§19-506(b)(1): Unlicensed For-Hire Vehicle Summons

In short: §19-506(b)(1) of the NYC Administrative Code makes it a violation to drive, offer, or let someone else drive a vehicle for hire in New York City when the vehicle has no TLC license. At OATH the civil penalty is $1,500 for a first violation and $2,000 for a second within 36 months. Because it is "unlicensed activity," the car itself can be seized, and repeat violations can lead to forfeiture. Treat this summons as serious and act before the hearing date.

This is a City law, not a TLC rule. That is why the code starts with "19-" instead of a TLC chapter number like 80 or 59A. It is also the single most common unlicensed-activity code in OATH's taxi caseload.

What the law says

Admin Code §19-506(b)(1) covers "any person who shall permit another to operate or who shall knowingly operate or offer to operate for hire any vehicle as a taxicab, coach, wheelchair accessible van, commuter van, HAIL vehicle or for-hire vehicle in the city, without first having obtained or knowing that another has obtained a license for such vehicle" under §19-504. The law says it "shall apply to the owner of such vehicle and, if different, to the operator."

Key words to notice:

• "Offer to operate." A completed trip is not required. Offering a ride for money can be enough.
• "For hire." The law is about carrying passengers for payment. Driving friends or family for free is not "for hire."
• "License for such vehicle." This is about the vehicle's TLC license (the FHV, taxi, SHL or commuter van license), not your personal TLC driver license.
• Owner and operator. The registered owner can be charged even if someone else was driving.

TLC's own rules repeat the point: rule 80-02(a) says unlicensed activity "specifically includes the activities listed in §19-506 and §19-528 of the Administrative Code, and can subject the violator to the seizure and possible forfeiture of the vehicle involved."

Who gets this summons

• A driver using a personal car (no TLC plates, no TLC vehicle license) to take paid passengers, including from apps that are not licensed by TLC.
• An owner who lets someone use their unlicensed car for paid rides.
• A vehicle whose TLC license has lapsed. The Admin Code also says a commuter van whose registration or insurance lapses is treated as operating without a license (§19-504(n)).

If the vehicle is TLC-licensed but was used for a kind of service its license does not allow (for example, a licensed FHV taking street hails), the charge is usually §19-506(b)(2) or a TLC rule such as 80-19(c)(1), not (b)(1).

How often this code appears

The count fell sharply in 2020 and 2021, the years of the COVID-19 shutdown, and has climbed back since. In 2026 the OATH data already lists more summonses citing this code by early October than in all of 2025 (5,889 year-to-date in the catalog), so enforcement is active. The data cannot tell you why, or how many of these cases were dismissed.

Penalties, seizure and forfeiture

A few details that matter in practice:

• No car is released for free. Unless the charge is dismissed, a seized vehicle is not released until removal and storage fees and the penalty are paid or a bond is posted (Admin Code §19-506(h)(1)).
• If you win, TLC rule 68-17(d)(1) says the car is released and you are responsible only for storage fees that build up after one full business day following the release order. So pick it up quickly.
• If you never reclaim it, rule 68-17(f) says the vehicle is declared abandoned 120 days after a release order (or 30 days after a final decision in your favor, whichever is sooner).
• Commuter vans follow separate seizure rules (Admin Code §§19-529.2 and 19-529.3) and a separate penalty scale in §19-506(i).

What happens after the summons

TLC's summons page says OATH hearings are generally held by phone or by written defense online if eligible. Phone hearings must be requested at least 3 business days before the hearing date, and in-person hearings at least 5 business days before. Missing the hearing can lead to a default decision.

Points to discuss with your lawyer

This is general information, not legal advice. Issues that often matter in these cases:

• Was it "for hire"? Who were the passengers, was money paid or offered, and what did the inspector actually see or hear?
• Was the vehicle licensed? If TLC's records were wrong or a renewal was pending, bring proof.
• Who is the right respondent? The owner and the driver can both be charged; their defenses can differ.
• Prior violations. Seizure and forfeiture depend on prior findings within 36 months. Check whether they are real, final, and inside the window.
• Criminal exposure. OATH's guide warns that what you say at an OATH trial could be used in a criminal case. If there is a criminal charge too, talk to that lawyer first.

Documents to gather

You can check the summons on OATH's public record with our summons lookup, and see the unlicensed activity guide for the bigger picture, including airport enforcement and the rules for app-based drivers.