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Medallions & ownership: TLC Driver Hub

For NYC taxi medallion owners and buyers: 2026 renewal fees, the closed relief program, accessible-only hack-ups, sale prices and free legal help.

  • Reviewed
  • 2 min read
  • 5 official sources
On this page (9)
  1. Start here: five things to know
  2. From medallion to working taxi
  3. Most common questions
  4. Guides by task
  5. Data and statistics
  6. Tools for this topic
  7. Official contacts and sources
  8. FAQ
  9. Sources

In short: A medallion is the license that lets a vehicle work as a yellow taxi and take street hails. This hub is for people who own one, lease one or are thinking of buying. The big facts for 2026: renewal costs $370 every two years (the $1,100 fee is not being charged), the Medallion Relief Program closed to new grants on April 30, 2024, and every new taxi hack-up must be a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Free legal help for owners of six or fewer medallions continues through TLC's Owner/Driver Resource Center. Below, the pages that answer each question.

Start here: five things to know

Medallion facts (as of October 12, 2026)

  1. Renew on time. Medallions renew every two years by May 30 of your renewal year. Pay in LARS, email insurance documents, and bring everything to the appointment. See the medallion renewal guide.
  2. Relief is closed, help is not. The program offered a $20,000 grant plus up to $9,000 in payment help (MRP), or a $30,000 grant for loans of $170,000 or less with a loan guaranty (MRP+). Grant applications ended April 30, 2024. Read the Medallion Relief Program explained and is it still open.
  3. Hack-ups are accessible-only. Approved accessible models and the steps are in how to hack up a yellow taxi and can my taxi be a non-accessible car.
  4. Accessible taxis bring grants. The Taxi Improvement Fund pays owners of accessible taxis: see TIF grants.
  5. Prices are public. TLC posts a medallion transfer report every month. See medallion price history and what a medallion is worth.

From medallion to working taxi

Putting a medallion on the road (TLC's steps)

  1. Medallion Certification Request

    Start with TLC's form and gather your documents.

  2. Choose an approved accessible vehicle

    Only TLC-approved models; hybrids need an Alt-Fuel restricted medallion.

  3. Hack-up at a meter shop

    Paint, lights, signs, partition and taximeter at a TLC-licensed taximeter shop.

  4. Good to know: Woodside inspection

    24-55 BQE West, Woodside. No appointment for hack-up inspections (9:15am–3pm). TLC installs the medallion.

Most common questions

Guides by task

Data and statistics

Authorized medallion vehicles by medallion type (Oct 2026)

From TLC's Medallion Vehicles - Authorized list. Counts vehicles now authorized on a medallion, not medallions issued.

  • Named Driver61% 6,232
  • Owner Must Drive39% 4,003
Show data table
LabelVehicles (vehicles)
Named Driver6,232
Owner Must Drive4,003

Source: NYC Open Data: Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb) · Data as of Oct 12, 2026. Counts vehicles currently authorized to operate on a medallion, not the number of medallions issued.

More: medallion price history, transfers, foreclosures and storage, Taxi Improvement Fund statistics and the yellow taxi fleet by model.

Tools for this topic

Price a taxi trip with the taxi fare estimator, and compare a lease with buying a car using the rent, lease or buy calculator.

Official contacts and sources

TLC's Medallion Owners and Agents page covers renewals and hack-ups; renewal insurance documents go to medallionrenewals@tlc.nyc.gov. TLC posts a medallion transfer report every month, and transfers start by email to MedTransfer2@tlc.nyc.gov (using a broker is optional). Questions about the relief program go to driversupport@tlc.nyc.gov (MRP page). Free legal and financial help is booked through the TLC Owner/Driver Resource Center. Owner rules are in Chapter 58.

