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352 Lexus ES sedans held TLC licenses on October 12, 2026, all as for-hire vehicles (FHVs). There are no ES yellow taxis. It ranks 40th among TLC models and is the only sedan among the four Lexus models in the top 60.
Two numbers set the ES apart. 43.2% decode as hybrids, which in practice means the ES 300h. And the fleet is older than most: a quarter (25.0%) are model-year 2016 or earlier, against about 10% of all FHVs.
How the ES was counted
TLC's FHV list and medallion list give each car's VIN but no make or model. TLC Help ran the VINs through NHTSA's vPIC decoder. vPIC names the family, "ES", so this page cannot split the ES 300h from the ES 250 or ES 350. The hybrid count comes from vPIC's fuel fields instead. The lists change every day, so this is a one-day snapshot.
Model years: 2022 leads, but the tail is long
Model-year 2022 is the largest group, with 56 cars. Next come 2025 (36), 2021 (34), 2015 (31) and 2016 (30). The median model year is 2021. Only 3 are 2026 models, and 63 (17.9%) are 2024 or newer.
The older cars are what make this fleet unusual. 88 of them are 2016 or older, including 25 from 2013–2014 and single cars from 2010 and 2012. Before you buy or rent an older ES, check how long that model year can stay licensed in TLC vehicle retirement age. TLC's rules decide that, not this chart.
ES 300h or ES 350: the fuel gap
152 decode as hybrid, 199 as gas and 1 as battery electric. The dataset warns that vPIC's powertrain fields can misclassify a few model years, so treat that single electric car with caution.
For model-year 2022, the year with the most TLC cars, the federal ratings on fueleconomy.gov are:
- ES 300h (hybrid, 2.5 L): 44 mpg combined, 43 city, 44 highway.
- ES 350 (3.5 L V6): 26 combined, 22 city, 32 highway.
- ES 250 AWD (2.5 L): 28 combined, 25 city, 34 highway.
In city driving the hybrid's rating is almost double the V6's. All three are rated for regular fuel. If you are choosing between a used ES 300h and a gas ES, put your own fuel costs into the lease-vs-buy tool.
Base types
334 (94.9%) are at black car bases, where app trips are dispatched. 14 (4.0%) are at livery bases, about twice the 2.0% share for all FHVs, and 4 are at luxury limousine bases. None are marked "WAV"; 2 carry TLC's "PILOT" label, which the dataset does not define.
Plates: the ES is not an accessible vehicle
You cannot get a brand-new FHV license for an ES. TLC's February 2026 license review found that more FHV licenses "would not be beneficial" right now and said people can still apply for a WAV-restricted license. TLC's accessible vehicle page says that since July 20, 2024, an FHV accessible vehicle must come from the approved list, and no Lexus is on it.
So an ES goes onto an FHV license you already hold. Read TLC plates for FHVs for the transfer steps, the FHV license cap explained for the background, and approved wheelchair accessible vehicles if you want a new license. Every car still has to pass a TLC vehicle inspection.
The Lexus lineup on TLC plates
The ES has the highest hybrid share and the most older cars of any Lexus on TLC plates. The three-row Lexus TX is the opposite: every one is a 2024 or newer model. See also the Lexus RX and Lexus GX, or other sedans: the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Avalon, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu. The full ranking is in TLC fleet by make and model.
More in the vehicles topic.
Data on this page
Aggregates of public data. They describe trips and vehicles, never individual people.
TLC's vehicle lists have no make/model column, so TLC Help decoded the VIN of every licensed vehicle with NHTSA's vPIC decoder (one representative VIN per manufacturer + model-descriptor + model-year pattern) and published only counts. 5 of 115,081 vehicles (0%) could not be decoded to a model and are left out. vPIC sometimes reports trim-family names (e.g. 'RX' not 'RX 350h'); powertrain comes from vPIC's electrification/fuel fields and may misclassify a few model years. Snapshot lists change daily.
- Lexus ES: licensed TLC vehicles by model year — Active FHVs and authorized medallion taxis that are a Lexus ES, by model year.NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026Model year from TLC's vehicle_year / model_year columns. Age limits for TLC vehicles come from TLC rules, not this chart.
- Lexus ES in the TLC fleet: hybrid, electric or gas — Licensed Lexus ES vehicles by powertrain (from decoded VINs).NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026
- Lexus ES: where it is licensed (FHV base type vs medallion taxi) — Licensed Lexus ES vehicles by fleet: FHVs by the type of base they are affiliated with, and medallion taxis.NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026Wheelchair-accessible (FHV list): 0 WAV, 2 PILOT. App-based (high-volume) work generally runs through black car bases.
Frequently asked questions
How many Lexus ES sedans are licensed by the TLC?
352 on October 12, 2026, all for-hire vehicles (FHVs) and no yellow taxis. That is 0.31% of TLC vehicles, the 40th most common model. TLC Help counted them by decoding each VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder.
How many TLC Lexus ES cars are hybrids?
152 decode as hybrid (43.2%), 199 as gas and 1 as battery electric. vPIC reports the model family "ES", so the ES 300h, ES 250 and ES 350 are counted together.
How much better is the ES 300h on fuel?
For model-year 2022, fueleconomy.gov rates the ES 300h at 44 mpg combined and 43 in the city. The ES 350 V6 is rated 26 combined and 22 in the city, about half the hybrid's city figure.
Can I get new TLC plates for a Lexus ES?
Not a new FHV license. TLC's February 2026 license review says only WAV-restricted licenses are available, and the ES is not on TLC's approved accessible vehicle list. An ES can go on an FHV license you already hold.
How old can a Lexus ES be and still work for TLC?
That depends on TLC's vehicle retirement rules, not on this data. See the TLC vehicle retirement age guide for your model year.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- NYC Open Data: For Hire Vehicles (FHV) – Active (8wbx-tsch) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NYC Open Data: Medallion Vehicles – Authorized (rhe8-mgbb) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder API vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
- TLC: February 2026 For-Hire Vehicle License Review nyc.gov
- TLC: Accessible Vehicle Requirements nyc.gov
- TLC: Approved accessible vehicles (revised Oct 2, 2026) nyc.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2022 Lexus ES 300h fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2022 Lexus ES 350 fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2022 Lexus ES 250 AWD fueleconomy.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.