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In short: TLC rule §80-14(d) requires most TLC drivers to take a drug test every year at their own expense to keep a valid license. You must test in the 90 days before your license anniversary (years 1 and 2) or before your expiration date (year 3). Miss the interim deadline and your license is summarily suspended until you comply, with a $200 fine if you are more than 30 days late. Miss the window in the renewal year and your license expires and is not renewed.
This rule produces "summonses" that are really deadlines. The fix is usually simple — take and pass the test — but every day you drive while suspended creates a much bigger problem.
What the rule says
From the TLC rule book, chapter 80, §80-14(d), "Annual Drug Testing":
- (1) All drivers — except drivers who are City of New York police officers and paratransit drivers — must be tested annually, at their own expense, to keep a valid license.
- (2) Testing must be done by an individual or entity designated by TLC with the required NYS Department of Health permit.
- (3) First year of a three-year license: test no sooner than 90 days before the one-year anniversary, and not after it. Penalty: summary suspension until compliance; $200 if compliance is more than 30 days after the deadline.
- (4) Second year: same window before the second anniversary, same penalty.
- (5) Third year: test no sooner than 90 days before the expiration date. If you are not tested in that window, the license will expire and will not be renewed.
Related rules: §80-14(c) lets TLC order a for-cause test on reasonable suspicion (summary suspension until you comply), and §80-14(e) says a positive result — or a sample that can't be tested — means summary suspension and possible revocation after a hearing.
Your testing windows over a three-year license
Your exact interim due date is shown in TLC UP, TLC's online license portal, according to TLC's drug testing page. Put it in your phone calendar with a reminder 80 days before.
Practical details from TLC
TLC's drug testing page adds details beyond the rule text:
- Testing is at TLC-approved Labcorp locations; you schedule by calling (800) 923-2624.
- The fee listed is $34, paid at the appointment.
- Bring your TLC license and DMV license.
- You must test even if you are not currently driving.
- A suspension for a missed test lasts until you take and pass the test and pay any open fine.
Check the official page before you go, since locations and fees can change.
Why "too early" is also a problem
Drivers who know they are busy near the deadline sometimes test early to get it done. The rule sets a floor as well as a deadline: no sooner than 90 days before the anniversary or expiration date. TLC's page says tests taken too early are rejected — so an early test doesn't count, and if you don't retest inside the window you can still end up suspended. Count back 90 days from your date and book inside that range.
Who it applies to
Medallion taxi, street hail livery and for-hire vehicle drivers. Not covered: NYC police officers who hold TLC licenses and paratransit drivers; TLC's page also says commuter van drivers are not tested by TLC.
Penalty at a glance
The real danger: driving while suspended
A drug-test suspension is easy to lift, but drivers sometimes keep working without realizing the license is suspended. Driving a TLC vehicle on a suspended or expired license is a separate violation — 80-11(a)(1) — with a $350 fine for a first violation and revocation on a third, and it is treated as unlicensed activity. If you think you missed the date, check your status in TLC UP before your next shift.
What to do
- Check your status in TLC UP.
- Book the test with Labcorp and take it as soon as possible.
- Pay any open fine — the $200 applies if you were more than 30 days late. See paying TLC fines.
- Confirm the suspension is lifted in TLC UP before driving. Our guide to lifting a TLC suspension walks through it.
- If the result was positive, stop and get a lawyer: §80-14(e) allows revocation after a hearing, and appearance is required.
If you believe TLC's dates are wrong — for example, you tested inside the window but it wasn't recorded — keep your Labcorp receipt and test confirmation and raise it with TLC right away; a representative can help if there is a hearing. This is general information, not legal advice. Our broader TLC drug test guide covers the test itself, and license renewal covers the year-3 process.
Documents
Frequently asked questions
When do I take my TLC annual drug test?
In the first and second year of a three-year license, no sooner than 90 days before the license's anniversary date and not after it. In the third year, no sooner than 90 days before the license expiration date. TLC rejects tests taken too early.
What happens if I'm late for the interim drug test?
Your license is summarily suspended until you comply. If you comply more than 30 days after the deadline, there is also a $200 fine (§80-14(d)(3)–(4)). TLC says the suspension lasts until you take and pass the test and pay any open fine.
What if I miss the renewal-year drug test?
Under §80-14(d)(5), if you are not tested in the 90 days before expiration, your license will expire and will not be renewed.
Who is exempt from TLC drug testing?
The rule exempts drivers who are City of New York police officers and paratransit drivers. TLC's page says paratransit and commuter van drivers are not tested by TLC.
Where do I test and how much does it cost?
TLC's drug testing page says tests are done at TLC-approved Labcorp locations, scheduled by calling (800) 923-2624, and lists the fee as $34. Check the page before you go, as details can change.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC Rule Book, Chapter 80 (updated June 6, 2025), §80-14(c)–(e) nyc.gov
- TLC: Drug Testing Requirements nyc.gov
- TLC: TLC Online (TLC UP and LARS) nyc.gov
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.
TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.