On this page (9)
In short: At a taxi stand, you must join the back of the line and must not overcrowd the stand. That is rule 80-19(d)(4). The fine is $100 if you plead guilty before a hearing or $150 if found guilty after one, with no TLC points listed. The same rule applies to airport, rail, bus and ship terminal feed lines. Relief stands are excluded.
What the rule says
Section 80-19(d)(4) of the TLC Chapter 80 rule book: "A Driver must take the rear position on the line formed at a Taxi Stand (other than a relief stand) and must not overcrowd such stand."
TLC's definitions (chapter 51) say a Taxi Stand is "a place where Taxicabs are authorized (either by NYC Department of Transportation or a transportation terminal operator) to line up and wait for customers." So the rule covers both street stands with DOT signs and stands run by terminal operators such as airports.
Two separate wrongs are in one sentence:
- Not taking the rear position — cutting in, or pulling up beside the line.
- Overcrowding — squeezing extra cars onto a stand beyond its space.
All the taxi stand rules together
Rule 80-19(d) has seven parts. A summons may cite a different one, so check your code:
Airports and terminals
Rule 80-19(e)(1) extends the stand rules to "special Taxi Stands and Feed Lines at air, rail, bus and ship terminals," and to green cabs at terminals in the Hail Zone. At terminals with holding areas, rule 80-19(e)(2) adds:
- park in the holding area before going on relief time,
- rejoin at the end of the feed line when you come back, and
- never bring passengers into a holding area.
Where an airport stand has separate long-haul and short-haul lines, rule 80-19(e)(3) says a driver with a short-haul ticket must not take a long-haul passenger, and the reverse ($100).
How often it is charged
Most years see a few dozen to a couple of hundred summonses. 2024 was very different (1,067), then 2025 fell back to 75. A jump like that could come from a change in enforcement rather than in driver behaviour, but the data cannot show the cause, so treat it as unexplained.
What to do now
- Note the exact place. Was it a marked DOT stand, a terminal stand, a feed line, or a relief stand? Relief stands are excluded from (d)(4).
- Picture the line. Where were you, where was the back of the line, and how many cabs were there? Write it down and sketch it.
- Collect evidence. Photos of signs and the stand layout, dashcam footage if your car has an approved camera, and trip records showing when you arrived and when you picked up.
- Decide how to respond. This is a lower-fine summons with no listed points, so the main question is whether you have a real defense. Our fight-or-pay tool walks through it.
Paying versus a hearing
The fine is $100 if you plead guilty before a hearing and $150 if you are found guilty after one, so a hearing that you lose costs $50 more. If you have no defense, that difference is the price of contesting. If you do have a defense — for example, it was a relief stand, or there was no line when you arrived — a hearing is where you show it.
TLC says hearings are generally held by phone or by written online defense, and you can ask for an in-person hearing by emailing OATH at least five business days ahead (TLC summons page). For a stand summons, photos and a simple sketch work well in a written online defense. If you plead guilty, pay within 30 days, or TLC can suspend your license after giving notice. TLC may also send a settlement offer by mail; it is not given by phone.
No TLC points are listed for 80-19(d)(4), so this summons does not count toward the Persistent Violator Program.
Points to discuss with your lawyer
- Was the location legally a taxi stand (DOT or terminal operator authorized)?
- Was it a relief stand, which the rule excludes?
- Was there an actual "line formed" when you arrived?
- Does the summons describe what you did with enough detail to match (d)(4) and not another sub-rule?
Taxi drivers at the airports should also read the JFK and LaGuardia pages, and FHV drivers should read 80-19(c)(1) on prearranged pickups.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fine for 80-19(d)(4)?
$100 if you plead guilty before a hearing, or $150 if you are found guilty after a hearing. Appearance is not required.
Does this rule apply at relief stands?
No. The rule excludes relief stands. At a relief stand you may take any vacant position, but you must follow the posted restrictions under rule 80-19(d)(7).
Do taxi stand rules apply at airport and train terminals?
Yes. Rule 80-19(e)(1) says the taxi stand rules also apply to special taxi stands and feed lines at air, rail, bus and ship terminals.
Can an Uber or other FHV driver use a taxi stand?
No. Rule 80-19(d)(2) says a for-hire driver must not pick up passengers at any taxi stand, with penalties from $350 up to revocation.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- TLC Rules, Chapter 80 – Drivers (updated June 6, 2025) nyc.gov
- TLC Rules, Chapter 51 – Definitions nyc.gov
- NYC Open Data: OATH Hearings Division Case Status data.cityofnewyork.us
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.