top of page
52275685870_5196c51683_o.jpg

CONGESTION RELIEF ZONE

Your questions about the toll, answered

  • What part of Manhattan will be tolled?
    Starting on January 5, 2024 at 12:00 a.m., vehicles entering Manhattan south of and including 60 Street will be charged a toll. Vehicles traveling exclusively on the FDR Drive, West Street/West Side Highway, or the Hugh L. Carey connections to West Street will not be charged a toll. See the full toll rate schedule.
  • How does the Congestion Pricing system know if a vehicle left the excluded roadways and should be charged a toll?
    Toll detection points are located at multiple points along the excluded roadways. Vehicles that are detected at multiple detection points in sequence and are then detected exiting the Congestion Relief Zone, all in a reasonable period of time, will not be charged the toll. The system will charge a toll only if a vehicle is no longer detected on the excluded roadways.
  • Why is toll collection equipment installed on the excluded roadways and outside the zone (e.g., on FDR Drive, West Side Highway, or north of 60 Street leaving the zone)?
    These are not toll collection points and thus do not collect any tolls. They are traffic monitoring points. Data collected at these traffic monitoring points will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of Congestion Pricing.
  • Will I be charged a toll if I park just off one of the excluded roadways?
    Yes. Vehicles detected entering the Congestion Relief Zone on an excluded roadway and then no longer seen by other detection points along the excluded roadway will be charged a toll.
  • Will I be charged a toll if I enter the Congestion Relief Zone, drive one block in, and then exit?
    Yes, you will be charged a toll since you entered the Congestion Relief Zone. In general, any vehicle that travels on local streets and avenues in the Congestion Relief Zone will be charged a toll.
  • Will I get charged if I start my trip inside the Congestion Relief Zone and travel on an excluded roadway?
    No. Traveling within the zone – even along or across excluded roadways like West Street or the FDR Drive south of 60 Street – will not incur a toll. For example, if you begin your trip on Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan and cross West Street into Battery Park City, you will not be tolled. However, you will be tolled if you exit the zone by crossing 60 St or any of the eight bridges and tunnels that lead into the Congestion Relief Zone, then re-enter the zone.
  • If I am driving between Brooklyn and the FDR Drive via the Williamsburg, Manhattan or Brooklyn Bridge, will I be charged a toll?
    Vehicles traveling between the FDR Drive and Brooklyn crossings will be tolled if the trip cannot be made exclusively on highways. Vehicles traveling between the FDR Drive and the Williamsburg Bridge, or between the FDR Drive and the Manhattan Bridge will be tolled because the connection involves Manhattan streets. Vehicles can travel from the FDR Drive to the Brooklyn Bridge, and from the Brooklyn Bridge to the FDR Drive northbound without hitting the street grid and so will not be tolled. Vehicles traveling from the Brooklyn Bridge to the FDR southbound, however, will be tolled, as that connection includes hitting the grid at Pearl Street.
  • If I am driving between Brooklyn and Manhattan on the Hugh Carey Tunnel, will I be charged a toll?
    Vehicles traveling between the Hugh Carey Tunnel and Manhattan will be charged a toll if the trip cannot be made exclusively on highways. Vehicles traveling between the Hugh Carey Tunnel and West St, whether they are headed north, or south toward the FDR Drive, will not be charged a toll because they are staying on excluded roadways. Vehicles exiting the Hugh Carey Tunnel onto Trinity Place or anywhere else in the Congestion Relief Zone will be charged a toll. Vehicles taking this route, however, will receive a crossing credit against the cost of the Congestion Relief Zone toll.
  • If I am driving between Queens and the FDR Drive via the Queens Midtown Tunnel or Queensboro Bridge, will I be charged a toll?
    Vehicles traveling between the FDR Drive and Queens will be charged a toll if the trip cannot be made exclusively on highways. Vehicles traveling between the FDR Drive and the Queens Midtown Tunnel will be charged a toll because the connection involves Manhattan streets. Vehicles taking this route, however, will receive a crossing credit against the cost of the Congestion Relief Zone toll. Vehicles traveling between the FDR Drive and the Queensboro Bridge will also be charged a toll, except if they are traveling from Queens to the Upper East Side on the Upper Level because that ramp exits onto 62 Street.
