Checked on October 23, 2026, against the TLC pages Get a TLC Driver License and TLC Licensing Education, the TLC Driver License Application Guide (revised February 2025), the Road to Licensure flyer (February 2023) and TLC's 5 Things You Should Know sheet.
This guide explains how to get a TLC license in NYC: who qualifies, every step, every cost the TLC lists and the 90-day deadline that ties them together. The TLC (the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission) issues one TLC Driver License for yellow taxis, green taxis and for-hire vehicles, including app-based ride services. One of the steps is the TLC Driver License Exam, which has its own page: the NYC TLC Driver License Exam.
TLC license requirements in NYC: who can apply
The TLC license page lists these requirements. You must:
- Be at least 19 years old.
- Hold a valid DMV chauffeur's license: a Commercial Class A, B or C license, or a For-hire Class E license. (The 2019 study guide mentions only Class E; the current TLC pages list all four.)
- Have a valid Social Security Number.
- Owe no fines or fees to the New York State DMV or the TLC.
- Have no more than 5 DMV points in the 15 months before your most recent conviction date.
- Be "fit to hold a license." The application guide adds that you must have no pending criminal charges that will not be resolved within 90 days, and your fingerprints are reviewed for criminal history.
Out-of-state driver's license: the TLC asks for a DMV driving abstract no more than 90 days old (the 2023 flyer says it should show the last 2 years). Since October 1, 2025, out-of-state applicants also complete an ID-5 form at a New York State DMV office and upload the FS-6T receipt to TLC UP, the TLC's upload site.
Do you need a TLC license to drive for Uber in NYC?
Many people look up how to get a TLC license for Uber or another app. The Road to Licensure flyer says one TLC Driver License covers yellow taxis, green taxis, livery cars, black cars, limousines and High Volume For-Hire Vehicles, which is the TLC's category for large app-based ride services. The TLC education page lists high-volume app services among the drivers who take the exam. So the steps on this page are the same whether you plan to drive a yellow taxi or work through an app. TLC pages do not name individual app companies, and each company sets its own extra requirements, which this guide does not cover. Commuter van and paratransit drivers are exempt from the exam.
The steps, in any order, within 90 days
Everything starts with the online application. The flyer says the other steps do not have to be done in order, but all of them must be finished within 90 days of applying, or the TLC denies the application.
- Apply online in LARS, the TLC's online licensing system, and pay the $252 application fee. The TLC does not take applications in person. You get an application number, which you need for the courses.
- Take the TLC drug test with LabCorp ($34).
- Get fingerprinted and photographed with IdentoGO, service code 15425Y ($90.25).
- Have the medical form completed by a licensed physician (an MD or DO, per the flyer). The application guide says the form can be no older than 90 days. The TLC does not publish what the exam costs.
- Complete the New York State DMV 6-hour Defensive Driving Course ($25 to $75) and upload the certificate to TLC UP, unless you finished one no more than 3 years before applying.
- Pay all parking and traffic tickets.
- Watch the 10-minute Sex Trafficking Awareness video.
- Take the 3-day course at a TLC-authorized school ($245 to $250). It is 8 hours a day for 3 days, 24 hours in all, which is why many people call it the 24-hour course.
- Take the Passenger Assistance and WAV training (wheelchair accessible vehicle training, $50 to $125): at least 3 hours in the classroom and 1 hour hands-on.
- Pass the TLC Driver License Exam with a score of 70% or higher ($49 per attempt). It has 80 multiple-choice questions. Booking, test day and retakes are in our TLC exam appointment guide, and the topics are in the TLC exam study guide.
What a TLC license costs
These are the costs the TLC license page lists. TLC fees are not refundable.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application processing fee (3-year license) | $252 |
| Drug test (LabCorp) | $34 |
| Fingerprints and photo (IdentoGO) | $90.25 |
| 3-day course (24 hours) | $245 to $250 |
| Passenger Assistance and WAV training | $50 to $125 |
| TLC Driver License Exam (paid to PSI) | $49 per attempt |
| DMV Defensive Driving Course | $25 to $75 |
| Medical exam | Not published |
| Total of the listed items | $745.25 to $875.25 |
The total is our own sum, with one exam attempt and without the medical exam. Each extra exam attempt adds $49. The $252 fee works out to $84 a year, which is how Chapter 80 of the TLC rules states it (35 RCNY 80-07). If the application is denied and you apply again, you pay a new fee, according to the 5 Things You Should Know sheet.
