TLC Card Payment Rule 80-17(e)(1): Fines for Taxi Drivers

In short: Every yellow taxi, and every green cab on a hail trip, must take a passenger's credit or debit card through the vehicle's Technology System (or an approved e-hail app). Rule 80-17(e)(1) sets the details. Most parts carry a $100 fine. Adding a mark-up for card payment is treated more seriously — $200, $300, then $500, with a required appearance and possible restitution. Taking a card on your own reader or app is a separate violation, and summonses for it have risen sharply.

What the rule says

Section 80-17(e)(1) of the TLC Chapter 80 rule book, "Taxicabs and Street Hail Livery Credit/Debit Card Payment," has six parts:

The $100 fine for (i)–(v) is a flat amount with Appearance NOT REQUIRED. For (vi), the rule says: "In addition to the penalty payable to the Commission, the administrative law judge may order the Driver to pay restitution to the Passenger, equal to the excess amount that was charged to the Passenger."

Who it applies to

• Yellow taxi drivers on every trip.
• Green cab drivers on hail trips (the paragraph is limited to hail trips).
• FHV drivers have a shorter rule, 80-17(e)(2)(i): accept a passenger's choice to pay by card if card payment is available. $100.

The "outside device" problem

Paragraph (iv) is the one to watch. It says a taxi or green cab driver "must not accept credit/debit card payments through any device other than the Vehicle's Technology System or an approved E-Hail App." By its words, that includes devices such as a personal card reader or a payment app on your own phone. Related rules also apply:

• 80-17(j)(5): don't accept card payment through an e-hail app that does not integrate with the Technology System — $200.
• 80-17(j)(4): for e-payments, the itemized fare must flow automatically from the Technology System or taximeter to the e-hail app (except Flex Fare trips). Manual fare entry by the driver is not allowed.

Summonses citing paragraph (iv) went from 25 in 2023 to 95 in 2025 — almost four times as many in two years. The data does not explain the rise; it only shows that this charge is being written more often.

No card fees, ever

The TLC taxi fare page says there is no extra charge for paying by credit card. Rule 80-17(e)(1)(vi) makes it a violation to add one. The penalty steps up with each violation and needs an appearance, and restitution can be added. If the extra amount is large, it may also be treated as overcharging under 80-17(a)(1), which has mandatory penalties and revocation at $10 or more.

When the system fails

The rules expect problems and tell you what to do:

Cash and other payment rules in §80-17

Card rules sit next to cash rules, and complaints about payment often mix them. From the current rule book:

• 80-17(c) Cash — taxi and green cab drivers must accept U.S. currency: $50.
• 80-17(d) Change — be able to change a $20 bill during your shift. If you can't, with the passenger's consent, log off, record it, and drive to the nearest place to get change: $25.
• 80-17(a)(5) Correct change — give the correct change: $50 / $100, appearance required, and 2 TLC points.
• 80-17(a)(6) Tips — don't ask for a tip or suggest one is expected: $50.
• 80-17(j)(1) E-payments — let the passenger pay by an e-payment method that complies with TLC rules: $100.
• 80-17(k) Tablets — don't run an interior advertising system that collects payment information through a tablet: $250 / $350.

Paying the fine

If you plead guilty or lose at the hearing, rule 80-02(c) says the fine is due within 30 days (or 30 days after an appeal decision if you appeal on time). If it is not paid, TLC notifies you that your license will be suspended in 10 business days until you pay. See paying TLC fines for how to pay.

What to do now

1. Check the paragraph on the summons. (i)–(v) are $100; (vi) is a mark-up charge with steps and an appearance.
2. Get Technology System records: payment errors, outages, and the fare record for the trip.
3. If you used an app, check whether it is an approved E-Hail App that integrates with your Technology System.
4. Decide: our fight-or-pay tool helps, and the taxi payment rules guide has the full background.

Points to discuss with your lawyer

• Was the Technology System or the network actually down? Can the Technology System Provider confirm it?
• Did you tell the passenger before starting the meter?
• Was the app used an approved E-Hail App?
• For a mark-up charge, what exactly was charged, and was any of it a lawful surcharge, toll or tip?

Also see the Technology System rule, 80-25(a).