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Free, Unlimited Thruway Travel — but the Tag Hangs Off a Fee-Exempt Registration
The Thruway Authority offers free, unlimited travel anywhere on the Thruway to qualifying disabled veterans, through a non-revenue E-ZPass tag. It is not applied for on a rating letter. The chain runs: a federal automobile-and-adaptive-equipment determination, then a DMV fee-exempt vehicle registration, then the Thruway application with a copy of that registration attached — and the tag lives and dies with the registration.
Verified August 23, 2026
What this benefit is
The Thruway Authority offers free, unlimited travel anywhere on the Thruway to qualifying disabled veterans, through a non-revenue E-ZPass tag. It is not applied for on a rating letter. The chain runs: a federal automobile-and-adaptive-equipment determination, then a DMV fee-exempt vehicle registration, then the Thruway application with a copy of that registration attached — and the tag lives and dies with the registration.
What it's worth: Free, unlimited travel anywhere on the Thruway system, on one E-ZPass tag
- The Thruway Authority states that it offers free, unlimited travel anywhere on the Thruway to certain qualifying disabled veterans.
- The Authority lists the Disabled Veterans Non-Revenue Program among its E-ZPass plans, alongside the commuter, resident, motorcycle, motorhome, towing and green discount plans.
- The application chain published by the Authority has three steps: complete federal VA Form 21-4502 and submit it to a VA regional office; obtain a fee-exempt vehicle registration from the state motor vehicle department; then submit the E-ZPass application for the Disabled Veteran Non-Revenue Plan, form TA-W5175, with a copy of the fee-exempt registration.
- The Authority states that a disabled veteran is entitled to one E-ZPass tag when verified by a photocopy of the state fee-exempt vehicle registration, and that the tag provides non-revenue travel on the Thruway system.
- The Authority states the plan expires upon the expiration date or revocation of the registration for the state fee-exempt vehicle listed on the account.
- The Authority publishes an E-ZPass Operations telephone number for this programme.
- The Authority’s discount plans page carries no provision for Medal of Honor recipients, former prisoners of war or Purple Heart recipients — the disabled veteran fee-exempt registration is the only veteran route listed.
- The Authority’s basic E-ZPass plan gives a 75% discount on all Thruway tolls to any account holder, which is the fallback for a veteran who does not hold a fee-exempt registration.
- The exemption covers the Thruway system. Bridges and tunnels operated by other authorities are separate tolling systems with their own accounts.
Who is entitled to it
- You are the veteran.
- You register a vehicle in New York.
- You are a New York resident.
- Your home is in New York.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
- 1Start at the federal end, not the toll end. VA Form 21-4502 — the automobile and adaptive equipment determination — is step one, and it goes to a VA regional office.
- 2Then get the fee-exempt vehicle registration from the state motor vehicle department. This is the pivot of the whole thing: the toll tag is verified against a photocopy of that registration, so without it there is nothing to apply with.
- 3Only then submit form TA-W5175 to the Thruway Authority, with the photocopy of the fee-exempt registration attached.
- 4Expect one tag, not a household’s worth. The Authority states the entitlement is one E-ZPass tag, verified against the one fee-exempt vehicle.
- 5Diarise the registration expiry, because the toll plan expires with it. If the fee-exempt registration lapses or is revoked, the non-revenue travel stops — this is the failure mode that catches people out years later.
- 6If you do not hold a fee-exempt registration, open an ordinary E-ZPass account anyway. The basic plan carries a 75% discount on all Thruway tolls, which is worth having while you work through the fee-exempt chain.
- 7Do not assume it covers every toll you meet. This is the Thruway system. Other tolled crossings are run by different authorities on separate accounts, and the Authority’s own plans page does not speak for them.
- 8Do not expect a Medal of Honor, Purple Heart or ex-prisoner-of-war route here. The discount plans page lists none — those distinctions do work at the registration counter, not at the toll gantry.
- Form
- TA-W5175 — E-ZPass application for the Disabled Veteran Non-Revenue Plan
- File with
- Thruway Authority E-ZPass Operations, after the DMV fee-exempt registration is issued
- Documents you will need
- dd214
- Applies at each renewal
Get this one first
CorrectionThis is not a rating-based benefit and applying as though it were is the standard way to fail. The Authority verifies against a fee-exempt VEHICLE REGISTRATION issued by the motor vehicle department. A veteran with a high rating but an ordinary registration does not qualify, and a veteran with the fee-exempt registration does — whatever their percentage.
Worth knowingThe tag is downstream of the registration in every sense, including expiry. The Authority states the plan expires on the expiration or revocation of the registration listed on the account, so a lapsed registration silently converts free travel into billed travel.
Known gapThe application form itself could not be extracted this session — the file downloads as a scanned document. Everything above comes from the Authority’s own plans page. What "certain, qualifying" means beyond the fee-exempt registration, and whether a passenger vehicle class limit applies, should be confirmed from the form or by ringing E-ZPass Operations.
Sources
- authority · published policyThruway Authority — E-ZPass discount and exempt plans, Disabled Veterans Non-Revenue Program
- operating · formThruway Authority — form TA-W5175, E-ZPass application for the Disabled Veteran Non-Revenue Plan
- operating · published policyThruway Authority — about E-ZPass
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