TLC Rule 59A-26(a)(1): FHV Missed Tri-Annual Inspection

What the rule says

Section 59A-26 of the TLC rule book, chapter 59 is titled "Vehicles – Inspections". Paragraph (a)(1) says: "For-Hire Vehicles must be regularly inspected three times every year, including at least once every four months." It then explains where: inspections for new and renewal applications must be done at TLC's Safety and Emissions Division facility (with limited exceptions), while "the other required inspections can be done at any DMV registered facility."

Paragraph (a)(2) carves out vehicles that seat 10 or more (including the driver) or were modified after manufacture and are not exempt from NYS Department of Transportation rules. Those are inspected by NYS DOT twice a year instead.

Subdivision (b) adds that TLC officers and police can do on-street inspections of any FHV and order it to report to TLC's facility. Failing that is a suspension until compliance.

A year of FHV inspections at a glance

How many of these summonses are written

This code first shows up in 2017. It peaked at 6,187 in 2021 and was still 3,100 in 2025, making it one of the most common owner charges in OATH's taxi records. Before 2017, summonses were usually written as plain 59A-26(a) — that older code peaked at 2,890 in 2016 and is now rare. If your summons says "59A-26(a)", the same inspection rule and penalty box apply. The public data has no outcomes, so it cannot show how many were dismissed.

Who it applies to

The vehicle owner — the person or company holding the For-Hire Vehicle License. That is often the driver. If you rent or lease a TLC-plated car, the owner (often a fleet or leasing company) gets the summons, but the car can't work while it's suspended, so ask the owner when the next inspection is due.

Common situations

• You passed a DMV inspection but it wasn't counted. Keep the DMV inspection receipt and check that the inspection was registered against the right vehicle.
• The car was in the shop or you were out of the country and the four-month window closed.
• You failed and didn't return. TLC's inspections page says FHVs "have 4 attempts to pass the required licensure inspection" before the compliance date on the Vehicle Inspection Report.
• You changed bases or plates and your schedule shifted.

Getting the suspension lifted

The penalty box ties the suspension to passing inspection: it lasts "until any defect found is corrected or until the vehicle passes inspection." So the order matters. Get the vehicle inspected first, then deal with the hearing. TLC's inspections page lists FHV reinspection fees of $27 (DMV emissions) and $10 (DMV safety), owed only if the vehicle failed its first try, and says "you cannot transport passengers in your vehicle until it has passed inspection." For inspection questions TLC lists 718-267-4559 and inspections@tlc.nyc.gov.

Driving for hire while the vehicle license is suspended creates a much bigger problem — unlicensed activity — so don't take trips until the suspension is cleared. See what to do when a TLC license is suspended.

Why a late inspection can snowball

A missed inspection rarely stays a single problem. The vehicle license is suspended, so the car cannot legally carry passengers, and every trip you take while suspended risks a far more serious unlicensed-activity charge. If the gap stretches past 60 days, rule 59A-08(c)(3) says the license "must be revoked for non-use". After a revocation, getting back on the road generally means a new license application (with its own inspection at Woodside) rather than simply catching up, and §59A-08(d) lets TLC weigh a prior revocation when deciding a new application. That is why it is worth fixing an overdue inspection within days, not weeks, even if the hearing date is far off.

If you are going to be away or the car will be off the road for a long time, ask TLC about the short-term vehicle license storage program in §59A-36 before the inspection date passes, rather than letting the deadlines run.

Defenses to discuss with a lawyer (general information)

Not legal advice. A representative will usually check the dates: when was the last passed inspection, and did more than four months pass before the next one? Was a DMV-facility inspection done and properly recorded? Was the vehicle in TLC's short-term storage program or otherwise not licensed for hire during the gap? Bring every inspection receipt. See what TLC must prove.

Documents to gather

The summons; DMV inspection receipts and Vehicle Inspection Reports for the past year; TLC UP screenshots; repair invoices; and proof of any storage period. The related sticker rule is 59A-29(c), and an ignored defect notice is 59A-27(d). Our TLC vehicle inspection guide covers the whole process.