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Driver questionTolls, E-ZPass & congestion pricing

Why Did I Get a Toll Bill When I Have E-ZPass?

Five reasons an E-ZPass driver still gets a Tolls by Mail bill: unlinked plate, balance below $0, new plates, wrong car, wrong issuer. Each with its fix.

  • Reviewed
  • 2 min read
  • 4 official sources
On this page (6)
  1. Find your cause
  2. Each cause and its fix
  3. Pay it, then stop the next one
  4. Related
  5. FAQ
  6. Sources

You got a Toll Bill because the crossing couldn't be charged to your E-ZPass account. The gantry then billed the plate by mail to the registered owner. The usual causes are a plate not linked to the account, a balance below $0, new plates you didn't add, or the car crossing without your tag. If your account has money in it, you can pay the bill from it with MTA's "Resolve Toll Bill (E-ZPass Customers)" option. Then fix the cause so it doesn't happen again.

Find your cause

Why did my E-ZPass not cover this toll?

Answer a few questions · general information, not legal advice

Question 1Is the plate on the bill listed on your E-ZPass account?

Is the plate on the bill listed on your E-ZPass account?

  • No, or it's my new TLC plate

    Watch out: What this means for you

    Add the plate to your account now. MTA says your current plate must be linked to get the E-ZPass rate. Pay this bill (or use Resolve Toll Bill), and surrender or remove old plates you no longer use.

  • Yes

    Was your balance below $0 around the crossing date?

    • Yes, or I'm not sure

      Watch out: What this means for you

      A negative balance puts the account out of compliance and can trigger a Toll Bill (MTA). Fund the account, switch to automatic replenishment or Pay Per Trip, and turn on mobile alerts. Pay the bill with Resolve Toll Bill.

    • No, it was funded

      Was the tag in that car, mounted, at the time?

      • No, it was in another car or at home

        Note: What this means for you

        With a linked plate and a funded account, MTA and the Port Authority post a plate-read toll to your account at the Mid-Tier rate, not as a bill. A bill points back to the plate or the account. Call 800-333-8655 and ask why the plate didn't match.

      • Yes, mounted and working

        Note: What this means for you

        This may be an error. Call 800-333-8655 with the bill and your statement. If it isn't fixed, dispute it in writing and, if needed, ask the Toll Payer Advocate.

  • That's not my plate at all

    Important: What this means for you

    Dispute it. Send proof (sale papers, police report, plate surrender receipt) with the coupon from page 1 of the bill.

Each cause and its fix

1. The plate isn't on your account. MTA says "your current license plate must be linked to your E-ZPass account" to get the discount (MTA). The Port Authority says plates must be "correctly registered to an active NY/NJ E-ZPass account in good standing to prevent Tolls by Mail invoices" (Port Authority). This can happen when you get new TLC plates, the tag moves to the new car, and nobody updates the plate. Fix: add the plate in your account or the Tolls NY app.

2. Your balance went below $0. MTA: if your balance goes below $0, "your account will not be in compliance with the E-ZPass agreement. As a result, you may receive a Toll Bill." (MTA). Fix: fund it. Consider automatic replenishment or Pay Per Trip, and enroll in mobile alerts. See payment options.

3. The car is yours, but the tag belongs to someone else. If you drive a leased car with the owner's tag, but the bill shows your own car's plate, check whether your own car crossed without a tag. Fix: put your plate on your own account.

4. You're the owner and a lessee drove it. Bills go to the registered owner. If you lease your TLC car to another driver, the bill comes to you even if they crossed. Check the date against your lease records.

5. Your tag is from another state. At MTA crossings this usually shows up as a higher charge, not a mailed bill: "Non-NYCSC customers pay Tolls by Mail rates" (MTA). See NY vs NJ E-ZPass.

Pay it, then stop the next one

Don't let it sit. On MTA crossings a bill unpaid 30 days after the bill date gets a $5 late charge, and after 60 days a $50 fee for each unpaid toll (MTA). The steps are in the toll bill late fee timeline. If the bill is wrong, use the dispute guide. If a passenger's trip is involved, your statement can help; see E-ZPass records as evidence.

Check that the bill is real first. Use TollsByMailNY.com or the Tolls NY app, not a link in a text.

Frequently asked questions

Why did I get a toll bill if I have E-ZPass?

Usually because the toll couldn't be charged to your account: the plate wasn't on the account, the balance was below $0, or the car crossed without a readable tag and its plate wasn't linked. The bill goes to the registered owner by mail.

Can I pay the bill from my E-ZPass balance?

Yes, if you have a funded E-ZPass NY account. MTA says to use 'Resolve Toll Bill (E-ZPass Customers)' on the Tolls by Mail website.

Does a negative E-ZPass balance cause toll bills?

It can. MTA says that if your balance goes below $0, your account is not in compliance with the E-ZPass agreement and you may receive a Toll Bill.

I have an NJ E-ZPass. Why are MTA tolls so high?

That is usually not a bill but a higher charge: MTA says non-NYCSC customers pay Tolls by Mail rates. A car pays $12.03 instead of $7.46 at the major crossings (rates effective January 4, 2026).

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on .

  1. MTA: How to avoid toll violation fees mta.info
  2. MTA: How to pay tolls (updated Apr 23, 2025) mta.info
  3. MTA: Tolls by vehicle type (rates effective Jan 4, 2026) mta.info
  4. Port Authority: Bridge and tunnel tolls panynj.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.

Related

GuideTolls by Mail for TLC Vehicles: How Bills WorkHow Tolls by Mail bills a TLC car by plate photo, why it costs up to $5.45 more per MTA crossing than E-ZPass, and who gets the bill when the car is leased.Read GuideToll Bill Late Fees & Violations: The TimelineWhat happens day by day when a NY toll bill isn't paid: MTA $5 late fee at 30 days, $50 per toll at 60, Thruway and Port Authority steps, then DMV suspension.Read GuideHow to Dispute a Toll Bill or Violation in New YorkGrounds to dispute a NY toll bill, the proof each one needs, where to mail it, and when to call a Toll Payer Advocate or a collection agency. For TLC drivers.Read GuideUsing E-ZPass Records as Evidence at a TLC HearingWhen E-ZPass statements and trip receipts can matter in a TLC overcharge case or toll dispute, how to get them, and what they can't show. Not legal advice.Read Data & statisticsE-ZPass vs Tolls by Mail: How Drivers PayMTA data: 85.8% of 2025 bridge and tunnel crossings were read as E-ZPass, 14.2% as Tolls by Mail. By crossing, by year, and what the mail rate costs a driver.See the data TopicTolls, E-ZPass & Congestion Pricing for TLC DriversFour charges NYC drivers mix up: bridge and tunnel tolls, the MTA congestion toll, the state surcharge and airport fees. Who pays each, and every crossing.Read Driver questionWhat Happens if My E-ZPass Balance Goes Negative?Below $0, MTA says your E-ZPass account is out of compliance and you may get a Toll Bill. How to clear it, the late fees to beat, and the TLC balance rules.Read