  • If I am driving between New Jersey and the West Side Highway via the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, will I be charged a toll?
    Vehicles traveling between the West Side Highway and New Jersey will be charged a toll if the trip cannot be made exclusively on highways. The connections between the West Side Highway and both the Lincoln Tunnel and the Holland Tunnel involve Manhattan streets, and so those drivers will be charged a toll. Vehicles taking these routes, however, will receive a crossing credit against the cost of the Congestion Relief Zone toll.
  • How much will I pay to drive into the Congestion Relief Zone?
    Toll amounts vary by type of vehicle, time of day, and whether any discounts, exemptions, or crossing credits apply. See full details about toll rates.
  • I live within the Congestion Relief Zone. Do I still need to pay the toll?
    Yes. Residents of the Congestion Relief Zone must pay the toll unless they have received an exemption. You will only be charged when your vehicle enters the Congestion Relief Zone. You will not be charged for days when your vehicle is parked or on days when all trips made are entirely within the Congestion Relief Zone. Residents of the Congestion Relief Zone whose New York State household adjusted gross income is under $60,000 may qualify for a tax credit in the amount of tolls paid. The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will publish more information about this tax credit in the coming months.
  • Do I pay the toll for every day that I remain in the zone?
    No. If you remain in the Congestion Relief Zone, whether parked for multiple days or traveling exclusively within the zone, you will not be charged a toll.
  • Are taxi or for-hire vehicle trips tolled in the Congestion Relief Zone?
    Taxis and for-hire vehicles licensed with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission will be eligible for a smaller, per-trip charge on journeys to, from, within, or through the Congestion Relief Zone, instead of the daily toll. Drivers of these vehicles should sign up for the Per-Trip Charge Plan. Customers in taxis, green cabs, and black cars will pay a $0.75 per-trip charge. Customers in high-volume for-hire vehicles will pay a $1.50 per-trip charge. Read more about the Per-Trip Charge Plan.
  • If I cross into the Congestion Relief Zone through a tolled tunnel, do I also need to pay the Congestion Relief Zone toll?
    Yes, but you will receive a crossing credit against the amount of the Congestion Relief Zone toll. The credit only applies during the peak period (Monday – Friday 5 a.m. – 9 p.m., and Saturday – Sunday 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.) and for vehicles using E-ZPass. The amount of the crossing credit will depend on the type of vehicle and whether the tunnel is tolled in one or both directions. Read more about crossing credits.
  • What’s the difference between a large passenger van and a small truck, or between a small truck and a large truck?
    Vans that do not have raised rooflines above the top of the windshield or body modifications extending beyond the driver’s cab will be charged as passenger vehicles. Small trucks, or single-unit trucks, include non-articulated trucks, pickup trucks with modified beds, vans with modified body behind the driver’s cab, pickup trucks with caps above the roofline or extending over the sides, and vans with an extended roof above the windshield. Examples of small trucks include grocery or package delivery trucks. Large trucks, or multi-unit trucks, include articulated trucks where a power unit is carrying one or more trailers.
  • Passenger vehicles pay no more than once a day, but when does the day begin and end exactly? If a passenger vehicle enters twice, once in the peak and once in the overnight period, which toll applies?
    The daily tolling period begins at 12:00 a.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. Passenger vehicles and motorcycles making more than one entry between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m will be charged the toll that is in effect the first time they enter the Zone.
  • I drive a low- or zero-emissions vehicle. Do I still need to pay the toll?
    Yes. All vehicles, regardless of their emissions levels, contribute to traffic congestion and will be tolled.
  • How will the Congestion Relief Zone toll be phased in?
    The MTA will phase in the toll structure that was approved by the MTA Board back in March 2024. Beginning on January 5, 2025 at midnight, tolls across the board will start at 60% their original value. In 2028, tolls will increase to 80% their original value, and finally 100% in 2031. This means starting on January 5, 2025, passenger vehicles entering the Congestion Relief Zone will pay $9 during the peak and $2.25 overnight. In 2028, passenger vehicles will pay $12 during the peak and $3 overnight. And beginning in 2031, passenger vehicles will pay $15 during the peak and $3.75 overnight. Learn more about the full toll structure and phase-in details.
