Taxicab Medallion

When to Apply for a Renewal

• Medallions are renewed every two (2) years. The renewal must be completed by the Medallion’s expiration date of May 30th of the renewal year. The renewal year is the year the Medallion expires, and is printed on the Rate Card.
• Renewals must be completed before the Medallion expires.
• If a renewal is not completed before the Medallion expires, the renewal will not be valid until the TLC processes and approves the late renewal application. A twenty-five dollar ($25.00) late fee will be charged after a late renewal is completed.

How to Apply for a Renewal

1. Pay outstanding TLC tickets and Taxicab Improvement SurchargePayments (TIF) online using LARS.
2. Pay any outstanding parking or traffic tickets, as well as, outstanding Commercial Motor Vehicle Taxes (CMVT), MTA Taxes, and/or Congestion Surcharges.
3. Pay your renewal fee online using LARS.
4. Updated insurance documents must be emailed to medallionrenewals@tlc.nyc.gov

Costs

• Medallion renewal inspection fee - three hundred sixty dollars ($360.00).
• Tin fee - ten dollars ($10.00).
• Total renewal fee is three hundred seventy dollars ($370.00).
• The renewal fee of eleven hundred dollars ($1,100.00) is not currently being charged.

Insurance requirements

• Insurance Certificate - Current For-Hire Insurance Certificate (FH-1) in renewal applicant’s name.
• Link to Medallion insurance requirements.

Vehicle Certification or Vehicle Transfer

Vehicle Certification is the process that initially attaches a vehicle to a Medallion for the first time.  Vehicle Transfer is the process to change the vehicle attached to the Medallion.  During these processes, the vehicle is updated in TLC’s system and is registered with NYS DMV at the TLC.  New plates are also issued if needed.

Step 1:   Gather the below documents and make sure each is completed and signed where required:

• Title of vehicle (front and back), or certificate of origin for new vehicles if title is not yet received;
• Bill of sale for vehicle;
• Current For-Hire Insurance Certificate (FH-1); 
• Certificate of Insurance or Insurance Declaration Page, demonstrating coverage in the amounts of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per occurrence CSL (combined single limit), and $200,000 PIP (personal injury protection).  Click here for TLC insurance requirements;
• Vehicle modification letter if the vehicle is wheelchair accessible;
• Government issued photo identification;
• DMV application;
• TLC Vehicle Certification form, available here;
• Medallion Rate Card;
• Power of Attorney form (if not the Medallion Owner or Agent);
• DMV form MV-82 Vehicle Registration / Title Application; and EMV-50 form (completed by the seller, if vehicle purchased from a dealer), or the Bill of Sale and a DFT802 form (completed by the vehicle buyer if a casual sale);
• If new Medallion plates are required: FS-6 (motor vehicle receipt for the old plates), or a Notice of Violation from the NYPD or TLC, and $25.00 fee paid by Money Order, Visa, Master Card, AMEX, or Discover.

Step 2: Schedule a TLC DMV appointment to submit the above documents at the Licensing Customer Service Facility in Long Island City

Click here to schedule an appointment at the TLC DMV office.  When scheduling an appointment choose the Yellow Cab / Medallion Transaction option, then pick your preferred appointment date on the calendar.  Once your appointment is scheduled, you will receive an appointment confirmation via email; you must bring the confirmation email to your appointment.

Update to scheduling your LIC appointment
Effective immediately, 11/28/2022, all individual licensees visiting our scheduling system will be required to create an account with a password.  Once your account is created you will be allowed to login and schedule your appointment.
Appointments are required for the following transactions at our LIC office: 

• Plate / vehicle transfer – replace plates due to storage removal, lost, stolen, damaged plates or vanity plates needs to be replaced by TC plates; change the vehicle associated with the current vehicle license
• Driver license replacements – replace your TLC driver license if lost, stolen, damaged or after a legal name change
• Medallion transactions - replace plates due to storage removal, lost, stolen, damaged plates; change the vehicle associated with the medallion; place medallion in storage; update Agent
• SHL transactions – renew SHL permit; change the vehicle and/or base associated to the permit; place SHL in storage

Steps to Create your Account:

Step 1. Click on “Create an Account”
Step 2. Enter all required fields(*)

• To ensure you have a strong password, please click on the link “Strong Password Rules”
• Once you’ve entered all required fields, click on “Create Account”
• You will then be directed to the scheduling page where you will enter your e-mail address and password.

• When you’ve created your password, you must sign in to make your appointment. 

**PLEASE KEEP YOUR PASSWORD IN A SAFE PLACE & DO NOT SHARE YOUR PASSWORD WITH ANYONE
NOTE:  You can only make one appointment at a time.  This means if you have an upcoming appointment for a vehicle transfer, you will not be able to make another appointment until you’ve finished or cancel that appointment.

Step 3: Go to the TLC DMV appointment

Attend the TLC DMV appointment at TLC’s Long Island City DMV office with the above completed documents.  You must bring your appointment confirmation email, either in electronic or paper format to your TLC appointment.
During your appointment with TLC’s DMV, your vehicle information will be added to the TLC and DMV systems. 

