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TLC Enforcement: Unlicensed Activity, Hails & Airports

Who writes TLC summonses, what counts as unlicensed activity, when a vehicle can be seized, and the street-hail and airport rules with the biggest penalties.

  • Reviewed
  • 2 min read
  • 2 official sources
On this page (6)
  1. Who writes the summonses
  2. What "unlicensed activity" means
  3. Street hails by for-hire vehicles
  4. If an inspector or officer stops you
  5. FAQ
  6. Sources

In short: Most TLC summonses come from TLC inspectors, but Port Authority Police, who patrol the airports and other Port Authority facilities, write a meaningful share. The most serious enforcement charges are about unlicensed activity: driving or offering rides without a valid license for the driver, the vehicle or the service, including street-hail pickups by for-hire vehicles. These can bring large fines, revocation and seizure of the vehicle.

Who writes the summonses

Taxi and FHV summonses by issuing agency, 2021 to 2025

Summonses filed at OATH, all charges. The dataset has no usable location field, so it cannot show where any summons was written. Source: OATH Hearings Division Case Status (jz4z-kudi).

  • TLC88% 274,492
  • Port Authority Police12% 36,336
  • NYPD0% 294
Show data table
LabelSummonses (summonses)
TLC274,492
Port Authority Police36,336
NYPD294

Source: NYC Open Data: OATH Hearings Division Case Status (jz4z-kudi) · Data as of Oct 12, 2026. Counts are summonses filed at OATH by the agency, dated by violation_date (the date on the summons). A summons is not a finding of guilt. hearing_status, hearing_result, penalty_imposed, paid_amount and the charge descriptions are blank for taxi rows in this dataset, so it cannot show outcomes or fines. Port Authority Police patrol the airports and other Port Authority facilities, but this dataset has no usable location field, so it cannot show where any summons was written.

Of about 311,000 summonses in that window, TLC wrote about 274,500 and Port Authority Police about 36,400; the NYPD's share was a few hundred. Port Authority summonses are heard at OATH the same way as TLC's. For airport rules, see our JFK and LaGuardia pages, the Port Authority's own rules in Port Authority airport rules for drivers, the airports hub and Port Authority TLC summons statistics.

What "unlicensed activity" means

TLC rule 80-02(a) defines it as providing, soliciting or advertising any TLC-regulated for-hire service:

  • by a licensee whose license is suspended, revoked, or expired and not yet renewed, or
  • by anyone without a valid license as a driver, for the vehicle, or for the service.

It specifically includes the activities in Administrative Code §19-506 and §19-528, and "can subject the violator to the seizure and possible forfeiture of the vehicle involved." The related summonses: driving for hire without a TLC license, a vehicle without a vehicle license, operating beyond your license, taxi or livery signs without a license, and driving on a suspended or expired TLC license. Letting someone else use your TLC license is a $10,000 fine and revocation (80-11(e)).

Street hails by for-hire vehicles

Only taxis, and green cabs in the Hail Zone, may take street hails (who can pick up where maps the lines). For any other for-hire vehicle, a pickup without a dispatch from a licensed base is charged under 80-19(c)(1), with higher penalties at the airports and in Manhattan below East 96th and West 110th Streets under 80-19(c)(2). Admin Code §19-507(a)(4) says the same in city law. Picking up at a taxi stand is a separate charge.

Non-dispatched FHV pickups: the two penalty ladders

TLC rule book chapter 80, updated June 6, 2025. Appearance not required for either rule.

Row label80-19(c)(1) elsewhere80-19(c)(2) airports and Manhattan below 96th/110th
1st violation$200 to $350$500
2nd violation$350 to $500 and up to 30 days' suspension (within 24 months)$750 (within 24 months)
3rd violationRevocation (within 36 months)Revocation (within 120 months)

The full picture, including seizure and what to do if your car is taken, is in unlicensed activity and street hails. Vehicle owners can be charged too: see 59A-25(a)(1) and 59A-11(b)(1).

If an inspector or officer stops you

Stay calm and polite, and don't argue the case at the roadside: the place to contest it is the OATH hearing. Make sure you get a copy of every summons. As soon as you can, write down the time, the exact place, what you were doing, who was in the car and what was said, and save your trip record or dispatch screen. For a street-hail charge, proof of a dispatch from your base is often the most important document. Then check the hearing date and read what TLC must prove at your hearing.

