TLC Rule 58-29(b): Missed Taxi Inspection Penalties

What the rule says

Section 58-29 of the TLC rule book, chapter 58 covers taxicab inspections. Subdivision (b), "Tri-Annual Inspection", says an owner "must have his Taxicab inspected every four months at a date and time designated by the Commission and at any other time deemed necessary by the Commission." It adds: "The License of an Owner whose Taxicab is not timely inspected will be summarily suspended."

Subdivision (c) explains what an inspection is: the safety items required by section 301 of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law, a visual check of the inside and outside of the cab against TLC rules, and any other applicable requirements. If the cab fails any part, it "must be reinspected until it passes all components."

Who it applies to

This is an owner rule. The summons goes to the medallion owner (the licensee in chapter 58), not to a driver who leases the cab. If you lease a taxi and see an inspection notice, tell the owner or agent at once — a suspended medallion means the cab cannot work, whoever is driving. Driver rules are in chapter 80; see the yellow taxi drivers page for the bigger picture.

How the penalty grows

The penalty box under 58-29(b) says the penalties are cumulative and depend on how many days the cab is past its inspection due date.

The rule book marks this charge "Appearance REQUIRED": chapter 58 says the penalty section "states whether the violator must attend the Hearing." You cannot simply ignore it or treat it as pay-and-forget.

Where and how taxis are inspected

TLC's vehicle inspections page says "Yellow cabs must pass 3 inspections every year" at the Safety and Emissions facility, 24-55 BQE West, Woodside, NY 11377. The first-of-year inspection is the exception: it is "not completed at TLC's Woodside Inspection Facility" — owners use any NYS DMV inspection station in the month the sticker expires.

If the cab fails, TLC says cabs "have up to the compliance date listed on the Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR)" to come back with no penalty. Reinspections at Woodside don't need an appointment during the hours printed on the VIR, and the reinspection fee for yellow and green cabs is $35, owed only if the cab failed its first try. Your next inspection date is in TLC UP, TLC's self-service portal.

How many of these summonses are written

In OATH's public data, roughly 2,000–2,900 summonses a year cite 58-29(b) as the first charge, except 2020 and 2021, when only a handful appear. The data can't tell you why, and it shows no outcomes or fines, so don't read it as a dismissal rate.

Common situations

• The cab was in the shop or off the road. The rule still sets the date. A repair invoice explains the delay but does not by itself mean the inspection happened.
• You went, but it failed. Your VIR shows you appeared and gives a compliance date. Coming back by that date matters.
• The appointment date was wrong or you never got notice. Keep any emails or TLC UP screenshots showing the date you were given.
• The cab passed soon after. Proof of a passed inspection is the key to lifting the suspension, and the days-late count drives the fine tier.

What to do now

Defenses to discuss with a lawyer (general information)

Every case is different, and this is not legal advice. Points owners often raise with a representative include: whether the due date on the summons matches TLC's records, whether the cab was actually inspected (or failed and returned by the VIR compliance date), and how many days late it really was — which changes the fine range. Read what TLC must prove at a hearing and the evidence guide.

Documents to gather

Your summons; every Vehicle Inspection Report for the period; TLC UP screenshots of the inspection date; any appointment emails; repair invoices if the cab was off the road; and the reinspection fee receipt. Our hearing document checklist helps you organize them.

Related owner charges: a failed defect notice is 58-30(b), and an overdue meter test is 58-39(e)(3)(i). For the full process, see the vehicle and inspection summons guide and how OATH hearings work.