If you are a New York City resident, you may be eligible for Fair Fares NYC if you:

• Are between (and including) the ages of 18 and 64, and
• Are in a household that meets the income guidelines listed below:

• Are not receiving (or are not eligible for) full carfare from the Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration (DSS/HRA) or any other NYC agency, and
• If choosing the Fair Fares NYC subway and bus discount, are not currently participating or eligible to participate in any other transportation discount program **

** If choosing the Access-A-Ride discount, you may still be eligible for the Fair Fares NYC discount even if you receive a discount (or free rides) on subways and buses from the MTA.

MTA Access-A-Ride customers who are participating in the Fair Fares NYC program can request the Fair Fares NYC discount on their Access-A-Ride trips instead of the Fair Fares NYC MetroCard for subways and buses. Fair Fares Access-A-Ride customers who already have a reduced fare MetroCard through the MTA are still eligible for Fair Fares NYC if they meet the other eligibility criteria and are applying for a discount on their Access-A-Ride trips.  If you are not participating in the Fair Fares NYC program and you are an Access-A-Ride customer, visit the Fair Fares NYC website to check your eligibility and apply.

Fair Fares NYC participants who are also Access-A-Ride customers must register their customer identification number with the Fair Fares NYC program to get 50% off their Access-A-Ride trips. Visit the Fair Fares NYC website to log in or create your account and click on 'Update Access-A-Ride Information.'

The MTA must verify that you are an Access-A-Ride customer before your discount will be applied. Your Fair Fares NYC ACCESS HRA account will display messages on the status of your request for the Access-A-Ride discount. After the MTA confirms your Access-A-Ride customer status, you will receive a notice letting you know that your request for the Access-A-Ride discount has been approved and, if you have a Fair Fares MetroCard, then it will be deactivated.

The discount fare on Access-A-Ride trips is $1.45. Access-A-Ride drivers only accept cash payment for Access-A-Ride trips.

You can apply for Fair Fares NYC on the ACCESS HRA website or Mobile App. You can use a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

The application process has two steps:

1. Check your eligibility and submit the application.
2. Submit required documents, if any, within 10 calendar days of submitting your application using the NYC ACCESS HRA Mobile App.

Your application is not complete until you submit required documents, if any.

Applications are sent to the program for review and an eligibility decision when you affirm on ACCESS HRA that you submitted all documents for your application or when the 10 calendar day period to submit documents ends, whichever happens first. The review can take up to 30 days.

The Fair Fares NYC application process does not require an eligibility interview.

You can get help completing your application or submitting documents by calling 311 or visiting a Fair Fares NYC location.

Fair Fares NYC participants are enrolled in the program for one year. You will be notified when it's time for you to renew your enrollment. 

Your ACCESS HRA Fair Fares NYC account will display reminder messages to you when it's time to renew your enrollment.  Both the notice and reminder messages will include your deadline to submit the renewal application.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Fair Fares NYC.

How to Renew

You must submit a renewal application through your ACCESS HRA Fair Fares NYC account, and be found eligible, to stay enrolled in the program.  

You can also update information, such as your mailing address, through your ACCESS HRA Fair Fares NYC account.

What Happens Next

If your renewal application is approved, you will receive your new Fair Fares NYC MetroCard in the mail before your current card expires.  

If your discount is for Access-A-Ride trips, it will continue automatically when your renewal application is approved.

You may be asked to provide documents to verify your identity, age, residency, and income.

Fair Fares NYC will not ask about immigration status or record any information about immigration status.

You must submit the required documents within 10 calendar days from the date you submit your initial or renewal application using the NYC ACCESS HRA Mobile App. If you do not submit the required documents within this timeframe, your application will expire and you will have to submit a new initial or renewal application.

More information, including a full list of required documents, is available online.

You can view the status of your application or renewal application anytime online by logging into your ACCESS HRA Fair Fares NYC account.

You will be mailed a notice once a decision is made on your application or renewal application. You can also see the decision in your ACCESS HRA Fair Fares NYC account.