The 90-day clock, and the course deadlines inside it
The 90 days run from the date you apply. The TLC education page adds several deadlines inside that window:
- 3-day course: register with your TLC application number no later than 5 days before the application expires. Schools will not register you after day 85.
- WAV training: the TLC recommends taking it before the exam and at least 60 days before the 90-day deadline. The 5 Things You Should Know sheet says both the 3-day course and the WAV training must be done before the exam.
- Exam: pass it no later than 3 days before the application expires.
Plan backward from day 90. Retakes take at least 24 hours each (see the appointment guide), so an exam booked in the last week leaves almost no room for a second try.
If the application is denied: since October 1, 2024, people who reapply within 6 months keep credit for the 3-day course and the WAV training, except people who were disqualified from the exam.
Courses: languages and choosing a school
The 3-day course is taught in a classroom in Arabic, Bengali, English, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish and Urdu. You can ask for a course in another of the city's top 10 languages, according to the 5 Things You Should Know sheet. The TLC education page lists the authorized schools. The exam itself is given in English, Arabic, Bengali, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Urdu.
After you get the license
The license lasts 3 years. To renew, you take a renewal course (3 hours plus 1 hour hands-on) within the 90-day renewal period, with no exam. NYC Open Data listed 180,672 active TLC-licensed drivers on October 23, 2026, so you join a large group of drivers.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I get a TLC license in NYC, step by step?
Apply online in LARS, then finish the drug test, fingerprints, medical form, DMV defensive driving course, the Sex Trafficking Awareness video, the 3-day course, the WAV training and the exam, and pay any tickets. The list above gives each step. Everything must be done within 90 days of applying.
How much does a TLC license cost in NYC?
The items the TLC lists add up to $745.25 to $875.25 with one exam attempt, not counting the medical exam, whose cost is not published. See the cost table above.
How long does it take to get a TLC license?
The TLC gives you 90 days from your application to finish every step. It does not publish how long the review takes after that.
How old do you have to be to drive a taxi in NYC?
At least 19, with a DMV chauffeur's license (Class A, B, C or E).
Can I get a TLC license with an out-of-state license?
The TLC asks for a DMV abstract no more than 90 days old, and since October 1, 2025, an ID-5 form completed at a New York State DMV office with the FS-6T receipt uploaded to TLC UP.
Is the TLC license the same for taxis and app services?
Yes. TLC's flyer says one TLC Driver License covers yellow taxis, green taxis, livery, black car, limousine and High Volume For-Hire Vehicles.
What happens if I do not finish in 90 days?
The TLC denies the application. Reapplying means a new fee, but since October 1, 2024, your course and WAV training credit carries over if you reapply within 6 months.
Do I need to take the exam to renew?
No. Renewing drivers take a renewal course with no exam.
Official sources
- TLC: Get a TLC Driver License
- TLC: TLC Licensing Education (driver education)
- TLC: TLC Driver License Application Guide, revised February 19, 2025 (PDF)
- TLC: The Road to Licensure flyer, February 2023 (PDF)
- TLC: 5 Things You Should Know before registering for courses (PDF)
- TLC rules, 35 RCNY Chapter 80, Medallion Taxicab, SHL and For-Hire Drivers (PDF)
- NYC Open Data: For Hire Vehicles (FHV) - Active Drivers
PrepRaven is an independent exam-prep site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), PSI Services LLC or any City or State agency. This guide describes the rules as published; it is not legal advice. Facts are as of October 2026; always confirm fees, fares and exam rules on the TLC pages linked above. Uber is a trademark of its owner, which is not affiliated with PrepRaven.
Last updated October 2026