Thousand Islands Bridge Tolls, Customs, and Border Crossing Tips

Connecting Alexandria Bay, New York, with Ivy Lea, Ontario, the Thousand Islands Bridge is the North Country’s front door to Canada — and Canada’s front door to us. Whether you’re a Canadian shopper heading to Watertown, a local making a regular run north, or a first-timer wondering what the toll costs and what you can bring back, here’s everything worth knowing before you get in line.

Current Thousand Islands Bridge Toll Rates & Payment Methods

The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority (TIBA) sets the tolls, and they rose at the start of 2026. Here’s what a standard passenger car, pickup, or motorcycle pays right now:

• $4.00 USD or $5.50 CAD per crossing (Class 1, two-axle vehicles)
• Cash, major credit cards, and E-ZPass all pay the same rate — there is no E-ZPass discount on the standard fare, so don’t expect a break just for using the transponder
• E-ZPass has been accepted in all lanes since June 2019

Toll rates verified against TIBA’s published schedule, effective January 1, 2026. Rates change — check TIBA’s toll page before a trip if it’s been a while.

The Commuter Card: Worth It If You Cross Regularly

For frequent crossers, TIBA sells a Commuter Discount Fare Card — 72 trips for $48.00 USD (about $0.67 a trip). If you cross even a couple of times a month, that pays for itself fast.

Where the Customs Checkpoints Actually Are

One crossing, two countries, two checkpoints on two different islands:

• Heading south (into the U.S.): U.S. Customs and Border Protection port of entry is on Wellesley Island, NY — 46735 Interstate Route 81, Alexandria Bay. Open 24/7.
• Heading north (into Canada): Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) port of entry is on Hill Island, ON (the Lansdowne port).

Keep the islands straight and the whole crossing makes more sense: you pay the bridge toll, then clear the customs of the country you’re entering.

What Documentation You Need

Have ID ready for every passenger before you roll up to the booth. For adults crossing by land or bridge:

• U.S. citizens entering Canada: valid U.S. passport, passport card, or Enhanced Driver’s License (New York issues them)
• Canadian citizens entering the U.S.: valid Canadian passport or Canadian Enhanced Driver’s License
• Kids under 16: may cross by land with a certified birth certificate (both countries’ rules under WHTI)
• Traveling with minors when both parents aren’t present: carry a signed, dated consent letter from the absent parent authorizing the trip, plus a copy of their photo ID — officers ask for this often

NEXUS: The Fast Lane for Frequent Crossers

If you cross regularly, NEXUS is the single best upgrade you can make. Dedicated NEXUS lanes run both directions at the Thousand Islands crossing, and they genuinely collapse peak-summer weekend waits. There’s even a NEXUS/Global Entry enrollment center at the Alexandria Bay port (315-482-2261, ext. 5396).

What You Can (and Can’t) Bring Across the Border

Customs rules change — the officer’s word is final — but here are the baselines worth knowing before you load up.

Heading south (into the U.S.):

• Under 48 hours away: $200 USD duty-free exemption
• 48 hours or more: $800 USD
• Groceries are where people get tripped up — poultry, eggs, and produce rules shift with agricultural outbreaks, so declare food honestly and ask

Heading north (into Canada):

• Same-day trip: no exemption
• 24–48 hours away: CAN$200 (no alcohol or tobacco on this one)
• 48 hours or more: CAN$800, including limited alcohol (1.5L of wine, 1.14L of liquor, or 24 cans of beer) and tobacco
• One more thing: CBSA added counter-tariff surtaxes on U.S. goods above the exemption in 2026 — declare everything and expect the possibility of extra duty

Cash: you can cross with any amount, but $10,000 CAD/USD or more in cash or monetary instruments must be declared on either side.

Traveling with Pets

Dogs into the U.S. — the CDC’s rules (in force since August 2024) are non-negotiable:

• At least 6 months old
• Microchipped (chip implanted before any rabies vaccination used for entry)
• A completed CDC Dog Import Form receipt — filled out online in advance, every single crossing
• Canada is a low-rabies-risk country, so for most cross-border trips the form receipt is the main requirement — but confirm your dog’s specifics on the CDC’s site before you go

Dogs into Canada — a valid rabies vaccination certificate from a licensed veterinarian.

Cats: into the U.S., the CDC requires no federal rabies paperwork for cats (airlines and states may have their own rules); into Canada, a valid rabies vaccination certificate is required.

Border Wait Times (Check Before You Leave)

TIBA’s website links out to the official border wait-time feeds rather than running its own cameras — so check these before you leave:

• CBSA live wait times: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/bwt-taf lists the Lansdowne (Thousand Islands Bridge) crossing with commercial and traveler flows, updated through the day
• 511 NY: 511ny.org covers I-81 road conditions on the New York side, including camera feeds at nearby highway points

Peak windows to plan around:

• Summer weekends (June–September): Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings are the worst
• Holidays: Victoria Day, Memorial Day, both Thanksgivings, and the July 1/4 double-header
• Weekday commuter peaks: southbound 7–9 AM, northbound 4–6 PM

If the crossing looks jammed and geography allows, the Ogdensburg–Prescott bridge is the backup route further east down the river. Heading east instead? Our Massena NY border crossing guide covers the Three Nations Crossing.

Insider Tips: Duty-Free and Wellesley Island Stops

Duty-free: two shops, one per direction — and the rule is you must be exporting the goods into the other country. You can’t buy at the Canadian shop and stay in Canada.

• Heading south: Thousand Islands Duty Free, 839 Highway 137 on Hill Island, just before Canada Customs (6 AM–11 PM daily, 613-659-2133). (tidf.ca)
• Heading north: Duty Free Americas on I-81 on Wellesley Island, before the international line (315-482-2730)

Stretch your legs on Wellesley Island instead of blasting straight down I-81:

• Wellesley Island State Park — shoreline trails, a marina, and the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center. A good break for kids and dogs alike.
• The I-81 rest area just south of U.S. Customs — clean restrooms, vending, and travel brochures for Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. Handy spot to reorganize passports before the drive to Watertown.

Pair this crossing with a river trip — see our Beginner’s Guide to the Thousand Islands for where to go once you’re over the bridge.

Heading into a North Country winter? The October Winter-Prep Checklist covers what your vehicle should have sorted before the snow flies. For driving in those conditions, see our Winter Driving in Northern New York guide. And if you’re new to the area through Fort Drum, start with the Fort Drum local resources guide.

Frequently Asked Questions