Glossary termTolls, E-ZPass & congestion pricing

NYCSC: E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center

NYCSC is the E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center. At MTA bridges and tunnels only NYCSC customers get E-ZPass rates; other tags pay the mail rate.

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  • 3 official sources

Definition

NYCSC

The E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center; at MTA bridges and tunnels only its customers get E-ZPass rates.

On this page (6)
  1. Which tags count as NYCSC
  2. Why it matters to TLC drivers
  3. Where you will see this term
  4. Common mix-ups
  5. FAQ
  6. Sources

NYCSC stands for the E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center: the service center behind E-ZPass New York accounts. You mostly meet the term in MTA's toll table, where it decides your price. MTA says "E-ZPass rates apply to NYCSC E-ZPass customers only. Non-NYCSC customers pay Tolls by Mail rates" (MTA). In plain words: at MTA bridges and tunnels, a tag from another state's E-ZPass agency is charged the mail price.

Which tags count as NYCSC

MTA's footnote names three issuers: "NYCSC Tags are issued by The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, The New York State Thruway Authority and MTA Bridges and Tunnels." In the Port Authority's tag ID list, those agencies' tags start with 005, 004, and 008 or 086. Check yours on which agency issued my E-ZPass?

Why it matters to TLC drivers

  1. NYCSC tag, properly mounted

    E-ZPass rate. Car at the six major MTA crossings: $7.46.

  2. NYCSC customer, tag not properly mounted or toll posted by plate

    Mid-Tier rate: $9.79.

  3. Non-NYCSC tag (for example New Jersey)

    Tolls by Mail rate: $12.03.

  4. No account

    A Toll Bill to the registered owner at $12.03, with late fees if unpaid.

MTA rates effective January 4, 2026 (as of 2026-10-12).

  • TLC rules and the tag. Owners must keep an E-ZPass New York account with MTA Bridges and Tunnels and have at least one MTA tag per vehicle license (§58-27, §59A-24). Drivers may use a personal tag (§80-15(d)(3)), but a non-NYCSC personal tag costs more at MTA crossings.
  • Mid-Tier is NYCSC-specific at MTA. MTA's Mid-Tier footnote applies to NYCSC customers "When Not Using Their Properly Mounted NYCSC E-Z Pass Tag," to "Crossing Charges Posted to NYCSC E-ZPass Accounts Based on License Plates," and to "NYCSC Third-Party Account Providers." See Mid-Tier.
  • Port Authority is different. At Port Authority crossings, E-ZPass discounts apply to accounts at the New York and New Jersey service centers.

Where you will see this term

In the footnotes of MTA's toll rate table, on E-ZPass New York statements and letters, and when you call 1-800-333-TOLL (8655). The Tolls NY app is, in the Port Authority's words, "the only authorized mobile app for managing your E-ZPass New York and/or Tolls by Mail account."

Common mix-ups

  • NYCSC is not only MTA. Port Authority- and Thruway-issued tags are NYCSC tags too.
  • NYCSC is not your tag holder. NYCSC runs the account; the tag holder is the customer whose account pays.
  • NYCSC rates are not resident rates. Staten Island and Rockaway resident plans are separate, enrolled plans.
  • "E-ZPass" alone doesn't mean the discount. A working tag from another state still pays the mail rate at MTA. Choosing a tag: which E-ZPass to get.

Frequently asked questions

What does NYCSC stand for?

New York Customer Service Center, the E-ZPass New York service center. MTA's toll table uses it to decide who gets E-ZPass rates.

Which tags are NYCSC tags?

MTA says NYCSC tags are issued by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York State Thruway Authority and MTA Bridges and Tunnels.

What does a non-NYCSC customer pay at MTA crossings?

Tolls by Mail rates. For a car at the six major MTA crossings that is $12.03 instead of the $7.46 E-ZPass rate (rates effective January 4, 2026).

How do I contact NYCSC?

By phone at 1-800-333-TOLL (8655), online at e-zpassny.com, or through the Tolls NY app.

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on .

  1. MTA: Tolls by vehicle type (rates effective Jan 4, 2026; footnotes) mta.info
  2. Port Authority of NY & NJ: E-ZPass panynj.gov
  3. Port Authority of NY & NJ: Tolls (Toll Payer Advocate and customer service) panynj.gov

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