Everything in this topic

Guides

2All guides
EnforcementOut-of-Town Car Services in NYC: Reciprocity RulesWhen can a Westchester or Long Island car service pick up in NYC without TLC plates? TLC's reciprocity rule: allowed trips, 24-hour limit, papers, fines.Read EnforcementUnlicensed Activity & Street Hails: Seizure, §19-506What counts as unlicensed activity for NYC TLC drivers, when TLC can seize and forfeit a vehicle under rule 68-17, and the penalties for FHV street hails.Read

Violation codes

18See all 18
§19-506(b)(1)Operating a vehicle for hire without a vehicle licenseCivil penalty at OATH (Admin Code §19-506(e)(1)): $1,500 for a first violation; $2,000 for a second violation within 36 months.§19-506(b)(2)Operating Beyond Your TLC LicenseCivil penalty at OATH (Admin Code §19-506(e)(2)): $200–$1,500 per violation.§19-506(c)(1)'Taxi' or 'Livery' Signs Without a LicenseCivil penalty at OATH (Admin Code §19-506(e)(2)): $200–$1,500 per violation.§19-506(d)Driving for Hire Without a TLC LicenseCivil penalty at OATH (Admin Code §19-506(e)(1)): $1,500 for a first violation; $2,000 for a second within 36 months.§19-507(a)(4)FHV Pickup Without PrearrangementMandatory penalties (Admin Code §19-507(b)(1)(b)): first offense $200–$350; second within 24 months $350–$500 and possible suspension up to 30 days; three or more within 36 months: revocation.§19-528(a)Running a TLC-Licensed Business UnlicensedAfter notice and hearing (Admin Code §19-528(b)): $100 per violation per day for each day of unlicensed activity; an order to stop the activity at the premises; and sealing of premises primarily used for the activity.§55-19(a)Old TLC Rule 55-19(a): FHV Street Hail Code (Pre-2016)Last version of chapter 55 (effective through 10/25/16): (a)(1) $500 first, $1,500 second in 24 months, revocation third in 36 months; (a)(2) Hail Exclusionary Zone $2,000 first, $4,000 second in 24 months, $10,000 and revocation third in 120 months.§59A-11(b)(1)FHV Driven by Unlicensed DriverVehicle fine: $350.§59A-25(a)(1)FHV Owner Allowed a Non-Prearranged TripDuring any license term: $100 for the first violation, increasing by $100 for each subsequent violation, up to a maximum of $10,000.§59B-11(c)(1)Base Dispatched an Unlicensed DriverBase fine: $500 for the first violation in 12 months; $800 for each subsequent offense within a 12-month period.§80-11(a)(1)Driving with a suspended, revoked or expired TLC licenseFirst violation: $350.§80-11(e)Sharing Your TLC License or Login$10,000 and revocation.

Questions

4All questions
EnforcementCan Green Cabs Pick Up in Manhattan?Only north of East 96th and West 110th Street. Where green cabs can take street hails, why airports are off-limits, and the $500-to-revocation penalties.Read EnforcementCan Port Authority Police Give Me a TLC Summons?Yes. Port Authority Police wrote 36,397 taxi and FHV summonses heard at OATH from 2021 to 2025. The charges they write most and how to answer one.Read EnforcementCan Uber and Lyft Drivers Wait at JFK or LaGuardia?Yes, but not at the pickup curb. TLC rule 80-19(f) bars accepting trips while parked in pickup areas, and airport street pickups risk $500 and revocation.Read EnforcementDo I Have to Show My TLC License When Asked?Yes — to police, TLC inspectors and passengers, though each can ask for different things. What rules 80-12 and 80-16(g) require, the fines, and your options.Read

Glossary

3All glossary
DispatchA base's request directing a driver to carry a passenger who arranged the trip in advance; FHV trips must start this way.DirectiveA written demand from TLC for information or documents; licensees must comply, and ignoring one can lead to a summons and suspension until compliance.Unlicensed ActivityProviding, soliciting or advertising TLC-regulated for-hire service without a valid license for the driver, vehicle or service; can lead to vehicle seizure.

Statistics

8All statistics
EnforcementMost Common TLC Violations: Top 15 Codes at OATHThe 15 rule codes that appear most on TLC summonses (2021–2025), decoded in plain English with points, trends by year and the limits of the OATH data.See the data EnforcementNYC Airport Taxi and Uber Trips: JFK, LGA, Newark DataYearly taxi and app pickups at JFK and LaGuardia, NYC trips to Newark, who carries airport riders, and how trips compare with Port Authority summonses.See the data EnforcementPort Authority TLC Summonses: Airport Enforcement DataPort Authority Police wrote 8,836 TLC summonses in 2025, more than in 2019. See their top charges, how they differ from TLC's, and what the data can't show.See the data EnforcementTLC Summons Statistics: OATH Data, 2014–2025How many TLC summonses are filed at OATH each year, who writes them, and which rule codes appear most, from official NYC Open Data, with its limits explained.See the data EnforcementTLC Summonses by Year: 1992 to 2025 TrendsYear-by-year counts of taxi and FHV summonses at OATH since 1992, the 2020 break, the move to chapter 80 codes, and which old years you should not trust.See the data EnforcementUnlicensed TLC Activity Summonses: Data by CodeSummonses for unlicensed for-hire vehicles, unlicensed drivers and FHV street hails, year by year from OATH data, including the 2026 jump in §19-506(b)(1).See the data EnforcementWhen TLC Summonses Are Written: Day and Month DataTLC summonses by weekday and calendar month from OATH records: midweek peaks, quieter weekends, a May high, and why the data has no time-of-day pattern.See the data EnforcementWhere TLC Summonses Are Written: Precinct DataTLC's own precinct table shows where drivers get TLC summonses most: Midtown East, JFK and Jackson Heights led 2025. Which rules, where, and the trend.See the data

