Can I Charge a Passenger the Full Toll Rate?

No. Under TLC rules a passenger pays only the actual amount charged to the E-ZPass, and that is usually the discounted E-ZPass rate. You can't charge the Tolls by Mail price, the "cash" price, or a rounded-up number. If you charge more than the actual E-ZPass toll, TLC treats it as an overcharge under §80-17.

What the rules say

The same sentence appears in all three passenger-carrying chapters:

• Taxis, §58-26(e)(3): "Passengers must pay for the toll, but are only required to pay the actual amount (often a discounted toll) charged to the EZ-Pass."
• For-hire vehicles, §59A-23(a)(3), and green cabs, §82-26(f)(3), say the same.

And the next part spells out the result: "A Driver who charges a passenger more than the actual amount of the EZ-Pass toll is guilty of an overcharge as prohibited by §80-17" (§58-26(f)(3); §59A-23(b)(3); §82-26(g)(3)). TLC's fare page tells riders to expect "Discounted E-ZPass tolls".

How big the difference is

MTA rates effective January 4, 2026; Port Authority car rates as listed on its tolls page. Note the double-toll trips: into Staten Island over the Verrazzano, two times the mail rate would be $9.14 more than the rider owes.

The penalty

Overcharging is one of the violations with mandatory penalties in §80-02(e):

Mail-rate tolls add up fast. One off-peak Port Authority crossing plus one MTA crossing at mail rates is $13.08 over the E-ZPass amount, past the $10 line. Details of the overcharge rule are on 80-17(a)(1).

What if your tag wasn't read?

Sometimes the gantry doesn't read the tag. Then the toll is charged by license plate:

• Mid-Tier. At MTA crossings, NY E-ZPass customers whose tag isn't properly mounted, or whose toll is posted by plate, pay a Mid-Tier rate ($9.79 at most MTA crossings). Port Authority has a Mid-Tier too ($19.55 for a car). See Mid-Tier toll rate.
• Tolls by Mail. If the plate isn't on a funded E-ZPass account, the registered owner gets a toll bill at the mail rate.
• A tag from another state. MTA says "Non-NYCSC customers pay Tolls by Mail rates" at its crossings, and TLC requires a New York MTA Bridges & Tunnels E-ZPass in every taxi, FHV and green cab.

In each case, the rider shouldn't pay for the tag problem. A Tolls by Mail bill isn't a toll "charged to the EZ-Pass" at all. The rules don't mention Mid-Tier, so if you think a Mid-Tier amount should be passed on, ask TLC first instead of guessing. Fix the cause instead: why did I get a toll bill with E-ZPass? and MTA bridges and tunnels tolls.

What to do next

• Use a mounted NY E-ZPass, so the amount added to the fare matches what your tag pays.
• Check the toll line on every receipt before the rider pays.
• If you were charged with overcharging on a toll, read toll mistakes that become overcharge summonses and consider talking to a lawyer before the hearing.

Related rules and exceptions

The return-toll trips (into Staten Island or the Rockaways, and out-of-city trips) let you charge more than one toll, but still at the E-ZPass amount: see who pays tolls on a taxi trip. For how often drivers pay by mail, see E-ZPass vs Tolls by Mail share. The Henry Hudson Bridge and Congestion Relief Zone toll have their own pages. All toll topics: Tolls.

This is general information about TLC rules, not legal advice.