These 30 practice questions show the kind of questions and explanations you get with PrepRaven. They cover all 10 sections from the Taxi and Limousine Commission's Driver Education Course and Exam Study Guide for the NYC TLC Driver License Exam, three for each section, from easy to hard. Every question is original. None of them is a real exam question.
The TLC Driver License Exam has 80 multiple-choice questions, you have up to 2 hours, and you need 70% (56 correct) to pass. You take it on a computer at a PSI test center. Our 10 sections are the 10 exam topics the TLC lists in its study guide. Every question tests one rule from the current TLC rules (35 RCNY Chapters 80, 53 and 51), the current TLC taxi fare page or the study guide, and each explanation names that rule or page so that you can look it up.
The study guide is dated May 2019, and its fares are out of date, so the fare questions here use the current TLC fare page. Our geography questions are text only and come from the lists in the study guide. The real exam also has atlas, map and photo questions, and PSI hands you a street atlas and a Manhattan Address Key in the exam room; we do not copy those questions. The TLC does not publish how many questions come from each topic, so this page is a practice set of our own, not a copy of the real test.
Government and Agencies
The role of the TLC and the other agencies the TLC study guide names, such as the DMV, OATH, DOT and the Port Authority (study guide topic 1; 35 RCNY 80-04).
Question 1 (easy)
According to the TLC study guide, which city agency handles court proceedings and summonses and issues rulings on the violations a TLC driver is charged with?
- A. Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC)
- B. New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT)
- C. Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)
- D. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The study guide names OATH as the city agency for court proceedings, summonses and rulings on driver violations, and TLC rule 80-02 says mandatory penalties are imposed by the Taxi and Limousine Tribunal at OATH. The TLC licenses and regulates drivers, but the rulings on violations come from OATH.
Question 2 (medium)
Driver Nadia Kowalewski drops off passengers on the same busy Midtown block several times a day. Last month the curb signs on that block changed, and she wants to know which agency decides where vehicles may drive, park and idle on New York City streets.
According to the TLC study guide, which agency makes those decisions?
- A. The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT)
- B. The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC)
- C. The Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)
- D. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The study guide says DOT builds and maintains city streets and determines where vehicles are permitted to drive, park and idle. The TLC licenses and regulates drivers and for-hire vehicles, but it does not set the street rules for a city block.
Question 3 (easy)
According to the TLC study guide, which agency is an interstate agency that operates bridges, tunnels, airports and seaports in both New York and New Jersey?
- A. The NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- B. The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT)
- C. The Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)
- D. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The study guide describes the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as an interstate agency that operates bridges, tunnels, airports and seaports in both states. DOT is a city agency that builds and maintains New York City streets; it does not run airports or work in New Jersey.
Licensing
Who can get a TLC Driver License, the 3-year term, renewal, denial and care of the license (35 RCNY 80-04 to 80-10).
Question 4 (easy)
Under TLC rule 35 RCNY 80-04, what is the minimum age to apply for a TLC Driver License?
- A. 18
- B. 19
- C. 21
- D. 25
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Section 80-04(a) says an applicant for a TLC Driver License must be at least 19 years old. Being 18 is enough for many other jobs, but it is one year short of the TLC minimum.
Question 5 (medium)
Driver Samuel Amoah's wallet, with his TLC Driver License inside, is stolen on a Tuesday.
Under 35 RCNY 80-10, how and when must he notify the TLC (time limits here do not count weekends and holidays)?
- A. By phone call within 24 hours
- B. In writing within 10 days
- C. By phone within 72 hours
- D. In writing within 72 hours
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Section 80-10(a) says a driver must notify the TLC in writing of the loss or theft of a TLC Driver License within 72 hours, not counting weekends and holidays. A phone call within the same 72 hours does not meet the rule, because the notice must be in writing.
Question 6 (hard)
Driver Hector Quispe's TLC Driver License expired two months ago because he forgot to renew it. Today he files a late renewal application online and pays the $25 late fee. He plans to go back to driving his yellow taxi tomorrow, before the TLC has approved the renewal.
Under 35 RCNY 80-06, which statement is correct?
- A. He may not drive for hire until the TLC approves his renewal
- B. He may drive for hire because he applied within the 180 days
- C. He may drive for up to 30 days while the TLC reviews it
- D. He cannot renew at all and must apply as a new applicant
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Section 80-06(d) allows a late renewal application up to 180 days after expiration with a $25 late fee, but the license stays expired and not valid to drive until the TLC approves the renewal. The 180-day window lets Hector renew without starting over; it does not let him drive in the meantime, and driving on an expired license is unlicensed activity under 80-11(b).
