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OATH Hearings for TLC Summonses: Start Here

Every TLC summons is decided at OATH. How hearings work by phone, online, by mail or in person, the deadlines that matter, and our guides for each step.

  • Reviewed
  • 2 min read
  • 5 official sources
On this page (7)
  1. How a TLC case moves through OATH
  2. Start with the guide that fits your situation
  3. How busy is the calendar?
  4. Who can speak for you
  5. Tools for this step
  6. FAQ
  7. Sources

In short: Every TLC summons, whether written by a TLC inspector, Port Authority Police or the NYPD, is decided by the OATH Hearings Division, not by TLC. You can answer by phone, by written defense online or by mail, or in person if you ask in advance. The single most important date is the hearing date printed on your summons: if nobody responds by then, you can be found in violation by default. This hub collects everything we have written about hearings, in the order you will need it.

How a TLC case moves through OATH

From summons to decision

  1. Summons issued

    Read the rule code, the hearing date and whether appearance is required.

  2. Choose how to respond

    Plead guilty and pay (if allowed), ask TLC about a settlement, or contest at a hearing.

  3. Pick a hearing method

    Phone (request 3+ business days ahead), online or mail written defense (by the hearing date), or in person (email 5+ business days ahead).

  4. Hearing

    A hearing officer hears TLC's evidence and yours, including witnesses and documents.

  5. Good to know: Decision

    Dismissed, or found in violation with a penalty. Fines are paid to TLC.

  6. Watch out: Appeal (optional)

    30 days from the decision, or 35 if it was mailed.

The request windows come from OATH and TLC: ask for a phone hearing at least three business days (and not more than a month) before the hearing date; email livehearings@oath.nyc.gov at least five business days ahead for an in-person hearing; and make sure an online defense is submitted, or a mailed defense is received, before the hearing date. TLC also warns that if the hearing officer doesn't accept your account, the fine can end up higher than an earlier settlement offer.

Start with the guide that fits your situation

How busy is the calendar?

OATH's public dataset lists the scheduled hearing date for every taxi and for-hire summons. The chart shows how many fell in each recent month, and how many are already scheduled ahead:

Taxi and FHV summonses by hearing month

OATH Hearings Division Case Status (jz4z-kudi), fetched 2026-10-12. The dataset records the scheduled date only, not whether a hearing happened, was rescheduled or ended in default. Future months fill up as new summonses are filed.

Summonses

6.7K2025-102025-112025-122026-012026-022026-032026-042026-052026-062026-072026-082026-092026-102026-112026-12
  • Hearing date passed
  • This month onward (scheduled)
Show data table
LabelHearing date passedThis month onward (scheduled)
2025-105,6730
2025-113,6480
2025-124,5830
2026-015,8590
2026-022,0720
2026-036,7190
2026-046,0810
2026-055,5470
2026-065,1550
2026-074,4800
2026-083,4070
2026-092,7380
2026-100723
2026-110269
2026-120140

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. hearing_date is the scheduled hearing date; the dataset does not record whether the hearing happened, was rescheduled, or ended in a default. Future months fill up as new summonses are filed.

The dataset does not record outcomes for taxi cases, so nobody can tell you a dismissal rate from public data. Be wary of anyone who quotes one.

Who can speak for you

You can always represent yourself. An attorney can represent you, and so can someone who is not a lawyer. OATH's registered representatives page says anyone who represents more than one respondent per calendar year must register with OATH (registration is renewed every two years, in odd-numbered years), unless they are an attorney or represent only family members, and must file an authorization form from each person they represent. Ask anyone offering to handle your case whether they are an attorney or a registered representative.

Tools for this step

Our summons deadline calculator counts your days, the hearing prep checklist keeps you organized, and the appeal deadline calculator works out your appeal date. Related topics: fines and suspensions and passenger complaints.