  • How will vehicles be detected and charged the toll? Why is it important to make sure my E-ZPass account includes my license plate information?
    Detection points will identify the license plate of every vehicle entering the Congestion Relief Zone. If that vehicle is equipped with an E-ZPass that is linked to the vehicle’s license plate, the E-ZPass will be charged. If the vehicle does not have an E-ZPass, or if the E-ZPass does not correspond to that vehicle’s license plate, the system will send a Tolls By Mail bill to the registered owner of the vehicle. Tolls by Mail rates are higher than E-ZPass rates, so please make sure to update your E-ZPass account.
  • What is the difference between E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail rates?
    E-ZPass rates for the Congestion Relief Zone are generally 50% lower than Tolls by Mail rates. Make sure you have an E-ZPass account that includes your current license plate numbers to guarantee the lowest Congestion Relief Zone toll rate.
  • How do I sign up for an E-ZPass account? How do I make sure my E-ZPass account includes the correct license plate information?
    You can apply for an E-ZPass account online at the E-ZPass New York website. Fill out the application online and you will receive an E-ZPass transponder and profile within 5 to 7 business days. It’s always a good idea to make sure your E-ZPass account includes the correct license plate information for your vehicle – you can check your E-ZPass account here.
  • What if I drive a borrowed car, or a rental car, with my own E-ZPass?
    If your E-ZPass account is not associated with the vehicle’s license plate, the registered vehicle owner will receive a Tolls by Mail bill.
  • What happens if my E-ZPass transponder is not mounted properly?
    If the E-ZPass transponder cannot be read and the vehicle’s license plate is not associated with an E-ZPass account, the registered vehicle owner will receive a Tolls by Mail bill. Make sure to properly mount your E-ZPass transponder and keep your license plate information up-to-date to get the lowest toll rate.
  • What toll rate will I pay if I use an out-of-state E-ZPass?
    You will pay the E-ZPass rate, as long as your vehicle’s license plate is registered on your E-ZPass account.
  • Can I link an out-of-state license plate to an E-ZPass New York account?
    Yes. If you have an out-of-state license plate, you can link it with an E-ZPass New York account.
  • Is there a cost to obtaining an E-ZPass New York transponder? Is there a monthly fee to have an E-ZPass New York account?
    You can open an E-ZPass account for as little as $25, which goes toward the cost of your tolls. If you opt into Pay Per Trip, no pre-paid balance is required. There is no cost to obtain an E-ZPass New York transponder, and the MTA does not charge a monthly fee. In fact, the MTA removed the $10 deposit requirement for those who do not have a credit card linked to their E-ZPass New York account. To learn more about E-ZPass plans, visit E-ZPass plan descriptions.
  • How soon will the toll appear on my E-ZPass account?
    For E-ZPass customers, the toll charge will typically appear on your account within 2 days. Tolls by Mail customers will see their toll charges when the invoice is sent. Initially, it may take longer to see your toll charges as we ensure billing is correct.
  • Who can get an exemption from the toll? How do I apply?
    Certain vehicles will be exempt from the toll, including: Qualifying authorized emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire vehicles Qualifying vehicles transporting people with disabilities Specialized government vehicles School buses contracted with the NYC Department of Education Commuter vans licensed by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission Buses providing scheduled commuter services open to the public More information about eligibility, documentation requirements, and application instructions can be found here.
  • What special discounts are available for people with low incomes?
    Low-income vehicle owners may qualify for the Low-Income Discount Plan. Read more about it here. Separately, New York State has instituted a tax credit for residents of the Congestion Relief Zone whose New York State adjusted gross income is less than $60,000 per year. Visit the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance's website for more information.
  • Do I need an E-ZPass New York account to sign up for a discount or exemption plan?
    Yes, only vehicles connected with an E-ZPass New York account can enroll in a discount or exemption plan. Learn more about discount and exemption plans here.
bottom of page