Everything in this topic

Guides

13See all 13
MedallionsAnnual Medallion Owner Financial Disclosure: How to FileEvery NYC medallion owner files a yearly financial disclosure with TLC: who must file, documents you need, the July 15, 2026 deadline and how to file online.Read MedallionsATLAS: $30,000 Grant Toward an Accessible Taxi LoanTLC's ATLAS pilot: low-interest loans on an accessible Toyota Sienna for one-medallion owners, with the $30,000 TIF benefit up front. Rules and how to apply.Read MedallionsBuying a NYC Taxi Medallion in 2026: Prices and ProcessWhat a medallion sells for in 2026, TLC's transfer steps and paperwork, what brokers and agents do, the accessible-car rule, TIF grants and loan risks.Read MedallionsDOV Taxi Leases: Medallion Lease With a Car You BuyDOV taxi leases are capped at $952 a week for the medallion plus $275 toward the car, up to $42,900 in total, then title is yours. Deposits, extras, rights.Read MedallionsHistory of the NYC Taxi and For-Hire Industry: TimelineA dated, sourced timeline of NYC taxis and for-hire cars from the 1937 Haas Act to congestion pricing in 2025, with TLC trip data at each turning point.Read MedallionsHow to Hack Up a Yellow Taxi: Step by StepPutting a new car on a medallion: the accessible-only rule, which cars qualify, documents for Long Island City, the meter shop, Woodside inspection and fees.Read MedallionsHow to Start Driving a Yellow Taxi in NYCGot a TLC license and want a yellow cab? The four ways in (shift lease, DOV, medallion-only, buying), the legal lease caps and what a first shift involves.Read MedallionsNYC Medallion Relief Program (MRP+): How It WorksHow MRP and MRP+ cut medallion loans: who qualified, the $20,000 and $30,000 grants, loan limits, results, the April 30, 2024 deadline and the help left now.Read MedallionsPutting a Medallion in Storage (60 Days)How to store a taxi medallion and rate card by email, why 60 days matters, when TLC rules require storage, and the two ways out depending on your plates.Read MedallionsRenewing a Taxi Medallion: Dates, Fees, DocumentsMedallions renew every two years by May 30/31. TLC charges $370 now ($1,100 fee not charged). What to pay first, the April 30 penalty date and late renewals.Read MedallionsTaxi Improvement Fund Grants for WAV Owners and DriversTIF pays medallion owners $20,000 per new accessible taxi plus $625 a quarter, up to $30,000. Who qualifies, how to enroll, the $10 driver trip pay and rules.Read MedallionsTaxi Medallion Types: Independent, Corporate, Named DriverNYC taxi medallion labels decoded: independent vs corporate (minifleet), owner-must-drive vs named driver, and unrestricted, accessible and alt-fuel classes.Read

Questions

6All questions
MedallionsCan I Still Hack Up a Non-Accessible Yellow Taxi?No. Since Oct 18, 2024 every new yellow-taxi hack-up must be wheelchair accessible. What happens to the car you drive now, hybrids, and the grants that help.Read MedallionsHow Many Drivers Can Share a Medallion Lease?TLC rules allow up to 3 drivers on one medallion-only or DOV taxi lease, and the owner can't unreasonably refuse. Why the poster says '2 additional' instead.Read MedallionsHow Many Yellow Taxis Are on NYC Streets Today?13,587 medallions exist, 10,236 have a car authorized, about 10,000 make trips each month and about 8,500 are out on an average day. Each number explained.Read MedallionsHow Much Is a NYC Taxi Medallion Worth in 2026?About $105,000 in a regular 2026 sale, per TLC's monthly transfer sheets. Why foreclosure sales show $200,000, what the number leaves out and what to do next.Read MedallionsHow Much Money Do NYC Taxis Collect a Year?NYC yellow taxis collected $965.9 million in farebox over 41.2 million trips in 2024, says TLC. What the total includes, the 2025 trend, and why it isn't pay.Read MedallionsIs the Medallion Relief Program Still Open?No. TLC took no Medallion Relief Program (MRP or MRP+) grant applications after April 30, 2024. What free legal and money help medallion owners can still get.Read

Glossary

17See all 17
Accessible MedallionA restricted NYC taxi medallion that is valid only with a wheelchair accessible taxi model approved under TLC rule 67-05.2.Alternative-Fuel MedallionA restricted NYC taxi medallion valid only with an approved accessible taxi that is a hybrid electric or compressed-natural-gas vehicle.Corporate (Minifleet) MedallionA NYC taxi medallion class that must be owned in groups of at least two, usually by a business, with no limit on how many one owner holds.DOV lease (driver-owned vehicle)A weekly lease of a taxi medallion combined with a conditional purchase of the car from the medallion owner or agent, capped by TLC rule 58-21(c)(4).Independent MedallionA NYC taxi medallion class whose owner may hold only that one medallion and no interest in any other taxi.Medallion AgentA TLC-licensed person or business that operates, or helps operate, taxis for medallion owners, usually leasing the cabs out to drivers.Medallion Relief Program (MRP)NYC's 2021–2024 program that paid small taxi medallion owners a $20,000 or $30,000 grant, with free lawyers, to restructure medallion loans; closed April 30, 2024.Medallion-only leaseA weekly lease of just the taxi medallion, with the driver supplying the car; capped by TLC at $952 a week, or $994 for a qualifying hybrid.Named Driver MedallionA medallion type label in TLC's authorized taxi data (the other is 'Owner Must Drive'); TLC describes the field as showing single (independent) or multiple (fleet) medallions.Office of Financial Stability (OFS)The TLC office, created by Local Law 111 of 2020, that monitors the finances of the taxi medallion industry and collects owners' yearly financial disclosures.Rate CardThe TLC-issued card for each medallion taxi that shows its medallion number, fares and other required data; displayed in the cab and surrendered with the medallion.Re-HackTransferring a vehicle already hacked up as an accessible yellow taxi to a different medallion, allowed by TLC rule 67-06(d) only in three situations.

