TLC Rule 82-16(j)(1): SHL Owner Ignored a TLC Directive

In short: When TLC (or the NYC Department of Investigation) sends a Street Hail Livery (SHL) licensee a question, directive or summons, the licensee must answer and comply within the time stated. Rule 82-16(j)(1) makes not doing so a violation: $300 and suspension until compliance, with appearance required. The quickest way out is to do what was asked and keep proof.

What the rule says

Rule 82-16(j), "Cooperate with the Commission," has three paragraphs:

The key words in (j)(1) are "within the period specified in the communication." The deadline is set by the letter, email or notice TLC sends, so read it closely.

The rule changed over time

Rules get amended, and the version that applies is the one in force on the date of the alleged violation. One example from this section: the January 2019 version of chapter 82 gave licensees "ten days" to produce documents under (j)(2). The current version (updated February 27, 2026) says "five business days." The $300-and-suspension penalty for (j)(1)–(2) is the same in both. If your summons is old, ask which version applies.

Who it applies to

The SHL licensee, meaning the holder of the Street Hail Livery License. It can be a person or a business. Drivers have their own cooperation rules in chapter 80. The FHV-owner version of this rule is 59A-13(j)(1), one of the most common owner charges at OATH.

Common situations

• TLC asks for trip records, insurance papers or lease documents and nobody replies by the deadline.
• A directive to bring the vehicle in for inspection is ignored. (Missing the regular six-month inspection is its own charge, 82-30(b).)
• Letters go to an old mailing address or an email inbox nobody reads. See the next section: under chapter 82 that is usually not a defense.
• A business licensee changes officers and nobody watches the TLC mailbox.

"I never got the letter"

This is the most common story behind a (j)(1) summons, and chapter 82 makes it hard to use as a defense. Rule 82-23 sets out the licensee's contact duties:

• You must designate a mailing address (it can be your affiliated base's address, but not a P.O. box) and a working email address at all times.
• "Any communication from the Commission is sufficient if sent to the Mailing Address furnished by the Licensee."
• Most communications are also "sufficient if sent by email to the last Email Address provided," except notices and summonses that rule 68-05 says must be served another way.
• You must report a change of mailing or email address in person or by registered or certified mail within ten days ($100 fine if you don't).
• You must keep a phone number on file so TLC can reach you on a 24-hour basis ($100 fine).

So if TLC wrote to the address or email you gave it, the directive likely counts as delivered. Whether a specific notice was properly sent is still a fair question for your lawyer, especially for summonses, which have their own service rules.

How often it appears

All 2,416 summonses with this code as the first charge were issued by TLC itself. The counts come in bursts (765 and 780 in 2016–2017, 385 in 2020), which fits TLC sending directives to many licensees at once and then charging those who didn't respond. The data doesn't confirm the cause.

What "suspension until compliance" means

Unlike a fixed 30-day suspension, this one has no set end date. It ends when you comply. TLC's enforcement rules have a separate procedure called "summary suspension pending compliance" (rule 68-16). Under chapter 82, a suspension covers both the SHL license and the vehicle's for-hire or paratransit vehicle license (rule 82-02(d)). In practice that means the car can't work until the directive is satisfied. Our guide to summary suspension explains the general process, and how to lift a TLC suspension covers next steps.

What to do now

TLC's summons page says hearings are usually held by phone or by written defense online if eligible; ask for a phone hearing at least 3 business days before the date. An in-person hearing must be requested at least 5 business days before.

Points to discuss with your lawyer

General information only:

• Did you receive the directive, and when? The deadline runs from the communication.
• Was the request within TLC's authority and clear about what to do?
• Did you already comply, maybe late? Compliance ends the suspension and may matter to the outcome.
• Is it (j)(1), (j)(2) or (j)(3)? The fine and the appearance rule differ.

Check the summons status any time with our summons lookup.