Checked on October 23, 2026, against the TLC Driver Education Course and Exam Study Guide (revised May 2019), the current TLC rules (Chapter 80, Chapter 53 and Chapter 51), the current TLC taxi fare page and the TLC Licensing Education page.
This is a free TLC exam study guide for the NYC TLC Driver License Exam: what the 10 official topics cover, how many questions there are, what score you need and, most of all, what has changed since the TLC printed its own study guide in May 2019. The rules and the topic list in that guide still match the current rule book, but its fares do not. If you study fares from the 2019 guide, you study the wrong numbers.
How many questions are on the TLC exam, and what is the passing score?
The TLC education page and the PSI candidate bulletin agree: 80 multiple-choice questions, up to 2 hours, on a computer with a mouse and keyboard. The passing score is 70%, which is 56 correct answers out of 80. There are no breaks; you may leave for the restroom only with permission, and the clock keeps running. Calculators are not allowed.
Not published: how many questions come from each topic, any pass rate and a numeric score. PSI shows pass or fail on the screen and emails results within 48 hours; if you fail, the report lists the topic areas to study, "such as geography." Our practice therefore gives every topic equal weight. Booking, test day and retakes are in our TLC exam appointment and test day guide.
The 10 topics on the exam
The study guide lists 10 topics, each with the TLC rule sections behind it. Our practice uses the same 10, so that a PSI fail report's topic names map to our sections.
| Topic in the TLC study guide | Our practice section | Where the rules are |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Government | Government and Agencies | Study guide p.2; 80-04 |
| 2. Licensing | Licensing | 80-04, 80-06, 80-07, 80-08, 80-10 |
| 3. Vehicle Requirements | Vehicle Requirements | 80-22 to 80-26 |
| 4. Operations: Passenger Solicitation | Passenger Solicitation, Rates and Airports | 80-14, 80-15, 80-17, 80-19, 80-21; fare page |
| 5. Operations: Customer Service and Service Refusal | Customer Service and Service Refusal | 80-16, 80-18, 80-20 |
| 6. Accessible Dispatch Rules | Accessible Dispatch and WAV Rules | Chapter 53; study guide p.10 |
| 7. Comply with Laws: Proper Conduct | Proper Conduct | 80-11, 80-12 |
| 8. Complying with Laws: Vision Zero and Safety | Vision Zero and Safe Driving | 80-13, 80-14; study guide p.12 |
| 9. Penalties and Special Driver Penalty Programs | Penalties and Penalty Programs | 80-02, 80-27 |
| 10. New York City Geography | NYC Geography | Study guide p.15-33 |
Chapter 80 is the drivers' chapter of the TLC rules (Title 35 of the Rules of the City of New York, or 35 RCNY). Chapter 53 covers accessible taxis, and Chapter 51 holds the definitions. All are free on the TLC Rules page.
Examples of rules the topics cover
These are a few rules we checked in the current Chapter 80. They show the kind of detail the topics ask for; they are not a complete list.
- Penalties (80-02): a discretionary penalty can be revocation, a suspension of up to six months and/or a fine of no more than $1,000 per violation. Some violations carry mandatory penalties, such as overcharging by $10 or more and the listed refusal-of-service violations.
- Persistent Violator Program (80-27): 6 to 9 TLC and/or DMV points in 15 months means a suspension of up to 30 days, and 10 or more means revocation. Several violations from one incident count as the single highest-point violation. A Point Reduction Course (TLC points) or a Defensive Driving Course (DMV points) takes off 3 points.
- Hail Exclusionary Zone (80-19 and Chapter 51): green taxis may not pick up street hails in Manhattan south of East 96th Street and West 110th Street, or at the NYC airports.
- Idling and horns: no idling for more than 3 minutes (80-22), and no honking except as traffic rules allow (80-15).
- Driving hours (80-14(f)): the daily and weekly driving-hour limits count only time with passengers.
- Speed: the study guide gives the NYC speed limit as 25 mph unless a sign says otherwise.
What changed since the 2019 study guide
The only study guide from the TLC is dated May 2019, and its practice exams are from January 2022. The rule book is newer (the Chapter 80 file is from June 2025). Its topic list and section numbers still match, so the guide is still worth reading for structure. These parts are out of date or wrong.
1. Taxi fares and surcharges
This is the biggest change. The table compares the 2019 guide with the current TLC taxi fare page. The 2022 practice exams also give the old rush hour ($1.00) and overnight (50 cents) surcharges in their answer key.
| Charge | 2019 study guide | Current fare page (checked October 23, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial charge | $2.50 | $3.00 |
| Each meter unit | 50 cents | $0.70 per 1/5 mile (above 12 mph) or per 60 seconds slow or stopped |
| Overnight surcharge | 50 cents | $1.00 (8 PM to 6 AM) |
| Rush hour surcharge | $1.00 | $2.50 (4 PM to 8 PM weekdays, not holidays) |
| Improvement surcharge | 30 cents | $1.00 |
| JFK to or from Manhattan, flat fare | $52 | $70 |
| JFK flat fare, rush hour surcharge | $4.50 | $5.00 |
| Newark surcharge (on top of the meter) | $17.50 | $20.00 |
The current fare page also lists charges to know:
- MTA State Surcharge: $0.50.
