Deadline to apply for NYC congestion pricing discounts is at the end of this month

New York’s Staten Island. New Yorkers are frantically figuring out how to get reductions or exemptions from the contentious toll now that Governor Kathy Hochul has revived congestion pricing.

In an effort to ease traffic congestion and generate funds for improvements to public transportation, the electronic tolling program, which was strongly opposed by Staten Island government officials, charges cars for entering specific parts of Manhattan during rush hour.

It will resume on Sunday, January 5, 2025, with a lower toll than initially suggested.Drivers would have been billed $15 to enter the zone at first. Hochul said that the program’s high cost for working New Yorkers was the reason she initially opposed it.

The Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ), which is any surface route in Manhattan south of 60th route, would require most drivers to pay a $9 toll under the revised version that goes into effect on January 5.

The current goal, according to Director of State Operations Kathryn Garcia, is to keep the $9 toll unchanged for at least three years after it is put into effect.

However, some drivers and cars can be eligible for toll exemptions or discounts.

Applications for discounts must be sent to the MTA by December 29, 2024.

The MTA has broken out the various savings below.

Low-income discount

Low-income car owners who are engaged in the Low-Income Discount Plan (LIDP) are eligible for a 50% discount. This discount is applicable to all travels during peak periods after the first ten visits in a calendar month.

Vehicle owners must be engaged in a qualifying government assistance program or have reported a federal adjusted gross income for the previous fiscal year of no more than $50,000 in order to be eligible for LIDP.

Candidates need to supply:

• 
  IRS Form 1040 or Tax Return Transcript and corresponding W-2s from the most recent tax year, or
  
• 
  Proof of enrollment in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), or Temporary Aid to Needy Families Program (TANF).
  

To apply, go to https://new.mta.info/tolls/congestion-relief-zone/discounts-exemptions on the MTA website.

Low-income tax credit for residents

Residents of the CRZ who earn less than $60,000 in New York state adjusted gross income may be eligible for a tax credit for the tolls they have paid. For additional information, go to the website of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Disability exemptions

People with illnesses or disabilities that make it impossible for them to use public transportation can apply for the Individual Disability Exemption Plan (IDEP).

IDEP can be applied to a vehicle registered to the applicant, or to a vehicle registered to a person the applicant designates, such as a family member or a caregiver, if they use that vehicle to drive the applicant in the Congestion Relief Zone. Go to the MTA website to apply.

Organizational disability exemptions

Organizations like Access-A-Ride, ambulette services, schools, and special education facilities that run vehicles that transport individuals with disabilities are eligible to participate in the Organizational Disability Exemption Plan (ODEP). A car must only be used in the tolling zone to transport individuals with impairments in order to be eligible for the exemption.

Emergency vehicle exemption

Qualifying authorized emergency vehicles, as defined by New York state vehicle and traffic law are exempt from the toll.

Bus exemption

School buses contracted with the NYC Department of Education, commuter vans licensed with the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission, and buses providing scheduled commuter services open to the public are exempt from the Congestion Relief Zone toll. Go to the MTA website to apply.

Specialized government-owned vehicle exemption

Publicly owned vehicles specifically designed to perform public works other than general transportation, and directly engaged in a core agency purpose, are exempt from the Congestion Relief Zone toll.

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