Vehicle Requirements
What a driver must keep in and on the vehicle, the 3-minute idling limit, signs, devices, the meter and the technology system (35 RCNY 80-22 to 80-26).
Question 7 (easy)
Under 35 RCNY 80-22, what is the longest a TLC driver may let the vehicle's engine idle?
- A. 1 minute
- B. 2 minutes
- C. 3 minutes
- D. 5 minutes
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Section 80-22(a) requires drivers to follow the New York City Air Pollution Control Code, which means the engine must not idle for longer than three minutes. Five minutes is too long under that limit.
Question 8 (medium)
Under 35 RCNY 80-23, after sunset, which items in a taxi must be lit so that a passenger in the rear seat with normal vision can clearly see them?
- A. The taximeter face and the rate card, but not the license
- B. The taximeter face, the TLC license and the rate card
- C. The driver's TLC license and the vehicle's roof light
- D. The rate card and the five-borough street map or GPS
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Section 80-23(b)(2) says a taxi or street hail livery may not be driven after sunset unless the taximeter face, the driver's TLC Driver License and the rate card are lit so that they are clearly visible from the rear seat. Leaving the license dark does not meet the rule, because all three items are listed.
Question 9 (hard)
Halfway through her shift, the Technology System in driver Grace Coakley's yellow taxi stops working, and its screen no longer records trips or takes card payments. A man on the corner waves her down, says he will pay in cash and asks to go 10 blocks.
Under 35 RCNY 80-25, what must Grace do?
- A. Have the system fixed before she accepts any new trip
- B. Take him, and write the trip on a paper trip record for now
- C. Keep taking trips until her shift ends, then report the problem
- D. Reset the system's cable connections herself, then keep working
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Section 80-25(e) says that when the Technology System malfunctions or fails to operate, the driver must fix it before accepting any new trips. A paper trip record is allowed only when the rules require or permit it and does not replace this rule, and 80-25(f) forbids drivers from repairing or tampering with the system's cable connections.
Passenger Solicitation, Rates and Airports
Street hails, the Hail Exclusionary Zone, taxi stands, airports, out-of-city trips and the current fares and surcharges from the TLC fare page (35 RCNY 80-14 to 80-21).
Question 10 (easy)
According to the current TLC taxi fare page, what is the flat fare for a yellow taxi trip between JFK Airport and Manhattan, before surcharges, tolls and tip?
- A. $52
- B. $60
- C. $65
- D. $70
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The TLC fare page sets a $70 flat fare between JFK and Manhattan, plus surcharges, tolls and tip. The $52 figure comes from the 2019 study guide and is out of date.
Question 11 (medium)
A passenger hails a yellow taxi in Manhattan and asks to go to Stamford, Connecticut. The driver agrees to take the trip. Under 35 RCNY 80-17, how must the fare be set?
- A. The city meter rate in the city, then double the meter
- B. A flat dollar amount agreed on before the trip starts
- C. The metered fare plus a $20.00 surcharge and tolls
- D. The standard city meter rate for the whole trip
Show answer
Correct answer: B. For a trip beyond the city other than to Westchester, Nassau or Newark Airport, section 80-17(f)(1) says the driver must negotiate a flat rate with the passenger before the trip begins, and the rule notes that "double the meter" is not a flat rate. Double the meter is the rule for Westchester and Nassau, and the $20.00 surcharge is the rule for Newark Airport.
Question 12 (hard)
Driver Imran Sheikh drives a green taxi, which the TLC rules call a Street Hail Livery. During one afternoon, people try to hail him at four places.
Under the Hail Exclusionary Zone rules (35 RCNY Chapter 51 and 80-19), at which place may he accept a street hail?
- A. East 86th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan
- B. The arrivals curb at LaGuardia Airport
- C. East 116th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan
- D. West 104th Street and Broadway in Manhattan
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The Hail Exclusionary Zone, where a Street Hail Livery may not accept a hail, is Manhattan south of East 96th Street and West 110th Street, plus the New York City airports. East 116th Street is north of East 96th Street, so it is in the Hail Zone; West 104th Street is north of 96th but still south of West 110th Street, so it is inside the exclusionary zone.
Customer Service and Service Refusal
Reasonable passenger requests, lost property, service refusal, service animals and mobility aids (35 RCNY 80-16, 80-18 and 80-20).
Question 13 (easy)
Driver Olga Lebedev pulls up to a woman who is hailing her taxi on Broadway. Before the woman opens the door, Olga lowers the window and asks where she is going. The woman says Brooklyn, so Olga lets her in and drives her there.
Under 35 RCNY 80-20, which statement is correct?
