90-day application, that is about day 87. You also need 24 hours between attempts if you fail, so leave extra days.
Can I use a medical form from before I applied?
Yes, if it is recent. TLC's missing-requirements page says the medical form cannot be dated more than 90 days before the date you filed your application.
Does an old defensive driving certificate count?
Only if it was issued no more than three years before your application date (rule 80-04(j)(1)). If it is older, take a new six-hour DMV-approved course within the 90 days.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC: Driver Education (course and exam deadlines) nyc.gov
- TLC: Get a TLC Driver License nyc.gov
- TLC: Licensing Requirements Checklist (text notification) nyc.gov
- TLC/PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (PDF) nyc.gov
- TLC Rules, Chapter 80 (Drivers) — §80-04(j), §80-08(d) nyc.gov
- TLC: Get a Driver's License FAQ 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.