George Washington Bridge Toll for TLC Drivers

In short: The George Washington Bridge (GWB) costs a car $16.79 at peak and $14.79 off-peak with a New York or New Jersey E-ZPass (rates as of October 12, 2026). You pay only when you come into New York; going to New Jersey is free. On a TLC trip to New Jersey, the passenger pays the tolls to and from the destination, so your return GWB toll belongs on the passenger's bill.

The GWB is run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, not the MTA. That matters: its price depends on the time of day, and only NY and NJ E-ZPass tags get the discount.

GWB rates (Class 1 car)

• Peak: weekdays 6–10 a.m. and 4–8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Off-peak: all other times (Port Authority tolls page).
• Mid-Tier ($19.55): charged since July 6, 2025 when an NY/NJ E-ZPass tag is not properly mounted and can't be read, so the system bills the plate to your account. The Port Authority says this affects about 9% of transactions.
• Tolls by Mail ($23.30): no tag and no plate on an E-ZPass account in good standing. It is the same price at any hour.
• Out-of-state tags: "All E-ZPass discounts apply only to New York and New Jersey E-ZPass account holders." A tag from another state's agency does not get the $14.79/$16.79 price here.

All Port Authority crossings are cashless. Compare: an MTA bridge like the RFK costs $7.46 with NY E-ZPass, but is tolled in each direction.

Who pays the GWB toll on a TLC trip

TLC's toll rules are the same for taxis (§58-26), FHVs (§59A-23) and green cabs:

1. The vehicle must have an MTA E-ZPass, and the passenger pays the actual amount charged to the E-ZPass, "often a discounted toll" (§58-26(e)(3), §59A-23(a)(3)).
2. Trips beyond New York City: "the passenger must pay all necessary tolls to and from the destination" (§58-26(f)(2), §59A-23(b)(2)).
3. No markup. Charging more than the actual E-ZPass toll is an overcharge under §80-17 (§58-26(f)(3)). See can I charge the Tolls by Mail rate?

For a yellow taxi or green cab, a trip to New Jersey (other than Newark Airport) is a flat rate you agree with the passenger before you start. "Double the meter" is not a flat rate (§80-17(f)(1)). Tell the passenger the tolls are added on top.

For Uber and Lyft, the company sets the price. TLC rule §59D-17(c) says the company "must remit to the Driver the entirety of any toll paid by the Driver during a dispatched trip." Check each trip statement. If a toll is missing, see who pays tolls on Uber and Lyft trips.

Worked example: Manhattan to Fort Lee

The peak/off-peak choice is the hard part: you are charged at the time you cross back, not when you drop off. Charge the amount for the time you expect to cross, never the Tolls by Mail price.

GWB to Newark Airport: the Turnpike pair

Some drivers return from Newark Airport over the GWB. The New Jersey Turnpike charges between interchange 13A (Newark Airport) and 18E (toward the GWB): $7.50 with E-ZPass, $7.60 cash, or $5.63 off-peak with a New Jersey-issued E-ZPass (NJTA 2026 Class 1 schedule). Turnpike peak is Monday–Friday 7–9 a.m. and 4:30–6:30 p.m., and all day on weekends, based on entry time. On a taxi trip to Newark, the passenger pays the metered fare, the $20 Newark surcharge and all necessary tolls to and from the airport (§58-26(c)(3)). The other routes are compared in Newark Airport tolls by route.

Other Port Authority and New Jersey routes

The same Port Authority rate applies at the Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, Goethals, Bayonne and Outerbridge crossings. Staten Island trips have their own rules: see the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Staten Island. Going north instead? The Mario Cuomo Bridge is a Thruway toll. Rockaway trips use the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway bridges. East–west across the Bronx, the Throgs Neck is an MTA toll. All crossings: tolls hub.