GWB Toll with Out-of-State E-ZPass
Tags from any of 19 E-ZPass states work for payment, but PANYNJ discounts apply only to NY/NJ accounts: out-of-state tags are billed the full $23.30 car rate, not the $16.79/$14.79 E-ZPass rates.
Tariff effective 4 January 2026 | Verified 10 June 2026 | Source: Port Authority of NY and NJ, E-ZPass IAG
E-ZPass Member States (Accepted at GWB)
| State | Issuing Agency | Discounted GWB Rates (full $23.30 if No) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | NYS Thruway Authority | Yes ($16.79/$14.79, Mid-Tier $19.55) |
| New Jersey | NJ Turnpike Authority | Yes ($16.79/$14.79, Mid-Tier $19.55) |
| Pennsylvania | PA Turnpike Commission | No |
| Massachusetts | MassDOT | No |
| Maryland | MDTA | No |
| Delaware | DelDOT | No |
| Virginia | VDOT | No |
| West Virginia | WV Parkways Authority | No |
| North Carolina | NCDOT | No |
| Maine | Maine Turnpike Authority | No |
| New Hampshire | NHDOT | No |
| Vermont | Vermont Agency of Transportation | No |
| Rhode Island | RIDOT | No |
| Connecticut | CTDOT | No |
| Ohio | Ohio Turnpike Commission | No |
| Indiana | Indiana Toll Road | No |
| Illinois | Illinois Tollway | No |
| Kentucky | RiverLink (KY/IN) | No |
| Florida | SunPass (limited interoperability) | No |
Interoperability Across 19 States, But Not the Same Rate
E-ZPass is administered by the Interagency Group (IAG), a consortium of toll agencies across 19 northeastern and midwestern states. Every member tag is read at the toll facilities operated by every other member. The Port Authority of NY and NJ is a member, and the GWB is a participating toll facility.
Interoperability covers payment, not pricing. A PA, MA, MD, or IL E-ZPass is read by the same overhead gantry and debited automatically, but PANYNJ's tariff states that all E-ZPass discounts apply only to New York and New Jersey E-ZPass account holders (a restriction in place since the agency eliminated the out-of-state E-ZPass discount in its 2020 toll change). Out-of-state tags are billed the full $23.30 car rate at all hours; there is no peak/off-peak split for them.
Why Mid-Tier $19.55 Skips Out-of-State Tags
The $19.55 Mid-Tier rate launched 6 July 2025 to incentivise NY and NJ E-ZPass holders to mount their transponders correctly. The rate applies when a NY or NJ tag is improperly positioned and the toll is billed via license plate match instead of direct transponder read.
Out-of-state tags sit outside this structure entirely. Because they are already billed the full $23.30 rate, there is no discount to step down from: a misread out-of-state tag simply falls through to Toll-by-Mail at the same $23.30 level, billed to the registered owner rather than the E-ZPass account.
The Fix: Open a NY or NJ Account
If you cross the GWB or other Port Authority facilities more than occasionally, opening an E-ZPass New York or NJ E-ZPass account is the only way to reach the $16.79 peak / $14.79 off-peak car rates. You do not need to live in either state to open one. At $6.51 to $8.51 saved per crossing, the account pays for itself within a handful of trips.
Florida SunPass: Limited Interoperability
SunPass (Florida) has been working toward full E-ZPass interoperability and is now accepted on most E-ZPass roads including PANYNJ facilities. Coverage is steadily expanding. If you have a SunPass and plan to cross the GWB, confirm current status with the SunPass website before relying on it. Many drivers in the Florida-to-Northeast corridor maintain both a SunPass and an E-ZPass to cover all toll roads.
What About California FasTrak?
The California FasTrak system is not interoperable with E-ZPass at the GWB. A FasTrak transponder will not be read at the Port Authority gantry. If you drive a FasTrak-equipped vehicle east, you would pay Toll-by-Mail at the GWB ($23.30 for cars), or get an E-ZPass for the trip.
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my out-of-state E-ZPass on the George Washington Bridge?
Yes, for payment: E-ZPass is interoperable across 19 member states, and a tag issued in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois, or any other E-ZPass state is read at the GWB gantry and debited through your home account. But PANYNJ's discounted rates ($16.79 car peak / $14.79 off-peak) apply only to New York and New Jersey E-ZPass accounts. An out-of-state tag is billed the full toll, $23.30 for a car, the same level as Toll-by-Mail. Tariff effective 4 January 2026.
Does the $19.55 Mid-Tier rate apply to out-of-state E-ZPass?
No. The Mid-Tier $19.55 rate (effective 6 July 2025) applies only to NY and NJ E-ZPass accounts whose tags are improperly positioned. Out-of-state tags are outside the discount structure entirely: whether the tag reads or the plate is matched, the charge is the full $23.30 car rate.
Is a PA E-ZPass cheaper than a NY E-ZPass at the GWB?
No, it is substantially more expensive. A PA Turnpike (or any non-NY/NJ) E-ZPass is billed the full $23.30 car rate at the GWB, while NY and NJ accounts pay the discounted $16.79 peak or $14.79 off-peak rate. PANYNJ states that all E-ZPass discounts apply only to New York and New Jersey E-ZPass account holders.
Do I need a separate NY or NJ E-ZPass if I already have one from another state?
If you cross Port Authority facilities regularly, yes, it is worth it. A NY or NJ E-ZPass account saves $6.51 to $8.51 per GWB crossing versus the full rate billed to out-of-state tags. You do not need to live in NY or NJ to open an account with E-ZPass NY or NJ E-ZPass. If you do carry two transponders, keep the unused one in its foil read-prevention bag so the gantry reads only the intended tag.
How does billing work with an out-of-state E-ZPass at the GWB?
The PANYNJ gantry reads your transponder and records the toll. The toll data is sent to your home agency (e.g. PA Turnpike Commission for a PA E-ZPass), which debits your prepaid balance. You see the GWB charge on your home E-ZPass statement, alongside any other tolls. The transaction shows as a Port Authority toll at the full $23.30 car rate, since the discounted peak/off-peak rates are limited to NY and NJ accounts.