Statistics

4All statistics
MedallionsMedallion Transfers, Foreclosures & Storage: OFS DataTLC's Office of Financial Stability numbers: 811 medallion sales and 368 foreclosures in 2024, medallions in storage, bankruptcies, brokers, agents and loans.See the data MedallionsNYC Taxi Medallion Prices: Monthly Sales Data 2017–2026Per-medallion sale prices from every TLC monthly transfer sheet, 2017 to Sept 2026, with regular sales and foreclosures split so the numbers mean something.See the data MedallionsTaxi Improvement Fund: Collections and WAV PaymentsHow much the $1 taxi surcharge raised each year 2015–2025 ($331.4M total), where it went (owners, drivers, dispatch), the 2020 collapse and the 2025 record.See the data MedallionsYellow Taxi Fleet by Model: Sienna, RAV4, Transit ConnectWhich cars NYC's 10,236 yellow taxis are: Toyota Sienna 4,074, RAV4 2,928, Transit Connect 1,654. Accessible share, model years and medallion types, Oct 2026.See the data

Other topics

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

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply for the Medallion Relief Program?

No. TLC says all MRP closings and grant applications had to reach NYLAG by April 30, 2024, and no MRP grant applications are considered after that date. Free legal help for small medallion owners is still offered through TLC's Owner/Driver Resource Center.

How much does it cost to renew a medallion in 2026?

TLC's medallion page lists a $360 renewal inspection fee plus a $10 tin fee, a total of $370, and says the $1,100 renewal fee is not currently being charged. Medallions renew every two years by May 30 of the renewal year; late renewals add a $25 fee.

Can I hack up a regular (non-accessible) car as a yellow taxi?

No. TLC's hack-up page says that as of October 18, 2024 you must hack up an accessible vehicle, even if your medallion is not an accessible medallion. An Alt-Fuel restricted medallion is needed for an accessible hybrid.

Do I have to drive my own medallion?

It depends on the medallion. TLC's list of authorized medallion vehicles has two types: Named Driver (6,232 vehicles) and Owner Must Drive (4,003), as of October 2026. Check your medallion's type with TLC.

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on .

  1. NYC TLC: Medallion Owners and Agents (renewals, hack-up steps) nyc.gov
  2. NYC TLC: Taxi Medallion Owner Relief Program nyc.gov
  3. NYC TLC: Yellow Cab Hack-Up nyc.gov
  4. TLC Rule Book, Chapter 58 (Medallion Taxicab Owners) nyc.gov
  5. NYC TLC: Driver Resources (Owner/Driver Resource Center) 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.

Related

GuideBuying a NYC Taxi Medallion in 2026: Prices and ProcessWhat a medallion sells for in 2026, TLC's transfer steps and paperwork, what brokers and agents do, the accessible-car rule, TIF grants and loan risks.Read GuideNYC Medallion Relief Program (MRP+): How It WorksHow MRP and MRP+ cut medallion loans: who qualified, the $20,000 and $30,000 grants, loan limits, results, the April 30, 2024 deadline and the help left now.Read GuideHow to Hack Up a Yellow Taxi: Step by StepPutting a new car on a medallion: the accessible-only rule, which cars qualify, documents for Long Island City, the meter shop, Woodside inspection and fees.Read Data & statisticsNYC Taxi Medallion Prices: Monthly Sales Data 2017–2026Per-medallion sale prices from every TLC monthly transfer sheet, 2017 to Sept 2026, with regular sales and foreclosures split so the numbers mean something.See the data GuideTaxi Improvement Fund Grants for WAV Owners and DriversTIF pays medallion owners $20,000 per new accessible taxi plus $625 a quarter, up to $30,000. Who qualifies, how to enroll, the $10 driver trip pay and rules.Read Driver typeYellow Taxi Drivers: TLC Rules, Summonses & Your RightsYellow cab driver in NYC? The hail, taxi stand, airport and refusal rules that bring the most summonses, with the fines from TLC's rule book and next steps.Read