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In short: A car pays $2.80 to $16.79 with E-ZPass to cross a tolled NYC bridge or tunnel, depending on who runs it. The six large MTA crossings cost $7.46. The Port Authority crossings to New Jersey cost $14.79 off-peak and $16.79 at peak, but only into New York. Paying by mail always costs more: 61% more at the big MTA crossings and 159% more at the Henry Hudson Bridge.
All rates are from our rates file (the same one the toll calculator uses), which copies the official pages: MTA rates effective January 4, 2026, and Port Authority rates as listed on October 12, 2026.
The numbers at a glance
Every crossing, every payment method
How much paying by mail costs you
| Crossing | E-ZPass | Tolls by Mail | Extra per crossing | Markup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 large MTA crossings | $7.46 | $12.03 | $4.57 | +61.3% |
| Henry Hudson Bridge | $3.42 | $8.87 | $5.45 | +159.4% |
| Cross Bay, Marine Parkway | $2.80 | $6.02 | $3.22 | +115.0% |
| Port Authority, vs off-peak | $14.79 | $23.30 | $8.51 | +57.5% |
| Port Authority, vs peak | $16.79 | $23.30 | $6.51 | +38.8% |
Mid-Tier is the middle step: a customer with an account whose tag was not read. It costs $2.33 more than E-ZPass at the large MTA crossings and $4.76 more than off-peak at the Port Authority. For a TLC driver this matters twice. First, the passenger owes only the actual E-ZPass amount (TLC rules §58-26(e)(3), §59A-23(a)(3)); you can't pass the mail price on. Second, at MTA crossings other states' E-ZPass tags pay the Tolls by Mail price (MTA), while the Port Authority gives its discount to New York and New Jersey accounts. More: Tolls by Mail for TLC vehicles.
How often TLC trips pay a toll
From September 2025 to August 2026, about 11% of Uber/Lyft trips, 7% of yellow taxi trips and 4% of green cab trips recorded a toll (dataset). On those trips the median toll was $7.46 in all three groups. The average was higher for app trips ($10.04) than for yellow taxis ($7.90) and green cabs ($7.42). A higher average means some app trips pay bigger or several tolls, but the data does not record which crossings were used, so it can't say which.
What the data can't tell you
- Which crossing. Trip records hold a toll amount, not a facility. $7.46 could be any of six MTA crossings.
- Who paid. A toll in the record is a toll on the trip. Who bore it (passenger, driver, owner) depends on TLC's direction rules; see the Verrazzano and Cross Bay pages.
- Discount plans. Resident plans (Staten Island, Rockaway), the Port Authority's Staten Island Bridges Plan and the Green Pass plan are not in the chart. They are on each crossing's page.
- Other tolls. Thruway and New Jersey Turnpike tolls are left out here; the Mario Cuomo Bridge page covers the Thruway.
- The congestion charge. The MTA's zone charge is not a crossing toll; it has its own rate card.
Source, method and data lag
Rates come from content/data/rates.json, which records the MTA's tolls-by-vehicle-type page (rates effective January 4, 2026) and the Port Authority's tolls page (July 2026 table), both checked October 12, 2026. Trip shares come from TLC Trip Record Data for September 2025 – August 2026, aggregated by TLC Help; TLC publishes trip files about two months after the month ends and can revise them. Traffic counts by crossing: MTA bridge and tunnel traffic. Choosing between a toll and a free route with a passenger: toll bridge or free route?. The whole MTA system explained: MTA bridges and tunnels tolls. Brooklyn's crossings: Brooklyn. More: tolls hub.
Frequently asked questions
Which NYC crossing is the most expensive for a car?
The Port Authority crossings to New Jersey: $16.79 at peak and $14.79 off-peak with NY/NJ E-ZPass, and $23.30 by mail. They are charged only when entering New York.
Which tolled crossing is the cheapest?
The Cross Bay and Marine Parkway bridges to the Rockaways: $2.80 with an NYCSC E-ZPass, $6.02 by mail.
How much more does Tolls by Mail cost?
At the six large MTA crossings, $12.03 by mail vs $7.46 with E-ZPass, 61% more. At the Henry Hudson Bridge it is $8.87 vs $3.42, 159% more, the biggest gap in the city.
What toll do TLC trips usually pay?
In TLC trip records from Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, the median toll on trips that had one was $7.46 for yellow taxis, green cabs and app trips alike, the E-ZPass price at the large MTA crossings.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- MTA Bridges & Tunnels: Tolls by vehicle type (rates effective January 4, 2026) mta.info
- Port Authority of NY & NJ: Tolls (July 2026 toll rates) panynj.gov
- TBTA Central Business District (CBD) charges schedule (PDF) mta.info
- 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.