- A. Olga broke the rule by asking before the woman was seated
- B. Olga followed the rules, because she took the passenger to Brooklyn
- C. Olga followed the rules, because Brooklyn is inside New York City
- D. Olga would have broken the rule only if she had refused the trip
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Section 80-20(a)(4) says a driver must not try to learn a passenger's destination before the passenger is seated, and that asking is a violation even if the driver then agrees to the trip. Taking the passenger to Brooklyn does not cure the violation, which carries a mandatory penalty under 80-02(e).
Question 14 (medium)
At the end of a trip, driver Darnell Brooks finds a phone on the back seat of his yellow taxi. The passenger has already walked away, and Darnell has no way to contact the passenger.
Under 35 RCNY 80-18, what must he do with the phone?
- A. Take it to the taxi's garage and log it with the dispatcher
- B. Keep it in the taxi for 48 hours in case the passenger calls back
- C. Take it without delay to a police precinct as the NYPD directs
- D. Mail it to the TLC with a written note about the trip
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Section 80-18(b)(1) says property found in a taxi must be returned to the passenger if possible; otherwise it must be taken without delay to a police precinct as directed by the NYPD, and the driver must then inform the TLC. Taking found property to a base is an option only for for-hire vehicles and street hail liveries, not for taxis.
Question 15 (hard)
Driver Laura Corrigan has been operating her yellow taxi for 9 of the past 24 hours. A passenger hails her in Midtown Manhattan and asks to go to an address in Nassau County.
Under 35 RCNY 80-20, may Laura refuse the trip?
- A. No, because a trip to Nassau County must always be accepted
- B. Yes, because any trip outside the five boroughs may be refused
- C. No, because this reason applies only to Newark Airport trips
- D. Yes, because of the hours she has already operated the taxi
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Section 80-20(b)(8) lets a driver refuse a trip to Newark Airport or to Nassau or Westchester County when the driver has been operating the vehicle for more than eight hours of any continuous 24-hour period. Without that reason, Nassau trips must be accepted, because 80-20(a)(1) makes trips within the city, Westchester, Nassau and Newark Airport mandatory.
Accessible Dispatch and WAV Rules
Rules for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) and accessible dispatch trips (35 RCNY Chapter 53; study guide topic 6).
Question 16 (easy)
The Accessible Taxi Dispatcher sends a wheelchair accessible taxi to pick up a passenger who uses a wheelchair. Under 35 RCNY 53-09, when may the driver turn on the taximeter?
- A. As soon as the driver arrives at the pickup point
- B. After the passenger is seated and secured in the vehicle
- C. As soon as the driver accepts the dispatch on the equipment
- D. When the driver lowers the ramp to load the passenger
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Section 53-09(b)(2) says the driver must not turn on the taximeter on an accessible dispatch until the passenger is seated and secured in the vehicle. Arriving, accepting the dispatch and lowering the ramp all happen before the passenger is secured, so the meter must still be off.
Question 17 (medium)
Driver Kwame Acheampong accepts an on-demand accessible dispatch to pick up a passenger who uses a wheelchair. He arrives at the pickup point and reports his arrival time, but the passenger is not yet at the curb.
Under 35 RCNY 53-10, how long must he wait, at least, for the passenger to appear?
- A. 2 minutes
- B. 3 minutes
- C. 5 minutes
- D. 10 minutes
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Section 53-10(d) says a driver who accepted a dispatch must wait at least ten minutes after the arrival time he reported for an on-demand trip. Three minutes is the engine idling limit in 80-22, not the waiting time for a dispatched passenger.
Question 18 (hard)
During her shift, the Dispatch Equipment in driver Lucia Tavarez's accessible taxi stops working.
Under 35 RCNY 53-06, by when must she tell the Accessible Taxi Dispatcher and the vehicle's owner, agent or base that it is not working?
- A. Within 1 hour, or by the end of her shift if that comes first
- B. Within 48 hours, which is how long the owner has to repair it
- C. Within 72 hours, not counting weekends and holidays
- D. By the end of her shift, even if that is 6 hours away
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Section 53-06(b)(3)(i) says the driver must notify the dispatcher and the owner, agent or base within 1 hour or by the end of the shift, whichever comes first. The 48 hours in the same rule is the owner's deadline to repair or replace the equipment, not the driver's deadline to report it.
Proper Conduct
Unlicensed activity, bribery, fraud, harassment, use of force and cooperation with law enforcement (35 RCNY 80-11 and 80-12).
Question 19 (easy)
After a long wait in the taxi line at LaGuardia Airport, driver Daniel Eskandari wants to thank the airport dispatcher who helped him by handing her a $20 bill. She works for the airport's ground transportation dispatch service.
