TLC Rule 80-17(f)(2): Westchester & Nassau Trip Rules

In short: When a taxi or green cab passenger wants to go to Westchester or Nassau County, rule 80-17(f)(2) gives you three duties: keep the meter recording the whole way ($100 fine), explain before you start how the fare works, including that the passenger pays tolls both ways ($25), and tell the passenger when you cross the city line ($25). The passenger pays the meter inside the city, double the meter outside it, and your return tolls.

Tolls both ways

This is the part of the rule that matters most for tolls. §80-17(f)(2)(iv) says:

The Passenger of a Taxicab or Street Hail Livery is also responsible for all necessary tolls charged for both going to the destination and for the Driver's return to the City.

The fare rule says the same: the fare includes "All necessary tolls to and from the destination" (§58-26(c)(2)(iii); green cabs §82-26(c)(2)(iii)). Two limits still apply:

• "Necessary" tolls only: those on a reasonable route there and back.
• The actual E-ZPass amount, not a mail or cash price. Charging more is an overcharge under §80-17 (§58-26(f)(3)).

Because the passenger pays your return, you must say so before the trip. That's what the $25 explanation rule is for. Toll costs by route are on tolls on trips outside NYC and Thruway Yonkers and New Rochelle tolls.

What the rule says

From TLC chapter 80, §80-17(f)(2), "For a trip to Westchester or Nassau County, the following charges and rules apply":

• (i) "The Driver of a Taxicab or Street Hail Livery must place the Taximeter in a recording position at the start of the trip and must keep the Taximeter in the recording position at all times." Fine: $100.
• (ii) "Before starting the trip, the Driver … must inform the Passenger how the trip charges will be calculated, including the payment of tolls both to and from the destination." The rate is "the amount shown on the Taximeter for the portion of the trip within the City, plus twice the amount shown on the Taximeter for the portion of the trip outside the City limits."
• (iii) "The Driver … must tell the Passenger when the Vehicle crosses the City limits so that the Passenger can check the reading on the Taximeter at that time." Fine for (ii)–(iii): $25.
• (iv) The passenger pays tolls both ways (quoted above).

Appearance is not required for any of these. Chapter 80 lists no points for them.

A note on cross-references: the chapter 80 text points to "Chapter 58, §58-26(d)(2)" for the double-meter rule, but in the current chapter 58 that rule is §58-26(c)(2). For green cabs it points to §82-26(d)(2); the matching green cab rule is §82-26(c)(2). The content is the same.

Who it applies to

Drivers of yellow taxis and green cabs (street hail liveries) on metered trips that end in Westchester or Nassau County. Other trips outside the city follow different rules:

• Other destinations outside NYC: a flat rate agreed before the trip, meter still recording (80-17(f)(1)).
• Newark Airport: meter + $20 surcharge + tolls both ways (§80-17(f)(3)).

For-hire vehicles (black car, livery, app) charge the base's quoted fare instead.

What the passenger sees

TLC's fare page tells riders: within the city, the screen should show "Rate #01 – Standard City Rate"; once the taxi goes beyond the city limit to Nassau or Westchester, it should read "Rate #04 – Out of City Rate to Nassau or Westchester", and "a message should appear on screen alerting the passenger of the rate change." The 50-cent MTA State Surcharge and the $1.00 Improvement Surcharge also apply. In TLC's trip records, 105,104 yellow taxi trips ended under the Nassau/Westchester rate code from September 2025 to August 2026.

Penalty and points

• Meter not recording the whole trip (§80-17(f)(2)(i)): $100.
• No explanation before the trip, or no city-line announcement (§80-17(f)(2)(ii)–(iii)): $25.
• Charging more than the allowed fare or tolls: that's a separate overcharge charge with mandatory penalties of $350–$500 for a first violation, and revocation for $10 or more over (§80-02(e)). See toll overcharge mistakes.

How often it's charged

This is a rare summons. Every one in the data came from Port Authority police, not TLC inspectors. The OATH data doesn't record fines or outcomes for TLC cases.

What to do if you get this summons

1. Find the exact sub-paragraph in the code box: (i) is the meter, (ii) is the explanation, (iii) is the city-line announcement. The fines differ.
2. Gather trip records: the trip's receipt and the rate code, which show whether the meter was on and switched to Rate #04.
3. Gather toll records: your E-ZPass statement shows which crossings were charged, and when.
4. Decide whether to plead or fight. These fines are $25 or $100 with no points listed. If there is also an overcharge charge, the stakes are much higher: talk to a lawyer.

Points to discuss with a lawyer (general, not advice): whether the trip really ended in Westchester or Nassau, what you told the rider and whether anyone heard it, the meter record, and whether any toll charged was "necessary". Related pages: out-of-city taxi fares, who pays tolls on a taxi trip, the return-toll rule, yellow taxi fare per trip data, Bronx, and the app-side toll rule 59D-17(c). All toll pages: Tolls.