Step 4: Hack-up the vehicle & install a Taximeter   

• Hacking up a vehicle means setting up the vehicle to be used as a yellow taxicab.  This requires bringing a TLC approved vehicle to a TLC Licensed Taximeter shop to paint the vehicle yellow; as well as install required lights, signs, partitions, and a taximeter. 
  • Please note that only TLC approved vehicles may be hacked-up as a taxicab.  Visit TLC’s Hack-up page for a list of TLC approved vehicles.
• A taximeter is an instrument / device approved by the TLC that automatically calculates, and plainly indicates, the charge to a for hire passenger of a Licensed Taxicab.  Every yellow taxicab must have a taximeter installed to pass inspection and operate for hire.
• A taximeter can only be installed by a TLC Licensed Taximeter shop.  Visit any TLC Licensed Taximeter shop listed here to have a taximeter installed.

Step 5: Vehicle Inspection

• Every taxicab vehicle hack-up must be inspected at the TLC’s Woodside inspection facility, located at 24-55 BQE West, Woodside, NY 11377.
• During the hack-up inspection, TLC will install the Medallion on the vehicle, and will ensure all equipment works correctly and meets TLC regulations. 
• To be inspected, the vehicle must be driven to the inspection facility. 
• Appointments are not required for a vehicle hack inspection.  For inspection, visit the TLC Woodside facility during the below hours:

Hack-up full inspection     7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Hack-up re-inspection       7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Used Car* full inspection   7:00 AM – 4:00 PM 
Used Car* re-inspection    7:00 AM – 4:00 PM

• If any taxicab fails to pass inspection it will be re-inspected a 2nd time for an additional fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00).  Each subsequent re-inspection will have a charge of thirty-five dollars ($35.00).
• Used and out of cycle vehicles are vehicles that are not new and have had three (3) inspections completed in the past year.  These vehicles must pay fifty dollars ($50.00) for a transfer transaction, and ninety dollars ($90.00) for inspection.  If the vehicle you are transferring is within its scheduled inspection cycle (meaning it has at least one (1) inspection left in its cycle), you will only have to pay fifty dollars ($50.00) for the transfer.  

Please bring the following to your vehicle inspection:

• Taxicab – with all required equipment / decals;
• Vehicle Registration;
• Current For-Hire Insurance Certificate (FH-1);
• Rate Card and Medallion;
• Vehicle Bill of Sale / Invoice;
• Government issued photo identification (or TLC / Hack license);
• Signed Power of Attorney form (if not the Owner);
• Meter Certification: This is a Meter Mile Run (MMR) test, done once a year at a TLC Licensed Taximeter shop.  You will receive a print-out from the taximeter shop to show the TLC at the inspection;
• Receipt for CMVT payment (obtained from the NYC DOF);
• Vehicle transfer receipt (for fee paid, issued at TLC’s LIC facility);
• Approval letter (if you are a new Owner); and
• Used car inspection papers (if completing a transfer from another Medallion).

Step 6: Vehicle Activated

Once the Yellow cab has been hacked up and passes inspection, the Medallion # will appear on the TLC website as active, the meter will be turned on, and the yellow cab will be authorized to operate.

Yellow cabs must be removed 7 years after initial hack-up, but can be extended through a Hardship Vehicle Retirement Extension. Visit Hardship Vehicle Retirement Extension for more information.

The TLC created the Taxi Improvement Fund (TIF) to support medallion owners and drivers who purchase and drive accessible yellow cabs. In 2014 the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) passed rules to create the Taxicab Improvement Fund (TIF). The fund was created as part of an overall strategy by the agency to increase the number of accessible taxicabs. The agency goal is for 50% of the yellow taxi fleet to be accessible by 2020. See Approved Vehicle List in Yellow Cab Hack-Up. Visit Taxi Improvement Fund for more information on signing up for and receiving TIF assistance.

Visit Request a Medallion Ownership Verification

All fleets, agents, and taximeter shops must post the Driver Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights consists of two posters: one poster relates to fleet drivers and the other to driver-owned-vehicle(DOV) drivers. All licensed agents, fleets, and meter shops must print, laminate or frame, and post the version(s) of the Bill of Rights most appropriate for their business (for example, agents must post both posters if they lease taxicabs on a daily or weekly basis and also lease medallions to DOVs).

The Bill of Rights must be printed and posted as follows:

1. Printed in color.
2. Each poster must be no smaller than 24 inches wide by 36 inches tall.
3. Laminated or framed to protect from damage.
4. Posted in plain sight near the payment window or other area where drivers regularly conduct normal and daily business transactions with the agent, fleet or meter shop.

Licensees not in compliance may be issued a summons and a fine up to $500. Any questions about posting the Bill of Rights should be directed to the TLC Driver Protection Unit at (718) 391-5539 or email at driverprotection@tlc.nyc.gov.

• Taxi Fleet Driver’s Bill of Rights
• Taxi DOV Driver’s Bill of Rights

Seating Capacity:

1-7 passengers

Minimum Insurance Levels:

• $100,000 per person
• $300,000 per occurrence CSL
• $200,000 PIP*