How does congestion pricing work? What to know about license plate readers
NEW YORK (PIX11) – Congestion pricing is officially in effect in New York City as of Sunday.
You'll pay a $9 once-daily toll during peak hours when entering Manhattan's Central Business District – but how exactly does it work?
Overhead license plate readers have been installed at 60th Street and all roads below it, according to the MTA. The readers scan your license plate as you pass through it, as well as the date, time and location, according to the NYCLU.
If you have an E-ZPass, the reader will scan it and charge your account the toll. If you don't have an E-ZPass account or haven't updated it with your license, you will be charged 50% more for the toll, the MTA said.
If you don't have an E-ZPass, you'll get charged the higher toll via Tolls by Mail. To find out more about Tolls by Mail, click here.
To find out more about getting an E-ZPass account, click here.
The MTA has also warned against using products to get around the license plate readers. Some products claim to obstruct your plate to the cameras, but if you're caught using one, you could be fined and arrested, the agency said.
The MTA has been working with several law enforcement agencies to get "ghost cars" – cars with forged, stolen or altered license plates – off the roads before congestion pricing started.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.