TLC Rule 59A-29(c): FHV Inspection Sticker Under 8 Months

What the rule says

Section 59A-29 of chapter 59 covers markings on for-hire vehicles. Subdivision (c), "Inspection Sticker", says: "A Valid New York State DMV inspection sticker that has no fewer than eight months left before the sticker expires must be plainly visible on the front left side of the front windshield."

Two separate things can go wrong:

1. The sticker is missing, expired, or not visible where the rule says.
2. The sticker is valid but has fewer than eight months left. Many owners are surprised by this one. A sticker that is perfectly legal under DMV rules for a private car can still break the TLC rule.

Why eight months?

The NY DMV says most vehicles registered in New York must be inspected every 12 months, and an inspection expires on the last day of the month punched on the sticker (DMV). TLC, meanwhile, requires FHVs to be inspected at least once every four months under 59A-26(a)(1). A car that keeps to the four-month cycle gets a fresh sticker often enough that it should rarely drop below eight months. In other words, a sticker under eight months is usually a sign that an inspection was skipped. That is our reading of how the rules fit together, not TLC's stated reason.

Owner versus base: the same sticker, two charges

Penalty points: the hidden cost

The point is what makes this charge serious. Under §59A-35, "the License of any For-Hire Vehicle that accumulates four penalty points for violations during any License term will be revoked." Points imposed after renewal for a violation that happened before renewal are added to the old total. Other charges that carry a vehicle point include letting an unlicensed driver be dispatched (59A-11(b)(1)) and missing T&LC plates. And when a vehicle's license is revoked on points, its affiliated base gets a point too (§59B-35(c)).

Common situations

• The car was inspected for its DMV registration months ago and the owner assumed that was enough. Under DMV rules it may be; under TLC's eight-month rule it is not.
• The sticker was replaced on a new windshield and the old one was thrown away. DMV offers replacement stickers using form VS-118.
• A rental or leased TLC car was handed over with a sticker near its end. The summons goes to the owner, but the driver loses the trips.
• The sticker is on the wrong side, behind a tint strip or covered by a phone mount. The rule says "plainly visible on the front left side of the front windshield."

How the hearing works

Because appearance is required, you cannot just mail in a payment and forget it. OATH holds most TLC hearings by phone or through an online written defense, and you can ask for an in-person hearing. OATH says you should respond on or before the hearing date on the summons; if you don't, you can be found in violation by default, with a higher penalty possible. For a sticker charge, the best evidence is simple: a dated photo of the sticker and the DMV inspection record.

How often this charge appears

OATH's records show more than 5,000 a year in 2017 and 2018, then a steep fall; 2025 shows just 60. The dataset cannot say why — it may reflect enforcement priorities or how charges are written. It has no outcome data.

What to do now

Defenses to discuss with a lawyer (general information)

Not legal advice. Questions a representative might raise: How many months were actually left on the sticker on the summons date? Was it present but obscured? Does the summons describe the sticker accurately? Because a point is at stake, it can be worth contesting even when the fine is small. See what TLC must prove.

Documents to gather

A clear photo of the windshield sticker, the DMV inspection receipt, your TLC inspection history, and a list of points already on the vehicle. For the bigger picture, read our TLC vehicle inspection guide and decals and trade dress guide.