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In short: A TLC fine is paid to TLC, usually through LARS. Most driver penalties come in two prices: a lower one if you plead guilty before a hearing and a higher one if you are found guilty after. Once you are found guilty, you have 30 days to pay. Miss that, and TLC sends a notice that your license will be suspended in 10 business days until you pay. Settlements, defaults, suspensions and revocations all branch off from these few rules.
The clock after a decision
The payment rules are in TLC rule 80-02(c). Chapters 56 and 57 (paratransit and commuter van drivers) say the same thing.
Keep every payment receipt. The rule lets you stop a suspension by showing TLC, in person or in writing, that the fine was already paid, and a receipt is the fastest way to do that. If a payment and a suspension notice cross in the mail, contact TLC with the receipt right away rather than waiting.
Reading the penalty
A penalty box on a TLC rule usually looks like "$250 if plead guilty before a hearing; $350 if found guilty following a hearing," plus whether appearance is required. Some rules add points or a suspension, and a few carry mandatory penalties that rule 80-02(e) says the tribunal "will impose": overcharges and refusals, for example. Rule 80-02(d) also lets the Commission, as an alternative to a rule's specific penalty, seek revocation, a suspension of up to six months and/or a fine of up to $1,000 per violation. Our guide to TLC penalties explained walks through every part of the box, and the fine lookup tool finds the amounts for a rule code.
Paying less, legally
- Plead before the hearing where the rule sets a lower pre-hearing amount. Paying is a guilty plea: read is paying a TLC summons an admission of guilt? first.
- Settlement offers come from TLC, not OATH. See TLC settlement offers.
- Contest it if you have a defense. Should I fight my TLC summons? helps you think it through.
When things have gone wrong
- Missed the hearing: defaults and new hearings and motion to vacate a default.
- License suspended: first steps, how to lift a suspension, summary suspension and can TLC suspend my license for unpaid fines?
- Facing revocation: TLC license revocation and fitness hearings.
- Paying: how long do I have to pay?, payment options and paying TLC fines.
Points are a separate track from fines: see the safety topic. For the hearing itself, start at the hearings hub.
Everything in this topic
Other topics
Frequently asked questions
Who do I pay a TLC fine to?
To TLC, not OATH. TLC says you can plead guilty and pay many summonses through its LARS system; some summonses must be paid following the instructions in the summons email and letter.
How long do I have to pay after a decision?
TLC rules say fines are due within 30 days of the day you are found guilty. If you file an OATH appeal on time, payment is put off until 30 days after the appeal decision.
What happens if I don't pay?
TLC sends written notice that your license will be suspended in 10 business days until the fine is paid, unless you show TLC that you already paid (rule 80-02(c)).
Can I get a lower fine?
Many penalties are lower if you plead guilty before a hearing. TLC also sends settlement offers for some summonses; you can ask by email at Settlements@tlc.nyc.gov or in person. TLC says it does not give settlement offers by phone.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC Rule Book, Chapter 80 (Drivers), §80-02 nyc.gov
- TLC: Received a Driver's License Summons? nyc.gov
- OATH: Hearings and Defaults 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.