- New York State Congestion Surcharge: $2.50 for yellow taxi trips that start in, end in or pass through Manhattan south of 96th Street.
- MTA Congestion Pricing toll: $0.75 for trips in Manhattan south of and including 60th Street.
- Airport access fee: $2.00, for pickups only, at LaGuardia and JFK.
- LaGuardia: the meter plus a $5.00 surcharge.
- JFK to or from Manhattan: the $70 flat fare plus the MTA surcharge ($0.50), the improvement surcharge ($1.00), the rush hour surcharge ($5.00) when it applies, the congestion charges, tolls and the tip.
- Newark: the meter plus a $20.00 surcharge, plus tolls, including return tolls.
- Westchester and Nassau: the meter inside the city, then double the meter from the city limit (Rate #04).
- No extra charge for more passengers, luggage or paying by credit card.
Fares change. Check the fare page the week of your exam; how the real exam states fare questions today is not published.
2. The chauffeur's license class
The guide mentions only a Class E license. The current TLC license page accepts a Commercial Class A, B or C license or a For-hire Class E license. Our guide to getting a TLC license in NYC has the full list of requirements.
3. Errors and old lists in the geography pages
The guide places the Empire State Building at Fifth Avenue and 34th Street (350 Fifth Avenue) in its lists, but one sample answer puts it at 34th Street and Broadway. Its crossings table says the Williamsburg Bridge crosses the Hudson River; it crosses the East River, like the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges in the same table. Its airport terminal lists are from 2019. Our TLC geography test guide lists these and explains how to study around them.
4. Rules that may change soon
The TLC held a public hearing on December 17, 2025, on a proposed rule that would allow one exam attempt per 30 days and three per 90-day application, rename the courses, require Accessibility Training before the exam and add "navigation" to the geography knowledge drivers need. As of October 23, 2026, the TLC proposed rules page lists no Commission vote on it. Until it is adopted, the current rules apply.
How to pass the TLC exam: a study plan
- Read the TLC study guide once, cover to cover, for the topic list and the style. Mark every fare amount as "check against the current fare page."
- Learn the current fares from the fare page, not from the guide or the 2022 practice exams. Calculators are not allowed in the exam room, so practice simple fare sums on paper.
- Work through Chapter 80 by topic, using the section numbers in the table above. Focus on numbers the rules state: points, suspension lengths, the 3-minute idling limit, the Hail Exclusionary Zone streets.
- Read Chapter 53 for the accessible dispatch and WAV rules; your WAV training covers the same ground.
- Give geography real time. It takes 18 of the guide's 33 numbered pages. See the geography guide for a text method.
- Take timed practice. 80 questions in 2 hours is 1.5 minutes per question. The TLC's free practice exams are useful for style, as long as you check their fare answers against the current page.
The 3-day course comes before the exam and covers the same topics. Your course and the exam are both part of the 90-day window explained in our TLC license guide.
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We'll email you when our NYC TLC Driver License Exam practice tests open, with all 10 study-guide topics and current fares. The exam runs year-round, so you can study now with our free guides. No spam, and you can unsubscribe with one click.
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Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the TLC exam?
80 multiple-choice questions, with up to 2 hours to answer them.
What is the TLC exam passing score?
70%, which is 56 of 80 questions correct. PSI reports pass or fail; a numeric score report is not described.
How many questions come from each topic?
Not published. The TLC lists 10 topics but gives no count or weight for each, so study all of them.
Is the TLC study guide still current?
Partly. It is dated May 2019. Its topics and rule section numbers still match the current rules, but its fares are out of date and its geography pages have some errors. See the comparison above.
Is the TLC exam hard?
The TLC publishes no pass rate. The exam asks for detailed rules, current fares and city geography, and you must pass within your 90-day application window, so plan time for study.
Can I use a calculator on the TLC exam?
No. PSI gives you paper and a pencil, but calculators are not allowed.
Which fares should I study?
The ones on the current TLC taxi fare page, not the 2019 guide or the 2022 practice exams. The table above compares them, as of October 23, 2026.
Where can I find the TLC rules?
On the TLC Rules page, which links every current chapter. Chapter 80 covers drivers, Chapter 53 accessible taxis and Chapter 51 definitions.
Official sources
- TLC: Driver Education Course and Exam Study Guide, revised May 2019 (PDF)
- TLC: practice exams, English, January 2022 (PDF)
- TLC: TLC Licensing Education (driver education)
- PSI for TLC: TLC Driver License Exam candidate information bulletin (PDF)
- TLC rules, 35 RCNY Chapter 80, Medallion Taxicab, SHL and For-Hire Drivers (PDF)
- TLC rules, 35 RCNY Chapter 53, Accessible Taxicabs and Accessible Street Hail Vehicles (PDF)
- TLC rules, 35 RCNY Chapter 51, Definitions (PDF)
- TLC: Taxi Fare (current yellow taxi fares and surcharges)
- TLC: TLC Rules (all current chapters)
- TLC: Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Rules, Driver License and Education Requirements (hearing December 17, 2025) (PDF)
- TLC: Proposed Rules and Pilot Programs
- TLC: Get a TLC Driver License
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.
Last updated October 2026