MTA: Submit congestion pricing exemption applications now as tolls begin Jan. 5

As congestion pricing is set to begin in lower Manhattan on Jan. 5, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is accepting applications for income-based, disability-based and other exemptions and discounts from eligible drivers and organizations.

Although applications are accepted on a rolling basis, the MTA has said qualified individuals and organizations should submit theirs as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary tolls.

"We are urging everyone to apply now, because even if you know you qualify for a discount or exemption, if you are not granted that discount or exemption by January 5th, you will pay the congestion relief zone toll until it is granted," said Charlie Zhen, an MTA community engagement officer, during a recent online webinar.

Application processing times for individuals vary depending on the particulars of the case, and there is no guarantee that an application submitted now will be processed before Jan. 5, according to MTA spokesperson Ray Raimundi. Organizations must apply by Sunday to ensure their exemptions are processed before tolling begins.

The list of exemptions is limited, and most drivers will need to pay the non-discounted price, charged once per day per vehicle entering Manhattan below 60th Street. The standard price is $9 for passenger vehicles entering from above 60th Street or from a bridge, $7.50 for those coming from the Queens-Midtown or Hugh L. Carey tunnels, and $6 for those coming through the Lincoln or Holland tunnels. After 9 p.m., passenger vehicles pay $2.25, regardless of where they enter lower Manhattan.

Drivers will be charged higher rates ($13.50 for most passenger vehicles) if they do not use E-ZPass, and E-ZPass is required to apply for most of the discounts and exemptions.

Low-income drivers may be eligible for a 50% discount after their 10th trip in any calendar month. To qualify for the MTA’s low-income discount plan, vehicle owners must demonstrate an adjusted gross income less than $50,000 during the previous year, or show proof of enrollment in a federal antipoverty program. These programs include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), or Temporary Aid to Needy Families Program (TANF).

Drivers can apply for the low-income discount program on the MTA website or by mail, though the MTA encourages online applications.

Residents of Manhattan below 60th Street can get a tax credit reimbursing them for the total amount of tolls paid as part of the program if they demonstrate an adjusted gross income of less than $60,000. To receive the credit, residents must report the tolls they paid when they submit their annual tax returns, using Form IT-268.

Qualified individuals with a disability are completely exempt from the congestion pricing tolls, according the MTA. To qualify, applicants must either have a valid New York City parking permit for people with disabilities, be enrolled in the MTA’s Access-A-Ride program, or get assessed at an MTA assessment center.

Once an applicant establishes eligibility, they can apply for an exemption for their own vehicle or that of another person, such as a caregiver. Caregivers are only eligible for the exemption on trips when they are driving the person with a disability in lower Manhattan, according to the MTA.

Drivers can apply for individual disability exemption plans on the MTA website or by mail.

Other exemptions from congestion pricing are available for emergency vehicles, commuter buses, government vehicles and organizations that transport people with disabilities,

More information is available at mta.info/discounts.

The non-discounted toll rate is scheduled to increase to $12 for regular passenger vehicles in 2028, and to $15 in 2031.