Tolls, E-ZPass and the Congestion Charge in a Drivo Rental Car

By Megan B., Marketing, Drivo Rent A Car.

When I look at customer feedback, a common theme is TOLLS. How do they work? Who is responsible? How much are they? People get pretty upset when they see a surprise on their card a month after a trip. So this post is to explain the full picture.

When you drive through tolls during your rental, they're your responsibility. The good news is, every Drivo car is enrolled in a toll program that handles the tolls for you, so a toll doesn't turn into a violation notice. You can even bring your own E-ZPass, stick it on the windshield, and avoid toll charges from us altogether. If you don't have one, that's ok. We'll add up all the tolls at the by-mail rate when your rental is finished, and then bill you for that exact amount (plus a fee for each day you went through the toll, a fee for administering the toll program).

Something else I see that catches people off guard a lot is the congestion charge in Manhattan. It works a little different than tolls. The city reads the PLATE, not the E-ZPass, so we're going to get the bill even if you put your own E-ZPass in the car. We pass on the city's charges (plus a fee for each day you drive into the congestion zone).

The rest of this guide explains how tolls work at Drivo, from the bridge to the bill. The numbers come from the day I wrote this (October 19, 2026) for four trips our Drivo JFK customers make all the time.

How do tolls work in a Drivo rental car?

Let's start with what happens at the bridge, because that's where the confusion begins. Every crossing in New York City is cashless now. A camera reads the plate, or a reader picks up an E-ZPass tag. Each Drivo car is registered with a toll company that works with the bridge operators. When a toll is read by plate, the bill goes to that company and then to us.

We pass the toll on to you after the rental. We'd rather you know the rate before you drive than after. It's the highest one the bridge charges. On an MTA bridge or tunnel that's the Tolls by Mail rate, $12.03 for a car in 2026. The same crossing costs $7.46 with E-ZPass. On top of the toll we add $9.95 for each day a toll was recorded. The good news is that the fee is per day, not per toll. Three bridges on Saturday cost one $9.95 fee. One bridge on Saturday and one on Sunday cost two.

The bill doesn't come right away, and this part surprises people. The MTA mails toll bills 30 to 45 days after the trip. So the toll charge from us can land a month or more after you return the car. That's also why we sometimes hold your deposit a little longer, when a toll is still on the way. We're waiting on the MTA, the same as you.

Can I use my own E-ZPass in a rental car?

Yes, please do. It's the best way to keep your tolls low, and we're glad when you bring one. Mount the tag on the windshield behind the mirror. Make sure your account is active and has money on it. Then drive. Each bridge and tunnel charges your account at your E-ZPass rate. Nothing comes through us, so there's no $9.95 fee.

One thing worth knowing about your tag. MTA bridges give the E-ZPass rate only to tags from the New York E-ZPass center. That covers tags from E-ZPass New York, the Thruway and the Port Authority. If your tag is from another state, the MTA charges it the by-mail rate, so the discount is smaller than you'd expect. Better to know that now than on the bill.

If your tag misses a toll, the camera reads the plate instead. That toll comes through us at the full rate plus the $9.95 fee for that day. So keep the tag mounted for the whole rental. Don't leave it in the glovebox or hold it up by hand.

How much is the congestion charge in a rental car?

Now the part that surprises most people, and we'd rather you hear it from us first. Manhattan south of 60th Street is the Congestion Relief Zone. Drive onto any street there and the city charges the car once for the day. With an E-ZPass linked to the car's plate, a car pays $9 at peak times and $2.25 overnight. Peak is 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. Without a linked E-ZPass, the city bills the plate by mail, and that's $13.50 at peak and $3.30 overnight.

Here's the catch with a rental. The car's plate isn't linked to your E-ZPass, so the zone bills our plate at the by-mail rate, and the charge comes to us. You pay $13.50 at peak or $3.30 overnight, plus $5 for each day you entered. Your own E-ZPass on the windshield doesn't change this, and we know that feels unfair. The $3 credit for coming in through the Queens-Midtown or Hugh L. Carey tunnel only goes to a linked E-ZPass, so don't count on it in a rental either.

The good news is there are a few fair ways to pay less, and we're happy to point them out. The FDR Drive and the West Side Highway sit outside the zone. You can drive along the edge of Manhattan without paying, right up until you turn onto a street. Everything north of 60th Street is free of the charge. A trip to the Upper West Side, Harlem or Columbia over the RFK Bridge pays a bridge toll and no congestion charge. After 9 p.m. the charge drops by 75%. And some people park in Long Island City or Downtown Brooklyn and take the train in for the day. One more date to know. The charge rises to $12 in 2028.

What do tolls cost on four trips from JFK?

To make this real, here's what the tolls add up to on trips our JFK customers make every week. The map shows each trip and its two totals. The first is with your own New York E-ZPass on the windshield. The second is with no E-ZPass, billed through us at the by-mail rate with our fees. The congestion charge comes through us either way. All figures are for a car.

