On this page (12)
In short
On MTA bridges and tunnels, a Tolls by Mail bill that is still unpaid 30 days after the bill date gets a $5 late charge. At 60 days it gets a $50 fee for each unpaid toll. The Thruway uses a second bill (+$5), then a violation ($50 per notice), then collections after 30 more days. The Port Authority sends unpaid violations to collection agencies and has no automatic fee dismissal. If it keeps going, DMV can suspend the vehicle's registration. Driving on a suspended registration is a misdemeanor.
A small toll can become a large debt. The cheapest moment to act is the day the first bill arrives.
The MTA timeline
MTA runs the RFK, Verrazzano, Throgs Neck, Whitestone, Queens-Midtown, Hugh L. Carey, Henry Hudson, Cross Bay and Marine Parkway crossings. Its rule is short and clear (MTA):
The $50 is per toll. A bill that lists four crossings can grow by $200 at day 60. That's why one ignored envelope can cost more than a week of tolls.
The Thruway timeline
The Thruway handles its own toll bills a little differently (Thruway):
- First bill goes to the registered owner. You can sign up for a text alert when tolls are ready to pay.
- Second bill, if the first isn't paid by its due date, adds a $5 late fee.
- An unpaid second bill becomes a violation with a $50 fee per violation notice.
- A violation not paid within 30 days may go to a collection agency. The Thruway lists TSI Collections customer service at 1-866-397-4688.
The Thruway also notes a $2.00 administrative surcharge per billing statement on Tolls by Mail invoices. That is on top of the toll even when you pay on time. E-ZPass NY customers, it says, can save up to 75% off Thruway toll rates.
The Port Authority: collections and civil action
For the GWB, Lincoln, Holland, Goethals, Bayonne and Outerbridge, the Port Authority's page focuses on what happens after a bill becomes a violation (Port Authority):
- Unpaid violations may be collected by Southwest Credit (1-877-391-0160), AllianceOne or its affiliate PMT Solutions (1-866-505-2158), or Transworld Systems Inc. (1-866-246-0157).
- "Significant unpaid violations may be pursued through civil action by the Merani Law Firm" (1-929-458-6275).
- "There is no automatic fee dismissal program offered for Port Authority crossings." Its Toll Payer Advocate can still look into an unresolved problem.
If a collection call seems suspicious, the Port Authority says to hang up and call the agency on its official number.
One bill, three outcomes: an example
Say a Tolls by Mail bill arrives for two crossings of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. MTA's mail rate for a car is $12.03 per crossing (rates effective January 4, 2026), so the bill is $24.06.
- Paid in the first 30 days: you pay $24.06. With a linked NY E-ZPass tag the same two crossings would have cost 2 × $7.46 = $14.92, so the mistake cost you $9.14.
- Paid after day 30: MTA adds the $5 late charge.
- Still unpaid after day 60: MTA's $50 fee applies to each unpaid toll. That is two tolls, so $100 in fees. Unpaid toll violations can also count toward a DMV registration suspension (see below).
MTA's page doesn't say exactly how the $5 and $50 fees combine on one bill, so we don't total them here. The bill itself shows the amount due. Either way, the fees quickly cost more than the tolls.
The last step: DMV registration suspension
DMV can suspend a vehicle registration under VTL §510(3)(d) and Part 127 of the Commissioner's Regulations. That can happen for three or more toll violations within five years, or, for the registrant of a commercial motor vehicle, failure to pay tolls, fees or other charges of $200 or more within five years (DMV). DMV says not to contact DMV to dispute the toll. Call the agency's suspension line instead: Thruway (718) 313-9414, MTA (718) 313-9424, Port Authority (718) 313-9425, NYS Bridge Authority (347) 970-8145. The full process is in unpaid tolls and registration suspension.
Why this matters more for TLC drivers
TLC drivers cross bridges for work, so bills can pile up fast. In TLC's trip records for September 2025 to August 2026, about 11% of app trips, 7% of yellow taxi trips and 4% of green cab trips recorded a toll.
The share stays fairly steady month to month, so a working car meets tolls all year:
These trips were meant to be paid with E-ZPass, which every TLC vehicle must carry. A mailed bill usually means something in the E-ZPass chain broke: a plate not linked, a balance below $0, or a car that changed hands. The bill goes to the registered owner. If you own your TLC car, that's you. If you lease, it's the owner, who will look to the lease and TLC's toll rules to pass it on. See why did I get a toll bill with E-ZPass?
Step by step when a bill arrives
- Check it is real. Type TollsByMailNY.com yourself, or use the Tolls NY app, and look up the bill number.
- Read the bill date and write down day 30 and day 60 on your calendar (MTA).
- Decide: pay or dispute. If the toll is yours, pay it. If you have an E-ZPass account with money in it, MTA says to use "Resolve Toll Bill (E-ZPass Customers)." If it isn't yours, dispute it with the coupon and proof. See the dispute guide.
- Fix the cause so the next crossing isn't billed by mail: link the plate, fund the account, mount the tag.
- Keep proof of payment or of your dispute until the account shows zero.
Estimate the tolls you should have paid
Related
Frequently asked questions
When does an MTA toll bill get a late fee?
MTA says a Tolls by Mail bill unpaid 30 days after the bill date gets a $5 late charge, and a bill unpaid 60 days after the initial bill date gets a $50 fee for each unpaid bridge or tunnel toll.
How do Thruway toll bills escalate?
If the first bill isn't paid by its due date, a second bill adds a $5 late fee. An unpaid second bill becomes a violation with a $50 fee per notice, and a violation unpaid for 30 days may go to a collection agency. Thruway Tolls by Mail invoices also include a $2.00 surcharge per billing statement.
Does the Port Authority waive violation fees?
The Port Authority says there is no automatic fee dismissal program at its crossings. Unpaid violations may go to collection agencies, and significant ones may lead to civil action.
When can DMV suspend my registration for tolls?
Under VTL 510(3)(d) and Part 127, for three or more toll violations within five years, or, for the registrant of a commercial motor vehicle, unpaid tolls and fees of $200 or more within five years.
Does a toll bill affect my TLC license?
We could not find a TLC rule that names unpaid toll bills. The risk is the vehicle's DMV registration: driving with a suspended registration is a misdemeanor. Check with TLC if your case is unusual.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- MTA: How to avoid toll violation fees (updated Mar 19, 2025) mta.info
- MTA: How to pay tolls (updated Apr 23, 2025) mta.info
- NYS Thruway: About cashless tolling thruway.ny.gov
- Port Authority: Bridge and tunnel tolls (collections, Toll Payer Advocate) panynj.gov
- NY DMV: Registration suspensions for failure to pay tolls dmv.ny.gov
- NYC TLC Trip Record Data nyc.gov
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.
TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.