Everything in this topic

Guides

15See all 15
OATH hearingsAppealing an OATH Decision on a TLC SummonsHow TLC drivers appeal an OATH decision: the 30-day deadline (35 if mailed), why TLC fines needn't be paid first, extensions, and what gets reviewed.Read OATH hearingsDocuments for a TLC Hearing: A Practical ChecklistThe records, photos and statements that help at an OATH hearing on a TLC summons, by type of charge, with where to get each one and how to send it in.Read OATH hearingsEvidence at a TLC Hearing: What Counts and How to Send ItOATH evidence rules in plain English: why a sworn summons is prima facie proof, what can answer it, and how to get photos and records to the judge by method.Read OATH hearingsFree Interpreter at an OATH Hearing: How to Get OneOATH gives TLC drivers a free professional interpreter at every hearing. How to ask by phone or in person, sign language, and writing in your own language.Read OATH hearingsGot a TLC Summons? What to Do in the First 48 HoursJust got a TLC summons? Read it, check the hearing date, choose how to respond and start gathering evidence: a plain-English plan for NYC drivers.Read OATH hearingsHow to Check the Status of a TLC SummonsCheck a TLC summons hearing date and charges with our free OATH data lookup, then confirm the result and the balance with OATH, TLC UP or LARS.Read OATH hearingsHow to Prepare for a TLC Hearing: A Week-by-Week PlanA dated plan from summons to OATH hearing: picking a method, the one free reschedule, asking TLC for its evidence 5 business days ahead, the hearing order.Read OATH hearingsHow to Reschedule an OATH Hearing for a TLC SummonsOATH lets you reschedule a TLC summons hearing once, with no reason needed, if you ask before the hearing. How to ask, adjournments, and using the time.Read OATH hearingsIn-Person OATH Hearings: Locations, Hours & How to AskAll five OATH Hearings Division offices with addresses and hours, the 5-business-day email rule for TLC drivers, what to bring, and what happens in the room.Read OATH hearingsMissed Your OATH Hearing? Defaults and New HearingsWhat an OATH default means for a TLC driver, the 75-day, 1-year and TLC 2-year windows to ask for a new hearing, what OATH weighs, and what to do now.Read OATH hearingsOATH Hearings for TLC Drivers: Phone, Online, In PersonHow OATH hearings work for TLC summonses: the deadlines to request a phone or in-person hearing, sending a written defense, and what the judge decides.Read OATH hearingsOATH Phone Hearing for TLC Drivers: What to ExpectHow a TLC phone hearing at OATH really works: the request window, the PIN email, the 90-minute rule, sending evidence mid-call, and what happens after.Read

Questions

11All questions
OATH hearingsCan a Friend or Family Member Represent Me at OATH?Yes, with your written authorization. Family can represent you without registering; anyone representing more than one person a year must register with OATH.Read OATH hearingsCan I Appeal a TLC Default, Guilty Plea or Settlement?OATH won't hear appeals from defaults, denied default motions or guilty pleas, and a TLC settlement waives appeals. See what you can do instead in each case.Read OATH hearingsCan I Reschedule My OATH Hearing Twice?OATH grants each side one reschedule per summons, no reason needed. After that you need an adjournment for good cause. Learn the difference and what to do.Read OATH hearingsCan TLC Withdraw or Drop a Summons? When and HowTLC can withdraw a summons written in error, badly served or against its enforcement policy, even after a decision. Plus the one-year delay rule.Read OATH hearingsDo I Need a Lawyer for a TLC Hearing at OATH?No lawyer is required: OATH hearings are informal. But when your TLC license could be suspended or revoked, help matters. Use this quick check to decide.Read OATH hearingsHow Late Can I Be for My TLC Hearing at OATH?For TLC summonses, OATH's rule counts you on time up to 90 minutes after the scheduled time. Learn what happens if TLC is late, and the 3-hour dismissal rule.Read OATH hearingsHow Long Do I Have to Appeal an OATH Decision on a TLC Case?30 days from the decision date, or 35 if mailed. Learn the 50-day rule for reduced penalties, the automatic first extension, and how to get the recording.Read OATH hearingsMust the TLC Inspector or Passenger Come to My Hearing?Not always. A sworn summons can be evidence on its own. But TLC must produce a complaining witness whose credibility matters. Here is how the rules work.Read OATH hearingsWhat Happens If I Lose My OATH Appeal on a TLC Case?After a lost appeal your TLC fine is due in 30 days. You may petition TLC's Chairperson on errors of law within 30 days, or go to court under Article 78.Read OATH hearingsWhat If I Never Received My TLC Summons?TLC can serve a summons by mail to the last address you filed. If it never reached you, here's how to find it, reopen a default, and why your address matters.Read OATH hearingsWrong Rule Code on My TLC Summons: Is It Invalid?Not by itself. TLC's rules say the written description wins when it conflicts with the rule code cited. See what a TLC summons must contain and what to check.Read

Glossary

15See all 15
AdjournmentA Hearing Officer's decision, for good cause, to stop a hearing that has started and continue it on a later date.AppealA request for OATH's Appeals Unit to review a Hearing Officer's decision on a TLC summons, based on the hearing record.Appearance RequiredA label in each TLC rule's penalty box saying whether the respondent must attend the hearing rather than resolve the summons another way.Default DecisionA decision against a respondent who did not appear, enter a plea, or request a reschedule on time.Hearing OfficerThe OATH official who hears and decides TLC summonses at the OATH Hearings Division.Motion to VacateA written request to OATH for a new hearing after a default decision was entered because you did not appear.OATHThe NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings — the independent City court that decides TLC summonses.Online HearingContesting an OATH summons by written defense submitted online; a hearing officer decides on the papers or orders a live hearing.PetitionerThe agency or person that issued the summons and prosecutes it at OATH — usually TLC in a driver case.Recommended DecisionAn OATH judge's decision in certain TLC license cases that only becomes final after the TLC Chairperson accepts, modifies or rejects it.Registered RepresentativeA non-family member, often not a lawyer, who has registered with OATH to represent respondents at hearings.RescheduleA request made to OATH before the hearing for a later hearing date; one per party per summons, no reason required.

