Quick Summary
- NYC congestion pricing is active in 2026 and applies to rental cars entering most of Manhattan south of 60th Street.
- Passenger hire cars are usually charged once per day when they enter the zone, on top of any bridge or tunnel tolls.
- On a rental bill the cost generally appears as electronic tolls plus a separate toll service fee, so it is wise to budget in advance.
Is New York congestion pricing currently being charged?
New York City now applies a congestion toll to most vehicles, including rental cars, that drive onto local streets in Manhattan at or below 60th Street. The Congestion Relief Zone excludes only the FDR Drive, the West Side Highway and certain direct tunnel connectors when you stay on them without exiting. Cameras and sensors are live in 2026, so if you cross the line into local streets you should assume the toll will be charged.
For standard passenger cars paying with E Z Pass, the current peak congestion toll is set around nine dollars, with a much lower overnight rate when traffic is light. Passenger vehicles and most small hire cars are charged once per day, even if you enter and leave the zone several times in that calendar day. That single daily charge makes it easier to decide which days are worth driving into Manhattan and which are better left to the subway.
How the charge works for a rental car
The congestion toll is entirely electronic. If your rental car has an E Z Pass or similar tag switched on, the system charges the toll to the rental company account and the supplier then passes the cost to you. On your final invoice you usually see one or more toll lines plus a daily or per use toll service fee that covers the provider’s cost of managing payments.
Some suppliers allow you to attach your own tag, so congestion tolls are billed straight to your personal account instead of through the hire agreement. Others rely on number plate billing via Tolls by Mail, where cameras read the plate and send a bill to the registered vehicle owner. With a rental car the company receives that invoice and later charges your payment card, sometimes several weeks after you have dropped the keys off.
What this looks like on your bill
Most drivers see congestion pricing grouped together with bridge and tunnel tolls rather than as a separate city tax. On a simple day with a single entry into Midtown, your account might show one Manhattan congestion toll and one toll service fee. On more involved days you can see several lines, for example a tunnel crossing, the congestion charge and a bridge return, all with individual time stamps.
Because Tolls by Mail invoices and rental company reconciliations take time, some charges may appear after you are home again. Keeping a brief note of which days you drove into the zone makes it far easier to match each toll line with a real journey and to dispute anything that does not look right.
Planning costs with Hola Car Rentals
To keep city costs sensible, many visitors collect their car hire at JFK and avoid driving into the congestion zone every single day. A common tactic is to rely on the subway and walking for pure sightseeing days, then use the car for specific touring days, airport runs or hotel moves when the toll feels worthwhile.
When you compare offers through Hola Car Rentals you can see in advance whether a supplier uses a flat daily toll package or a pay as you go model that adds a fee each time a toll is triggered. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before pick up gives you room to change plans if congestion pricing or parking costs make a different itinerary more attractive, and All Inclusive plus rates bundle maximum liability coverage so busy New York streets do not turn minor bumps into major stress.
If your trip extends beyond Manhattan, it can help to look at broader hire options across the United States. Larger families might choose JFK minivan choices so that everyone and everything fits in a single vehicle, while drivers planning longer road mileage might browse SUV road trip deals that balance comfort with transparent toll policies.
FAQs
- Is NYC congestion pricing still being charged in 2026? Yes. At the time of writing the programme is active and vehicles entering the Congestion Relief Zone are being tolled, even though political debate and legal challenges continue in the background.
- Do I pay the congestion toll every time I enter the zone in one day? No. Passenger cars and most small hire vehicles are charged once per day, even if you cross into the tolled area several times on the same day.
- Does the charge apply if I stay on the FDR Drive or West Side Highway? No, provided you stay entirely on those roads and their signed tunnel connectors. The charge is triggered when you exit onto local streets inside the congestion zone.
- Are congestion tolls covered by insurance or protection packages? No. Insurance and protection sold through Hola Car Rentals, including All Inclusive plus rates with high liability limits, cover damage and liability, not road charges. Congestion pricing is billed separately as a toll.