Under 35 RCNY 80-12, may Daniel give her the money?
- A. Yes, because a small tip under $25 is allowed for good service
- B. Yes, as long as he gives it to her after his shift has ended
- C. No, he may not give any gift to airport dispatch staff
- D. Yes, if he reports the gift to the TLC on the same day
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Section 80-12(a)(2) says a licensee must not offer or give any gift, gratuity or thing of value to anyone at an airport or other transportation terminal who works in dispatching, ground transportation information, security, traffic control or baggage handling. The rule has no dollar minimum, and the penalty is a $10,000 fine and revocation.
Question 20 (medium)
During a roadside check, a city employee tells driver Wei Zhang that the check will go faster if Wei pays him $50 in cash. Wei refuses to pay. Under 35 RCNY 80-12, what else must Wei do?
- A. Report it at once to the TLC and the Department of Investigation
- B. Report it to the TLC the next time he renews his license
- C. Nothing more, because he refused to pay the money he was asked for
- D. Report it to OATH if he later receives a summons
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Section 80-12(b) says a licensee must immediately report to the TLC and the NYC Department of Investigation any request or demand for a gift or thing of value by a TLC employee or any other public servant. Refusing to pay is not enough; failing to report the request is its own violation.
Question 21 (medium)
A TLC driver is convicted of a crime in criminal court. Under 35 RCNY 80-12, within what time must the driver notify the TLC in writing about the conviction?
- A. 10 calendar days
- B. 15 calendar days
- C. 30 calendar days
- D. 72 hours
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Section 80-12(h) says a licensee must notify the TLC in writing within 15 calendar days after any criminal conviction. Ten days is the deadline in 80-12(i) for reporting a change of mailing or email address, not a conviction.
Vision Zero and Safe Driving
Speed limits, turns, seat belts, phones and the driving-hour limits (35 RCNY 80-13 and 80-14; study guide topic 8).
Question 22 (easy)
According to the TLC study guide, what is the speed limit in New York City unless a sign posts a different limit?
- A. 30 mph
- B. 35 mph
- C. 20 mph
- D. 25 mph
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The study guide's Vision Zero page says the speed limit in New York City is 25 mph unless otherwise posted. It adds that a pedestrian struck at 25 mph is half as likely to be killed as one struck at 30 mph.
Question 23 (medium)
Driver Nikhil Rao finishes one beer at a family dinner at 6:00 PM. Under 35 RCNY 80-14, what is the earliest time he may drive or sit in his TLC vehicle?
- A. 8:00 PM
- B. 10:00 PM
- C. 12:00 AM (midnight)
- D. 6:00 AM the next day
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Section 80-14(b)(2) says a driver must not drive or occupy the vehicle for at least six hours after drinking any alcohol, whatever its alcohol content, so the earliest time is midnight. One beer does not shorten the wait, because the rule covers any amount.
Question 24 (hard)
Driver Monique Darby's facts: she started her shift at 6:00 AM after a full day off; it is now 8:00 PM; since 6:00 AM she has spent 9 hours in total with passengers in her taxi and 5 hours driving between trips with the taxi empty.
Which statement is correct under the daily limit in 35 RCNY 80-14?
- A. She is over the limit, because time between trips also counts
- B. She may transport passengers for 1 more hour
- C. She may transport passengers for 3 more hours, as the limit is 12
- D. She must first spend 8 hours in a row without passengers
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Section 80-14(f) limits a driver to 10 hours of transporting passengers in any 24-hour period and counts only the time passengers are in the vehicle, not the time between trips, so Monique has used 9 hours and has 1 left. The 8 hours in a row without passengers is what resets the 10-hour count; she does not need it until she reaches the limit.
Penalties and Penalty Programs
Mandatory and discretionary penalties, points, suspension and revocation, and the Persistent Violator Program (35 RCNY 80-02 and 80-27).
Question 25 (medium)
Driver Minh Truong has TLC points under the Persistent Violator Program. He voluntarily completes a Point Reduction Course before his Persistent Violator summons is decided.
Under 35 RCNY 80-27, how many TLC points will the TLC deduct?
- A. 2 points
- B. 4 points
- C. 6 points
- D. 3 points
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Section 80-27(a)(5) says the TLC deducts three TLC points for a Point Reduction Course completed before the summons is decided, and three DMV points for a Defensive Driving Course. Six points is where suspension begins under the program, not the size of the deduction.
Question 26 (medium)
Under 35 RCNY 80-02, the TLC may impose a discretionary penalty against a licensed driver in place of a specific penalty.
Besides revocation, what are the limits on a discretionary suspension and fine for each violation?
