The Congestion Charge During Toll Hours
Yes, rental cars driving into Manhattan south of 60th Street pay the congestion charge during toll hours. Tolls are $9/day with an E-ZPass ($13.50 by mail) charged when driving in the zone during peak hours. License plate cameras read the plates, and the rental company receives the bill, which it then charges to you.
The congestion zone is all local streets and avenues at or below 60th Street. This excludes the FDR Drive and West Side Highway. Peak hours are Monday through Friday, 5:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., and weekends, 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. After 9 p.m., the toll drops by 75 percent, and it rises back to full price at 5 a.m. again on weekdays, 9 a.m. on weekends. There is one charge per day, even with multiple entries. The toll day runs midnight to 11:59 p.m., so if a car enters at 11 p.m. and again after midnight, it pays twice.
The Company Will Charge You for Its Tolls
You can’t pay for bridges or tunnels with cash. The cameras bill the registered owner directly, who for rental cars, is the car rental company. At the end of the rental period, the company will charge you for its tolls. If the car’s E-ZPass is not linked to its plate, tolls by mail may apply to your rental car.
When you rent a car, you can choose to sign up for the car company’s tolling service. You will be charged the actual toll plus a daily service fee (usually $4.95 to $6.95). If you signed up for the toll program, you pay a fee only on days you use toll roads. The congestion fee may be included in the toll package, or the fee may be charged separately. During vehicle pickup, confirm your toll package details.
Companies differ in how much more the car rental company tacks on and how it bills. Avis: you pay the congestion charge at the highest rate. A $1.95 fee is added to each congestion toll, outside its e-Toll program. Hertz offers All Inclusive toll coverage, but this package doesn’t cover the congestion zone. Its congestion fee is $5 a day plus the cost of the toll. Enterprise: TollPass covers the zone. One fee is charged per day, even with multiple entries.
For example, on a weekday, drive into Midtown at 10 a.m., make one pass through, leave and come back later in the day, say 6:30 p.m. The first entry costs $9.00 with an E-ZPass linked to the car’s license plate, or $13.50 if the company pays by mail. But this is one toll charge regardless of the time of day. The rental company adds its toll package fee on top.
Don’t be surprised if the bill arrives weeks after you return the car. Avis may bill tolls up to 8 weeks later. For Hertz, it can take 3 weeks or more. Hertz short-term rentals can’t go on personal E-ZPass.
The Rate in Effect When the Car First Enters
The toll is charged at the rate in effect when the car first enters the zone, and that’s it. So if you drive in on a weekday before 5 a.m. or on a weekend before 9 a.m. you’ll pay the overnight rate, 75 percent lower than during peak hours, and this holds true even if you stay there all day. A car entering via the Lincoln, Holland, Queens-Midtown or Hugh Carey tunnel during peak hours and using an E-ZPass gets a credit up to $3. No credit is available overnight.
This toll aims to cut congestion and emissions. On March 3, 2026, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s attempt to end congestion pricing on its own was illegal. The toll stays, so plan for it. In 2028, peak E-ZPass tolls for cars in the congestion zone are scheduled to rise to $12.
For a Manhattan stay, a car can be more hassle than help, but for outer boroughs and day trips, it can make sense. Family or business gear? Good reason to roll. By comparison, taxis and black cars charge riders $0.75 per trip, not the daily toll.
Take note of peak times and try to schedule your trips outside that window. Keep an eye on your credit card statement for weeks after the rental is returned for unexpected charges.