By driver type

1All by driver type
EnforcementGreen Cab (Boro Taxi) Drivers: Hail Zone Rules & FinesDriving a green cab? Where you can take street hails, which pickups in Manhattan and at airports bring $500 summonses, and how the Hail Zone rules work.Read

Locations

3All locations
EnforcementJFK Airport Rules for TLC Drivers: Flat Fare, Lots & FinesWorking JFK as a taxi or app driver: what the $70 flat fare includes, taxi line and holding lot rules, the $500 FHV pickup fine, and Port Authority policing.Read EnforcementLaGuardia Airport TLC Rules: Fares, App Pickups & SummonsesLaGuardia is now NYC's busiest TLC pickup airport, 79% app-based. The $5 LGA surcharge, the FHV dispatch rule, and what Port Authority Police write most.Read EnforcementManhattan TLC Rules: Hail Zones, Surcharges & OATH OfficeWhere the 96th/110th Street hail line, the congestion surcharge and the 60th Street toll apply, which pickups bring $500 fines, and Manhattan's OATH office.Read

Other topics

OATH hearings & processFines, payments & suspensionsTraffic safety, points & camerasPassengers & service rulesGetting & keeping a TLC licenseVehicles, bases & inspectionsApps, bases & deactivationElectric vehicles & chargingMedallions & ownershipAirports: JFK, LaGuardia & NewarkTolls, E-ZPass & congestion pricingZones, stands & places to workPay, fees & earnings rulesTaxes for TLC driversDriver rights & help programs

Frequently asked questions

Who can write a TLC summons?

OATH's records show three issuing agencies for taxi and for-hire summonses: TLC itself, Port Authority Police and the NYPD. From 2021 to 2025, TLC wrote about 88% of them and Port Authority Police about 12%.

What is unlicensed activity?

Under TLC rule 80-02(a), providing, soliciting or advertising any TLC-regulated for-hire service while your license is suspended, revoked or expired, or without a valid license for the driver, the vehicle or the service. It includes the acts listed in Administrative Code §19-506 and §19-528.

Can TLC take my car?

The rules say unlicensed activity can subject the violator to seizure and possible forfeiture of the vehicle involved. Our unlicensed activity guide explains how seizure works and how to respond.

What are the penalties for an FHV street hail at the airport?

Rule 80-19(c)(2) sets enhanced penalties for non-dispatched pickups at NYC airports or in Manhattan south of East 96th and West 110th Streets: $500 for a first violation, $750 for a second within 24 months, and revocation for a third within 120 months.

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on .

  1. TLC Rule Book, Chapter 80 (Drivers), §80-02, §80-11, §80-19 nyc.gov
  2. NYC Open Data: OATH Hearings Division Case Status data.cityofnewyork.us

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.

Related

GuideUnlicensed Activity & Street Hails: Seizure, §19-506What counts as unlicensed activity for NYC TLC drivers, when TLC can seize and forfeit a vehicle under rule 68-17, and the penalties for FHV street hails.Read §19-506(b)(1)Operating a vehicle for hire without a vehicle licenseCivil penalty at OATH (Admin Code §19-506(e)(1)): $1,500 for a first violation; $2,000 for a second violation within 36 months.TopicAirports: JFK, LaGuardia & Newark: TLC Driver HubWorking JFK, LaGuardia and Newark as a TLC driver: who may pick up where, the $70 flat fare, 2026 access fees, waiting lots and the rules behind fines.Read GuidePort Authority Airport Rules for Drivers: The Fine PrintThe Port Authority's own airport rules on soliciting, pre-arranged pickups, the announcement card, loading and stopping, and how they stack with TLC rules.Read GuideWho Can Pick Up Where in NYC: Taxi, Green Cab, FHVNYC pickup rights in one place: where yellow cabs, green cabs and FHVs may take hails, app trips and stand pickups, the four Manhattan lines and the fines.Read §80-19(c)(2)FHV Pickups in the Hail Exclusionary ZoneFirst violation: $500.§80-11(a)(1)Driving with a suspended, revoked or expired TLC licenseFirst violation: $350.LocationJFK Airport Rules for TLC Drivers: Flat Fare, Lots & FinesWorking JFK as a taxi or app driver: what the $70 flat fare includes, taxi line and holding lot rules, the $500 FHV pickup fine, and Port Authority policing.Read