What is Cashless Tolling
There are four main tolling authorities in New York State: the New York State Thruway Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the Port Authority of NY/NJ and the New York State Bridge Authority*. Each tolling authority has its own respective policies that govern Tolls by Mail and E-ZPass, including its fee and violation structure.
Two Ways to Pay for Tolls
E-ZPass is a prepaid account that is used to pay for tolls and is used by approximately 86 percent of Thruway customers.
- E-ZPass is the easiest and most cost-effective way to pay for tolls.
- E-ZPass NY customers can save up to 75 percent off toll rates in New York when using their E-ZPass Tag. License plate transactions receive the Tolls by Mail rate.
- E-ZPass Tags must be properly mounted behind the rearview mirror or according to the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions. Placing it on the dash or holding it is not safe and does not guarantee that the Tag will be read.
- If you forget your E-ZPass Tag or it doesn’t read and the license plate is not listed on your E-ZPass account, the registered owner of the vehicle will receive a Toll Bill.
E-ZPass Tags – What Authority Administers Each Account
- When a customer signs up for E-ZPass, a Tag is assigned to a tolling authority based on zip code. For example, anyone with a zip code in the five boroughs of NYC or Long Island are assigned MTA E-ZPass Tags and their accounts are administered by that authority. (See maps for tolling authority account jurisdiction).
- The New York State Bridge Authority Tags are administered by the Thruway Authority.
Cashless tolling is an innovative method of toll collection used on the entire Thruway. With cashless tolling, all vehicles simply drive under a tolling gantry and enjoy the benefits of reduced congestion, enhanced safety, and reduced air pollution.
- Cameras capture an image of the license plate as the vehicle travels through a toll point (gantry)
- Toll bill is sent to the vehicle’s registered owner using DMV records
- All NY tolling authority tolls are on the toll bill
New York E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail Customer Service Center (1-800-333-8655)
- Assists customers on behalf of all NY tolling authorities
- Contract is managed by the MTA, Thruway Authority and Port Authority
- Operated by TTEC with hundreds of employees that handle thousands of calls daily
- Representatives are available:
- Monday – Friday: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Toll Bills are sent to the vehicle’s registered owner using the address on file with DMV. Make sure your vehicle registration address is up to date with DMV.
- If you don’t want to wait for the Toll Bill to be mailed, sign up to receive a text when your tolls are available to pay.
- Pay your Toll Bill by the due date.
- If payment is not received by the due date, a second Toll Bill is sent with a $5 late fee.
- An unpaid second Toll Bill escalates to a violation, which includes a $50 fee per violation notice*.
- If the violation is not paid within 30 days, it may be referred to a collection agency.
- If your license plates are peeling, contact the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles to get replacement plates for free to avoid being ticketed and fined. Instructions on how to request replacement plates can be found at dmv.ny.gov .
- Failure to respond to three or more Notices of Violation within a five-year period may result in suspension of a motorist’s vehicle registration by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles under 15 NYCRR 127.14 .
* If the toll bill includes tolls from other NY authorities, those tolls will escalate to the applicable tolling authority’s violation notice and applicable fee(s). Each tolling authority has its own fee policy.
General Information and FAQ
What can I do if it is not my vehicle or I disagree with the Toll Bill?
You can dispute the Toll Bill for the following reasons:
- You sold your vehicle, you will need to submit a copy of the proof of sale along with the coupon from the Toll Bill, such as a copy of the sales agreement.
- Your vehicle was stolen, you will need to submit a copy of the police report along with the coupon from the Toll Bill.
- You surrendered your license plate, you will need to submit a copy of the plate surrender receipt along with the coupon from the Toll Bill.
- License Plate and/or Vehicle is not registered to me and I did not rent/lease it.
The coupon is located at the bottom of the first page of the Toll Bill and the information above is listed on the back of the coupon under the section labelled "How to Dispute this Toll Bill". If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-800-333-8655.
Toll Payer Advocate
The NYS Thruway Authority Office of the Toll Payer Advocate has been established to assist customers who were unable to resolve toll issues relating to their Thruway travel using channels offered by the E-ZPass/Tolls By Mail Customer Service Center.
Find more information about the Toll Payer Advocate Program.
Contact Information
Toll Free Phone Number and Hours
1-800-333-8655
Monday-Friday - 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday - 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Website: www.e-zpassny.com
E-ZPass Applications and Customer Correspondence
E-ZPass NY Service Center
PO Box 15187
Albany, NY 12212-5187
E-ZPass Tag Returns
E-ZPass NY Service Center
PO Box 149001
Staten Island, NY 10314-9001
Violation Payments and Inquiries
E-ZPass NY Service Center
PO Box 15186
Albany, NY 12212-5186
E-ZPass Replenishment Payments
E-ZPass NY Service Center
PO Box 15185
Albany, NY 12212-5185
When the ticketed system converted to cashless tolling, the Thruway’s toll rate structure did not change. There may be, however, some slight changes to the way transactions are displayed on E-ZPass statements and Tolls by Mail invoices.
The Thruway ticketed system has been divided into 14 segments; 6 start/end segments (brown) and 8 fixed toll segments (green). In the illustration below, the brown and green highway gantries represent the tolling segments. These brown and green highway gantries are located between exits. The blue gantries are located on the entry/exit ramps of the Thruway.
Each time a driver travels under a fixed toll gantry (green), the toll will display on an E-ZPass statement or toll bill invoice as a fixed toll transaction (e.g., Entry Plaza 35 and Exit Plaza 36).
For each start/end segment (brown), the toll will be based on where you entered and exited. When a driver travels through multiple segments, multiple transactions will appear on their statement/invoice.
E-ZPass NY Sample Statement
Below is an example of a customer who traveled roundtrip from 34A to 37. The customer traveled under two fixed toll segments (green), one start segment (brown) and one exit ramp gantry (blue). Using the new gantry system, a greater number of transactions will appear on the statement and the cost of the toll remains the same for NY E-ZPass customers. The same transactions will display on the return trip.
Tolls by Mail Sample Invoice
Below is a Tolls by Mail invoice sample for a customer who traveled from Exit 17 to Exit 24. The customer entered the Thruway on an entry ramp gantry 17 (blue) and continued to travel under one end segment 23 (brown) and one fixed toll segment 24 (green). Using the new gantry system, a greater number of transactions will appear on the invoice, in addition to a $2.00 administrative surcharge per billing statement.
