TLC Rule 80-19(b)(6): Green Cab Off-Duty Pickups

On this page (10)

What the rules say
Three statuses, three sets of rules
The four off-duty conditions
Who writes it and how often
Common situations
Does the summons fit?
Penalty and points
What to do
FAQ
Sources

In short: When your green cab shows off duty, you may take a street hail only if all four conditions are true: you are in the Hail Zone, you are returning the car to your base or home, you have made the trip-record entry, and the passenger's destination is directly on your route. That is rule 80-19(b)(6). A sister rule, 80-19(b)(5), says that while you show "on-duty unavailable" for a pre-arranged base trip, you must not take a hail at all. Both cost $75 if you plead guilty before a hearing or $100 after one. Both are rarely written: 11 summonses since 2016.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

What the rules say

From TLC Chapter 80:

(5) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery who has indicated through the Technology System that he or she is on-duty unavailable for the purposes of accepting a Pre-Arranged trip must not solicit or accept a Passenger for a Hail Trip.

(6) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery who has indicated in the meter or through the Technology System that he or she is off duty must not solicit or accept a Passenger unless ALL of the following are true: (i) The Driver is in the Hail Zone; (ii) The Driver is returning the Street Hail Livery to his or her Base or home; (iii) The Driver has transmitted the relevant information to an electronic database for entry on the electronic trip record or made a written trip record entry; and (iv) The Passenger's destination is directly on the route to the Driver's home or garage.

§80-19(b)(5) and §80-19(b)(6) Fine: $75 if plead guilty before a hearing; $100 if found guilty following a hearing — Appearance NOT REQUIRED

Three statuses, three sets of rules

A green cab can be in one of three working states. What you may do depends on which one your meter or Technology System shows.

What a green cab driver may do in each status

Status	Street hails	Pre-arranged base trips	Rule
On duty, available	Yes, in the Hail Zone only	Yes, if the trip starts outside Manhattan below E. 96th / W. 110th	80-19(b)(1)–(2)
On-duty unavailable (doing a base trip)	No	Yes, that is what the status is for	80-19(b)(5); 80-25(c)
Off duty	Only with all four 80-19(b)(6) conditions	Not covered by this rule	80-19(b)(6)

Rule 80-25(c) says that when you accept a pre-arranged trip, an e-hail through a licensed app or an accessible e-hail request, you must be "logged on but unavailable for street hail." So the unavailable status is required during base work, and (b)(5) closes the gap: while you show unavailable, don't stop for hails.

The four off-duty conditions

Condition (i) is what makes the green cab version stricter than the yellow taxi rule, 80-19(a)(5). Even off duty and heading home, a green cab in the Hail Exclusionary Zone cannot take a hail. Doing so risks the much bigger 80-19(b)(1) penalty: $500 and suspension.

You may ask the destination in this case. Rule 80-20(a)(4)(i) says asking a passenger's destination before they are seated is not a refusal if you are returning home or to the garage and followed the 80-19(b)(6) procedure. Without that procedure, asking first is a refusal with mandatory penalties.

Who writes it and how often

Summonses citing 80-19(b)(5) and (b)(6), by year

*2026 to October 12. First-listed charge only. All 11 were written by Port Authority Police. A summons is an allegation, not a finding.

Summonses

(b)(6) off duty
(b)(5) on-duty unavailable

Show data table

Label	(b)(6) off duty	(b)(5) on-duty unavailable
2016	2	0
2017	4	0
2018	1	0
2019	2	1
2020	1	0
2021–2026*	0	0

Source: NYC Open Data: OATH Hearings Division Case Status (jz4z-kudi), queried 2026-10-12

Every one of the 11 came from Port Authority Police, not TLC. With so few green cabs left (TLC's indicators show an average of 627 green cab drivers with trips per month in 2025), this code is now close to unused. It is still in force.

