TLC Hearing Document Checklist by Type of Charge

In short: The right documents depend on the charge. Choose your type of charge and the checklist lists the papers that usually help — your summons and licenses, plus things like trip records for a passenger complaint or a repair receipt for an equipment charge — then adds optional extras worth gathering. Print it, or tick items off on your phone; your ticks are saved on this device.

How the checklist works

Each type of charge has a core list, followed by four "if you have them" extras that can help in almost any case: photos, a witness statement, trip records and dashcam footage. The last line is always the same — copies of everything, with the summons number written on each page.

The lists reflect what each kind of charge usually turns on; they are not a TLC requirement. TLC's own advice is simple: if you believe you're not guilty, "gather any witnesses or documents you have that might help prove your defense" (TLC). OATH's evidence rule, 48 RCNY §6-12, admits evidence that is relevant and reliable, and names affidavits or affirmations, business records, government records and photographs as examples. Irrelevant or unreliable material is excluded — so more paper is not always better.

Worked example: an equipment summons

Maria's FHV gets a summons for a defect noted at a stop. She chooses Vehicle, equipment & inspection. Her checklist shows: the summons (all pages), the vehicle registration, the latest TLC inspection report, a repair receipt dated after the stop, and photos of the fixed part. The extras suggest a witness statement and dashcam footage if she has them. She ticks off the registration and inspection report the same night, gets a dated receipt from her mechanic the next day, and takes clear, dated photos of the repaired part. When she uploads them, she writes the summons number on each. For what an equipment summons involves, see vehicle and equipment inspection summonses.

Tips that make documents count

• Dates are everything. An insurance card or license that was valid on the violation date is what matters. Highlight the dates.
• Get trip records early. Download or request app or base records as soon as you get the summons, so you aren't waiting on them close to the hearing.
• Witnesses need a way to be reached. A signed statement with a phone number is more useful than an unsigned note. See witnesses at an OATH hearing.
• Label video. Note the file name, date and the exact minute that matters.

Related

For a full explanation of each document, read documents for a TLC hearing and evidence for a TLC hearing. Pair this list with the OATH hearing prep checklist, which covers deadlines and the hearing day itself, and check your charge with the summons decoder.