- A. Suspension up to 6 months; fine up to $1,000
- B. Suspension up to 30 days; fine up to $500
- C. Suspension up to 1 year; fine up to $1,000
- D. Suspension up to 6 months; fine up to $10,000
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Section 80-02(d) lets the TLC impose license revocation, a suspension of up to six months and/or a fine of no more than $1,000 for each violation. A $10,000 fine appears in the rules only as the specific penalty for certain violations, such as bribery, not as the discretionary limit.
Question 27 (hard)
Driver Victor Ovalle's facts: 8 months ago he was convicted of a traffic signal violation (3 points); today he is found guilty of two violations from one incident, speeding 15 mph over the posted limit (4 points) and an unsafe lane change (3 points); he has no other points.
What happens under the Persistent Violator Program in 35 RCNY 80-27?
- A. Revocation, because 10 points count within 15 months
- B. No penalty, because fewer than 10 points count
- C. Suspension of up to 30 days, because 7 points count
- D. Suspension of up to six months, because 7 points count
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Section 80-27(a)(2) counts multiple violations from a single incident as the one violation with the highest points, so today's incident adds 4 points, for 7 in 15 months. Six to nine points means a suspension of up to 30 days, and revocation starts only at 10 points.
NYC Geography
Text questions from the lists in the TLC study guide: Manhattan streets and avenues, highways, river crossings, landmarks and directions. The real exam also has atlas, map and photo questions, which our practice does not copy.
Question 28 (easy)
According to the river crossings table in the TLC study guide, which two boroughs does the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connect?
- A. Manhattan and Brooklyn
- B. Brooklyn and Staten Island
- C. Staten Island and Manhattan
- D. Queens and Brooklyn
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The study guide's crossings table lists the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge as a toll bridge over New York Harbor between Brooklyn and Staten Island. Manhattan and Brooklyn are linked by other crossings in the table, such as the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.
Question 29 (medium)
According to the TLC study guide, which of these Manhattan avenues carries traffic north (uptown)?
- A. Third Avenue
- B. Second Avenue
- C. Lexington Avenue
- D. Fifth Avenue
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The study guide lists First, Third, Madison, Sixth, Eighth and Tenth avenues as running north. Second, Lexington, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth and Eleventh avenues run south.
Question 30 (hard)
A passenger asks to be driven north on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, from West 50th Street to an address north of West 110th Street.
According to the TLC study guide, what is the avenue called once the taxi passes West 110th Street?
- A. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard
- B. Malcolm X Boulevard
- C. Frederick Douglass Boulevard
- D. Central Park West
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The study guide says Eighth Avenue becomes Central Park West at Columbus Circle and then Frederick Douglass Boulevard at 110th Street. Central Park West is the name only between Columbus Circle and 110th Street, and Malcolm X Boulevard is the guide's name for Sixth Avenue above Central Park.
What these questions are, and are not
These questions test the rules the TLC study guide points to: 35 RCNY Chapter 80 for drivers, Chapter 53 for accessible vehicles and the definitions in Chapter 51, plus the current TLC taxi fare page for fares and the study guide's own lists for geography. Where the study guide disagrees with the current rules or fare page, we follow the current rule or fare page. The TLC does not publish how many questions come from each topic, so these questions are not copies of the real test, and the real test may look different.
Frequently asked questions
Are these the real TLC exam questions?
No. The TLC and PSI do not publish the real exam questions. Every question on this page is our own, written from the current TLC rules, the TLC taxi fare page and the TLC study guide, and each answer names the rule section or page it comes from.
How many questions are on the TLC exam, and what score do I need?
The TLC Driver License Exam has 80 multiple-choice questions, you have up to 2 hours, and you need 70%, which is 56 correct. How many questions come from each of the 10 topics is not published. See the TLC exam study guide.
Why do some answers differ from the TLC study guide?
The study guide is dated May 2019, and its fares are out of date. Where the guide and the current rules or fare page disagree, these questions follow the current rule or fare page. For example, the JFK to Manhattan flat fare is now $70, not the guide's $52.
Is the geography part covered?
Partly. Our geography questions are text only and come from the lists in the study guide, such as avenue directions, avenue name changes and the river crossings table. The real exam also has atlas, map and photo questions, which we do not copy. See the geography test guide.
Can I print this practice test?
Yes. Use your browser's print command to print this page, then answer on paper with the answers closed, the way you will on exam day. Open the answers afterward to check your work.
How should I use this practice test?
Take it once without notes, then check your answers. For every miss, read the rule section or study guide page named in the explanation, then try the question again a few days later. The topics you miss most are the ones to study first.
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Last updated October 2026