TLC Rule 80-13(a)(1): Parking & Standing Violations

In short: §80-13(a)(1) is TLC's charge for breaking a traffic law about stopped, standing or parked vehicles. A first violation within 15 months costs $100 if you plead guilty before the hearing or $200 if you are found guilty after one, with no points. Repeat violations add a point each, and a third in 15 months brings a deferred suspension. The rule also gives TLC drivers one useful exception: you may wait for passengers in front of a fire hydrant if you stay in the driver's seat, ready to move.

What the rule says

TLC rule §80-13(a) requires every taxi, green cab and for-hire vehicle driver to obey all traffic laws, and lets TLC impose additional penalties when they don't (TLC rule book, chapter 80). Paragraph (1) covers "laws, rules or regulations governing stationary vehicles." That means the rules about where a car may stop, stand or park — not how it is driven. Moving violations are charged under 80-13(a)(2) or, if hazardous, under 80-13(a)(3).

Right under paragraph (1), the rule book adds an exception written for drivers:

Except where expressly forbidden, a Vehicle is permitted to stop and wait for Passengers in the space immediately in front of a fire hydrant on a street, provided the Driver remains seated in his or her Vehicle, ready for operation at all times.

Read that exception closely, because each part matters at a hearing:

Who it applies to

All TLC-licensed drivers of taxis, FHVs and street hail liveries, including an authorized paratransit driver while driving an accessible green cab. It is a charge against you as the driver. That is different from a Department of Finance parking ticket, which goes to the registered owner of the car.

Penalty and points

Appearance is not required, so you can usually plead guilty and pay before the hearing through TLC's online system, or respond by phone or written defense if you want to contest it. The points from the second violation on count toward the Persistent Violator Program, which adds TLC and DMV points together over 15 months.

How common it is

Stationary-vehicle charges are among the most frequent first charges on taxi and FHV summonses filed at OATH. The chart shows the yearly count with 80-13(a)(1) listed first. These are allegations, not findings.

Common situations

• Waiting for a pickup at a curb where standing is not allowed. If it was a hydrant and you stayed seated, see the exception above. Other no-standing zones have no such exception.
• Pickups and drop-offs at busy places — hotels, hospitals, stations. Look at what the signs actually allowed at that hour.
• Taxi stands. Lining up at a stand has its own rule, 80-19(d)(4), which is charged separately.
• Airport and terminal curbs, where Port Authority police also write summonses.

Ask yourself whether the summons gives a precise location, time and description. A sign's hours, an unclear marking, or a location that doesn't match where you actually were are all worth raising.

What to do and defenses to discuss

1. Respond by the hearing date. Missing it can lead to a default decision with the higher fine.
2. Take photos of the spot soon — the sign, its hours, the curb and any hydrant — while it still looks the same.
3. Pull your trip records to show you were picking up or dropping off at that time.
4. Weigh the cost. For a first violation the difference between pleading early ($100) and losing at a hearing ($200) is $100. Our fight-or-pay tool helps you think it through, and TLC sometimes mails settlement offers.

Defenses to discuss with a lawyer or OATH-registered representative include the hydrant exception, unclear or missing signs, and errors in the summons details. This is general information, not legal advice.

If you are found guilty

A stationary-vehicle conviction is cheap compared with most TLC charges, but don't let it slide. Under §80-02(c) of the rule book, a TLC fine is due within 30 days of the guilty finding. If it isn't paid by then, TLC sends a written notice that your license will be suspended 10 business days after the notice until the fine is paid. A suspended license turns a $100 problem into lost driving days, and driving while suspended is a separate, more serious charge under 80-11(a)(1). Pay through TLC's LARS system or follow the instructions on your decision; our guide to paying TLC fines shows the options.

Also keep a simple log of each stationary-vehicle summons and its conviction date. Because the second and third violations within 15 months cost points and can trigger a deferred suspension, knowing your own count is the easiest way to avoid a surprise.

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