Statistics

1All statistics
OATH hearingsOATH TLC Hearings by Month: Past Year and ScheduledHow many TLC summonses had OATH hearing dates each month over the past year, how many are already scheduled ahead, and the hearing deadlines that matter.See the data

Free tools

5All free tools
OATH hearingsOATH Appeal Deadline Calculator for TLC DecisionsFind the last day to appeal an OATH decision on a TLC summons: 30 days, or 35 if mailed. Plus when the TLC fine is due and why you needn't pay it first.Open tool OATH hearingsOATH Hearing Prep Checklist for TLC DriversA step-by-step checklist for your OATH hearing on a TLC summons, tailored to phone, online, in-person or mail hearings — with the official deadlines for each.Open tool OATH hearingsTLC Hearing Document Checklist by Type of ChargePick your type of TLC charge — traffic, passenger complaint, equipment, insurance, unlicensed activity, points — and get a printable list of documents.Open tool OATH hearingsTLC Summons Deadline Calculator (OATH Dates)Enter one date from your TLC summons, OATH decision or TLC notice and see every related deadline: phone-hearing requests, appeals, new hearings, fines.Open tool OATH hearingsTLC Summons Decoder: What Your Rule Code MeansType the code printed on your TLC summons, like 80-13(a)(2) or 19-506(b)(1), to see which rule or law it is, which chapter it comes from and what it covers.Open tool

Locations

2All locations
OATH hearingsBrooklyn TLC Drivers: Hail Rules, Tolls & OATH Bond StreetBrooklyn is 98% app trips and all Hail Zone for green cabs. Pickup rules, the bridge tolls passengers pay, and how to handle a hearing at OATH Bond Street.Read OATH hearingsStaten Island TLC Drivers: OATH, Tolls & New Jersey TripsStaten Island is almost all app trips. Who pays the Verrazzano toll, how to charge New Jersey and Newark fares, and OATH St. Marks Place hearing deadlines.Read

Other topics

Fines, payments & suspensionsTraffic safety, points & camerasEnforcement & unlicensed activityPassengers & 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 decides a TLC summons?

The NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), Hearings Division. It is an independent city tribunal; TLC acts as the party bringing the charge.

Do I have to go to OATH in person?

Usually not. OATH says most hearings are held by phone. You can also send a written defense online (if your case is eligible) or by mail, or ask for an in-person hearing by emailing livehearings@oath.nyc.gov at least five business days before the hearing date.

What if I can't make my hearing date?

OATH lets you ask to reschedule one time, before the scheduled hearing date. If you miss the hearing without rescheduling, you can be found in violation by default and a higher fine may be imposed.

How long do I have to appeal?

OATH's appeal FAQ says 30 days from the decision date, or 35 days if the decision was mailed to you. OATH must receive the appeal within that time.

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on .

  1. OATH: Hearings and Defaults nyc.gov
  2. TLC: Received a Driver's License Summons? nyc.gov
  3. OATH: Registered Representatives nyc.gov
  4. OATH: Appeal Frequently Asked Questions nyc.gov
  5. 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

GuideOATH Hearings for TLC Drivers: Phone, Online, In PersonHow OATH hearings work for TLC summonses: the deadlines to request a phone or in-person hearing, sending a written defense, and what the judge decides.Read GuideOATH Phone Hearing for TLC Drivers: What to ExpectHow a TLC phone hearing at OATH really works: the request window, the PIN email, the 90-minute rule, sending evidence mid-call, and what happens after.Read GuideFree Legal Help for NYC Drivers: Who Handles WhatThe free legal hotlines TLC lists for drivers, matched to your problem: debt, housing, small claims, immigration, parking tickets, medallions, OATH hearings.Read GuideWritten Defense for a TLC Summons: Online or by MailFight a TLC summons in writing: who qualifies, OATH's 3-file online limit, the mail address, why you must answer every charge, and what a judge can do next.Read GuideHow to Prepare for a TLC Hearing: A Week-by-Week PlanA dated plan from summons to OATH hearing: picking a method, the one free reschedule, asking TLC for its evidence 5 business days ahead, the hearing order.Read GuideHow to Reschedule an OATH Hearing for a TLC SummonsOATH lets you reschedule a TLC summons hearing once, with no reason needed, if you ask before the hearing. How to ask, adjournments, and using the time.Read GuideAppealing an OATH Decision on a TLC SummonsHow TLC drivers appeal an OATH decision: the 30-day deadline (35 if mailed), why TLC fines needn't be paid first, extensions, and what gets reviewed.Read