Any driver that uses a toll road in New York is expected to pay the toll for that roadway. In New York, the tolls are set by the New York Thruway Authority.
See below for additional information about toll classes and paying violations.
MISSED TOLL / WRONG LANE?
Unpaid Toll Slips
Credit Card
If you did not have enough money for your toll, and your driver's license information was taken at the toll booth, and you received an unpaid toll slip from a toll collector, you may pay with your credit card online. You have seven (7) days to pay your toll when you receive an Unpaid Toll Slip.
PAY UPT ONLINE ▶
Mail Payment
If you must mail your payment, either check, cashier's check or money order, send the payment to the following address:
NYSTA
PO Box 189
Albany, NY 12201-0189
Make your payment payable to NYS Thruway Authority. You must include your drive's license number on your check and your unpaid toll slip.
You may also present your Unpaid Toll Slip, along with a check or a cash, at any toll booth along the NYS Thruway.
No Upaid Toll Slip? Need to Call?
If you do not have an Unpaid Toll Slip or must otherwise telephone the NYS Thruway Authority about a toll violation, please call 518-471-5051. Phone lines are active from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time US, Monday through Friday.
E-ZPass Violations
The E-ZPass Toll Violations number is 800-333-8655. If you are an E-ZPass account holder and have a toll violation notice, use this number, instead.
You may also contact the Violations Processing unit, directly, by writing to the following address:
E-ZPass Customer Service Center
P.O. Box 15186
Albany, NY 12212-5186
E-ZPASS VIOLATIONS PAGE
PAYING TOLLS IN NEW YORK
Cash Payment System
The cash payment system speaks for itself. When you pay by cash, you are responsible for having sufficient cash funds to pay for your tolls while driving on New York toll roads.
If you are unable to pay your toll, you will receive a ticket for the amount of the unpaid toll, plus an administrative fine, except in areas designated as toll-by-plate.
Toll By Plate
Cashless electronic tolling, often called toll-by-plate, is now part of the New York State Thruway system, starting with the Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson River. On April 23, 2016, tolls on the TZB became cashless electronic tolling or E-ZPass only. Cash is no longer be accepted. This will apply to the New NY Bridge, which is now under construction adjacent to the TZB, and will replace the old TZB in 2018.
If you do not have an E-ZPass account and use a road that accepts toll-by-plate, your vehicle's license plate will be photographed, and you will receive a bill at the end of each month. There will be an administrative fee included with your cashless tolling bill. The bill will be mailed to the address of the registered owner of the vehicle in question.
New York E-ZPass
New York is on the E-ZPass electronic toll collection network, so any transponder that displays the E-ZPass or IPass logo (Illinois) will be accepted in New York.
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E-ZPass and Compatibility
If you have an E-ZPass issued in New York or another state, or an Illinois IPass, you may use E-ZPass lanes on all toll roads and bridges in New York. These include roads of the New York State Thruway, The Port Authority of NY&NJ, MTA Bridges And Tunnels, New York State Bridge Authority, and the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority.
E-ZPass and IPass holders will still get the discounted toll rates in New York. Holders of the New York and New Jersey E-ZPass will automatically get the off-peak E-ZPass discount rate when it applies.
E-ZPass Off-Peak Discounts
The peak driving periods are from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. All day Saturday and Sunday are also considered peak periods. During this time, those using E-ZPass to pay tolls will be paying the peak rate.
Make certain you have sufficient funds on your E-ZPass account to pay for the toll charges you will incur; otherwise, it will count as a toll violation.
Pay-Per-Trip Plans
New York offers a Pay-Per-Trip plan whereby you may link your bank account to your E-ZPass account to pay your tolls when you use them. Each time you pass through a toll, the cost of the trip is deducted from your account. No money is required to be held on deposit with this kind of a plan. Learn more by reading the PPT FAQ page from the NYS Thruway Authority.
VEHICLE / TOLL CLASSES
The tolling system is fairly simple in New York. Tolls are calculated based on the number of axles your vehicle has, the height of the vehicle and, ultimately, how far you drive. Any trailers that are towed behind your vehicle will also have the axles counted, so when you count the axles on your vehicle, be certain to add the number of axles on the vehicle and the trailer to get your total.
Counting Axles
Motorcycles count as a car, including motorcycles with a sidecar. Motorcycles with a trailer would count two axles for the motorcycle, plus the number of axles on the trailer, to get a total. For cars, trucks and other vehicles, count the axles on the vehicle, plus the axles on any trailers, and the total number of axles is the number you use for calculating your toll. In other words, if you have a car with two axles, and a trailer with one axle, that counts as a total of three (3) axles. If you have a truck with a dual tires, that still counts as one axle in New York.
This graphic provides general information about how to count the number of axles on your vehicle. See the information above for detailed information for New York.
Vehicle Height
The height of the vehicle determines whether you are driving a low or high vehicle. Vehicles over 90 inches (7-feet, 6-inches) are considered high vehicles. Height is calculated for trailers as well as the main vehicle, if towing a trailer. In other words, if any part of the vehicle is over 90", the next higher toll class would be used. See the list below for clarification.
List of Vehicle Classes, including motorcycles, passenger cars and trucks
- 2L: 2-axle vehicle under 7'6" in height, like a car, van, SUV, motorcycle or pickup truck
- 3L: 3-axles, including a trailer, and vehicle is under 7'6" in height.
- 4L: 4-axles or more, including a trailer, and vehicle is under 7'6" in height.
- 2H: 2-axle vehicle over 7'6" in height.
- 3H: 3-axles, including trailer axles, and vehicle is over 7'6" in height.
- 4H: 4-axles, including trailer axles, and vehicle is over 7'6" in height.
- 5H: 5-axles, including trailer axles, and vehicle is over 7'6" in height.
- 6H: 6-axles, including trailer axles, and vehicle is over 7'6" in height.
- 7H: 7-axles or more, including trailer axles, and vehicle is over 7'6" in height.
In New York, there is no class of vehicle higher than 4L for low vehicles and 7H for high vehicles. If you have more axles, highest class rating for your vehicle height.
Bus Classes
New York does not have a separate class system for buses. Tolls are based on the number of axles and height of vehicle, plus distance traveled.