Application or Renewal Application Approved

If your application is approved and you select the subway and bus discount, you will receive your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard in the mail 2 to 3 weeks after your application is approved.  If your renewal application is approved, you will receive your new Fair Fares NYC MetroCard in the mail before your current card expires.

If your application is approved and you select the Access-a-Ride discount, you will be able to use the Fair Fares NYC discount on Access-a-Ride on trips booked starting 3 calendar days after the MTA verifies that you are an Access-a-Ride customer. If your renewal application is approved, you can continue booking discounted Access-A-Ride trips.

Eligible New York City residents are enrolled in the Fair Fares NYC program for one year.

Application or Renewal Application Denied

Your application or renewal application may be denied if you do not meet the program eligibility requirements. You can log into your ACCESS HRA Fair Fares NYC account to view the reason for the denial. The notice you received explains why you are not eligible for Fair Fares NYC.

If you think the denial was a mistake, you can make a request to review your application or renewal application in person at a Fair Fares NYC location or by phone. You must make this request within 14 calendar days from the date on the notice you received.

The Fair Fares NYC MetroCard you receive will not have any time or value on it. You must add time or value on your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard to use it.

You can add time for half the regular price or add value to your card at a Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) station booth or MTA MetroCard vending machines, as follows:

• To add time, buy a 7-day unlimited pass or a 30-day unlimited pass.
• To add value, choose the dollar amount you want to add to your card and have available for Pay-Per-Ride fares.

You can add value and time on your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard at the same time. The bus fare box or subway turnstile will use the unlimited ride period first.  Once the weekly unlimited or monthly unlimited ride period ends, the bus fare box or subway turnstile will start deducting half-fare if there is value on your card.

When you use the value on your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard for Pay-Per-Ride, the turnstile or bus fare box will know to charge you half the current fare. This means if you add $10 to your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard, you will have the whole $10 on your card.  Each time you swipe your card, you will be only charged half the current price for a single fare. You are eligible for free transfers after each single fare payment within the NYCT guidelines.

Public Transportation Systems

You can use your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard on:

• New York City subways
• Eligible New York City buses
• The Staten Island Railway (SIR)

You cannot use your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard on:

• Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Express Buses
• The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)
• Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH)
• AirTrain
• Metro-North Railroad

Fair Fares NYC Locations are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, except city holidays.

The Fair Fares NYC MetroCard discounted options and prices are:

• $17 for a 7-day unlimited pass
• $66 for a 30-day unlimited pass
• $1.45 for a single fare (Pay-Per-Ride)

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) MetroCard vending machines will know to charge you the discounted price for an unlimited pass. The turnstiles and bus fare boxes will know to charge you half the regular fare when you swipe for Pay-Per-Ride.

MTA station booths only accept cash payment for Fair Fares NYC MetroCards.

MTA MetroCard vending machines accept payment for Fair Fares NYC MetroCards by:

• Cash
• Credit card
• Debit card
• Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card

The expiration date of your Fair Fares NYC MetroCard is printed on the back of your card. The card will not work after the expiration date. You should use all time or value before the card expires.  

If your card will expire in less than 30 days:

• You may be able to add value for Pay-Per-Ride fares or a 7-day unlimited pass.
• You cannot purchase a 30-day unlimited pass.

If your card will expire in less than 7 days:

• You may be able to add value for Pay-Per-Ride fares.
• You cannot purchase a 7-day unlimited pass.

Please note the following important information about expired Fair Fares NYC MetroCards:

• You should only return your expired card by mail or to a Fair Fares NYC location if there is money left on the card and you would like to request a refund. Any request for a refund must be made within 2 years of the card’s expiration date.
• Do not give your expired card to an MTA station agent if you have money left on the card.
• MTA vending machines will not offer to exchange your card when it expires.

If you have an active Fair Fares case, you can get assistance with a Fair Fares card that is expiring or has expired.