What Is a TLC Base License?
A TLC base license is the operating authority every NYC for-hire company needs — a licensed dispatch base that for-hire vehicles affiliate with. In New York, a vehicle can't legally take pre-arranged trips unless it's affiliated with a base. It costs $1,500 for a three-year term (RCNY Ch. 59 §59B).
What are the NYC base types?
- Black Car base: dispatches pre-arranged trips, more than 90% paid by account/credit (non-cash), with vehicles owned by base franchisees or cooperative members.
- Luxury Limousine base: pre-arranged, charged garage-to-garage on a flat, time, or mileage basis, vehicles seating 20 or fewer, >90% non-cash.
- Livery (Community Car) base: dispatches vehicles designed to carry 5 or fewer passengers, charged by flat rate, mileage, or zone.
(A fourth class, High-Volume For-Hire Service, covers app companies like Uber and Lyft and isn't the traditional-operator path.)
How many vehicles must a base affiliate?
Luxury-limousine and livery bases must affiliate a minimum of 10 vehicles — or 5 if at least one is a wheelchair-accessible vehicle — and maintain that affiliation to renew. Each affiliated vehicle carries its own FHV license and is inspected by the TLC three times a year.
Common questions
What is a TLC base license?
It is the operating authority every NYC for-hire company needs — a licensed dispatch base that for-hire vehicles affiliate with. A vehicle cannot legally take pre-arranged trips unless it is affiliated with a base. It costs $1,500 for a three-year term (RCNY Ch. 59 §59B).
What are the NYC base types?
Three serve pre-arranged operators: Black Car (over 90% non-cash, franchisee or co-op vehicles), Luxury Limousine (garage-to-garage flat/time/mileage rates, vehicles seating 20 or fewer), and Livery/Community Car (vehicles for 5 or fewer passengers). A fourth class, High-Volume For-Hire Service, covers Uber and Lyft.
How many vehicles must a NYC base affiliate?
Luxury-limousine and livery bases must affiliate a minimum of 10 vehicles — or 5 if at least one is wheelchair-accessible — and maintain that to renew. Each affiliated vehicle carries its own FHV license and is inspected by the TLC three times a year.
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General information, not legal advice — verify against current TLC sources before relying on it. Some items (insurance minimums, airport permits, congestion surcharges) are noted where our verification was incomplete. See our Terms of Service.