The routes are the usual ones. The Van Wyck to the LIE and the Queens-Midtown Tunnel for Midtown. The Van Wyck north and over the Whitestone for Westchester. The Belt Parkway to the Verrazzano and back over the Outerbridge for the Shore. The Cross Bay Bridge for Rockaway. The Belt to the Southern State or the LIE for Long Island. The Midtown total with your own E-ZPass is $15 in tunnel tolls plus $18.50 for the congestion charge and our fee.

The gap comes from two things. The by-mail rate is higher at every crossing, and our $9.95 fee applies for each day with a toll. On the Shore weekend that's two days of fees. Each crossing on these trips has its own price. The Queens-Midtown Tunnel, the Whitestone and the Verrazzano each cost a car $7.46 with E-ZPass or $12.03 by mail. The Cross Bay Bridge is $2.80 or $6.02. The Outerbridge is $14.79 to $16.79 or $23.30. It's charged only on the way back into New York, so it's free going out. New Jersey road tolls on the Turnpike and the Parkway are extra and work the same way.

Long Island is the one direction with no toll at all. The Belt Parkway, the Southern State, the Northern State and the LIE have no tolls. A day at Jones Beach or a weekend in the Hamptons costs nothing in tolls, with or without a tag.

When will I see the toll charge?

After you return the car we check it over and email your final invoice. Tolls and the congestion charge usually aren't on it yet, because the bills reach us weeks later. When they arrive we charge the card on your rental agreement. We know a charge weeks after a trip is annoying, which is why we're telling you now. The deposit hold of up to $500 usually comes off within 30 days. It can take longer if a toll or ticket is still on the way.

If a charge looks wrong, call us at 855-550-0008 and we'll check it against the toll record together. Keep your E-ZPass statement handy if you brought a tag, since it shows which tolls your account already paid. Mistakes happen, and we'd rather fix one than have you pay for it.

Picking up at JFK

You'll find us at 124-10 South Conduit Avenue in South Ozone Park, just off the Belt Parkway and the Van Wyck. We're open 6 a.m. to midnight every day, and our free shuttle runs from the terminals to the lot. Getting back after midnight is fine. Park in the return area, drop the keys in the box in the overflow lot, and get some sleep. We check the car in the morning and email your invoice.

Your tolls, step by step

Here's the short version to keep on your phone.

1. Bring your E-ZPass and mount it before you leave the lot.
2. Pick your route. Long Island has no tolls. The tunnels, the Verrazzano and the Bronx bridges do.
3. If you drive below 60th Street, expect the congestion charge plus our $5 fee. Or park outside the zone and take the train.
4. Keep the tag mounted for the whole rental.
5. Watch your card about a month after you return the car. That's when the toll bills reach us.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Drivo rental car come with an E-ZPass?

No, and we wish it were that simple. Our cars pay tolls by license plate. Bring your own E-ZPass and mount it, and you pay your E-ZPass rate with no fee from us.

Do I have to pay the tolls when I rent a car in NYC?

Yes. The tolls you drive through during the rental are yours. With your own E-ZPass they go to your account. Without one we bill them after the rental at the by-mail rate plus $9.95 for each day with a toll.

Can I use my own E-ZPass in a Drivo rental car?

Yes. Mount it on the windshield and keep the account active. Tags from E-ZPass New York, the Thruway and the Port Authority get the lowest rate on MTA bridges. A tag from another state pays the by-mail rate there.

How much is the congestion charge in a rental car?

The city charges a car $9 at peak and $2.25 overnight with a linked E-ZPass, and $13.50 and $3.30 by mail. A rental is billed by plate at the by-mail rate. So you pay $13.50 at peak or $3.30 overnight, plus $5 for each day you entered the zone.

Does my E-ZPass cover the congestion charge?

No. The zone reads the plate, and a rental plate isn't linked to your account. The charge comes through us even with your tag on the windshield.

How can I avoid the congestion charge in a rental?

Stay north of 60th Street, or use the FDR Drive and the West Side Highway, which are outside the zone. Park in Queens or Brooklyn and take the train in. Or enter after 9 p.m., when the charge drops by 75%.

When will Drivo charge me for tolls?

Usually a month or more after you return the car. The MTA mails toll bills 30 to 45 days after the trip, and we bill you once they reach us.

Book your car at Drivo JFK on South Conduit Avenue. Our toll, deposit and payment rules are in the Drivo FAQ. For the holiday, our Thanksgiving guide has the best times to leave and the tolls on each way out. If you're renting in Brooklyn, our Coney Island driving guide shows the Belt Parkway exits. And if anything here is unclear, call 855-550-0008 and we'll talk it through.

Megan B. leads marketing for Drivo Rent A Car. Drivo has five branches in New York and New Jersey. We checked every toll and every Drivo fee in this guide on October 19, 2026.

Sources: MTA, toll rates by vehicle type, effective January 4, 2026 (mta.info/fares-tolls/tolls/vehicle-types); MTA, about the Congestion Relief Zone toll and its FAQ (mta.info/fares-tolls/tolls/congestion-relief-zone); New York State Thruway Authority, about Tolls by Mail (thruway.ny.gov); Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, 2026 toll rates effective January 4, 2026 (panynj.gov); Drivo Rent A Car FAQ, toll payments and the Congestion Relief Zone (drivo.com/faq); Drivo JFK branch page (drivo.com/locations/JFK), October 19, 2026.