Common situations

You switch to off duty in the South Bronx and take a hail going the opposite way from your base.
You are off duty and heading home along Northern Boulevard, made the entry, and pick up a rider going to a stop on your way. This fits the exception.
You are doing a base trip and show on-duty unavailable, and someone flags you down, so you take them first. That is (b)(5).
You are off duty in Midtown on your way home and take a hail there. That fails condition (i) and may be charged as 80-19(b)(1).

Does the summons fit?

Questions to work through with your representative

Answer a few questions · general information, not legal advice

Question 1What did your Technology System show when you took the hail?

What did your Technology System show when you took the hail?

Off duty
Were all four conditions true: Hail Zone, heading home or to base, record entry made, destination on route?
- Yes, all four
  Good to know: What this means for you
  The exception may apply. Your electronic trip record, base or home address and route are the key evidence.
- No, one or more missing
  Watch out: What this means for you
  The facts may match the rule. Weigh the $75 plea against the $100 fine after a hearing.
On-duty unavailable
Watch out: What this means for you
Rule 80-19(b)(5) bars hails while you show on-duty unavailable. If the status was wrong because of a system fault, tell your representative and bring the trip record.
On duty, available
Note: What this means for you
If you were on duty and available in the Hail Zone, a hail is normally allowed. Ask your representative whether the status in the record matches the summons.

Penalty and points

	(b)(5) or (b)(6)
Plead guilty before a hearing	$75
Found guilty after a hearing	$100
TLC points	None listed in Chapter 80
Appearance	Not required

What to do

Reading a TLC driver summons

A simplified illustration. Real summonses differ by issuing agency and year, so fields may sit in different places.

Summons numberThe unique number for this summons. Use it to check the official OATH record (or our summons lookup) and write it on anything you send.
Respondent & licenseWho is charged and their TLC license number. Check both are yours and tell your representative about any error.
Date, time & placeWhen and where the officer says the violation happened. Compare it with your trip records, app history and dashcam.
Rule or law violatedThe TLC rule or NYC law you're charged under, such as §80-13(a)(2). Look the code up in the violation library or the summons decoder to see what it means and the listed penalty.
Hearing date & methodYour OATH hearing date. You must respond by this date — by paying (where allowed) or by having your hearing — or OATH can enter a default. See hearing options.
Appearance requiredSome charges can't simply be paid: you (or your representative) must have a hearing. Check whether this is marked on your summons.
PenaltyIf an amount is shown, check it against the rule. Many TLC rules list a lower amount if you plead guilty before the hearing and a higher one if you're found guilty after it.
Issued byWho wrote the summons: a TLC inspector, Port Authority police, or NYPD. The layout differs by issuing agency.

Check which code is on the summons: (b)(5) or (b)(6). The defense questions are different.
Get your electronic trip record. It shows your status changes and the record entry.
Map the pickup point. If it was in the exclusionary zone, ask about the risk of a (b)(1) charge.
Answer before the hearing date.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take a hail in my green cab after I go off duty?

Only if all four conditions in 80-19(b)(6) are met: you are in the Hail Zone, you are returning the car to your base or home, you made the trip-record entry, and the passenger's destination is directly on your route.

What does 'on-duty unavailable' mean?

It is the Technology System status a green cab driver uses while doing a pre-arranged base trip. Rule 80-19(b)(5) says that while you show on-duty unavailable for a pre-arranged trip, you must not take a street hail.

What are the fines?

Both 80-19(b)(5) and 80-19(b)(6) are $75 if you plead guilty before a hearing, or $100 if found guilty after one. No points are listed, and appearance is not required.

How is this different from the yellow taxi rule?

The yellow taxi rule, 80-19(a)(5), has three conditions. The green cab rule adds a fourth: you must be in the Hail Zone, never Manhattan below East 96th and West 110th Street or at an airport.

How often are these summonses written?

Very rarely. OATH data shows 11 summonses across 80-19(b)(5) and (b)(6) from 2016 to October 12, 2026, all written by Port Authority Police, and none after 2020.

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on Oct 12, 2026.

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.