Nova Scotia Toll Highway and Bridges: Now Toll-Free for Residents (2026)
Click on the map to open toll wiki for a country/state
Nova Scotia Toll Highway and Bridges Complete Guide
System: Two of Nova Scotia's three former toll facilities are now completely toll-free; the third (Cobequid Pass) is toll-free for NS-registered vehicles but still tolled for out-of-province vehicles
Coverage: Angus L. Macdonald Bridge and A. Murray MacKay Bridge (Halifax Harbour, toll-free since March 17, 2025) and Cobequid Pass Toll Highway (Trans-Canada Highway 104, tolled for out-of-province vehicles only)
Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Technology: Cobequid Pass: E-Pass transponder (free for NS residents) or cash for out-of-province vehicles; the Halifax bridges no longer have any toll infrastructure at all - MACPASS has been fully decommissioned
Operators: Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB, operating name of the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission) - now operates the bridges toll-free; Highway 104 Western Alignment Corporation (a Nova Scotia Crown corporation) owns Cobequid Pass, with toll operations contracted to Atlantic Highway Management Corporation Limited (a subsidiary of Aecon Concessions)
Do I Need to Pay Tolls in Nova Scotia? 2026 Update
Both bridges have been completely toll-free since 5:00 AM on Monday, March 17, 2025, ending 70 years of tolling on the Halifax Harbour crossings. If you cross either bridge today, you pay nothing at all - there are no toll booths remaining; they were physically demolished by early April 2025.
Key Reality: Nova Scotia's only remaining toll facility affecting most drivers is the Cobequid Pass on Highway 104 - and even there, if your vehicle is registered in Nova Scotia, you already cross for free (since December 16, 2021). Only out-of-province vehicles (both passenger and commercial) still pay a toll at Cobequid Pass, ranging from $4 for motorcycles to $24 for heavy commercial vehicles - a rate that has been unchanged since 2004.
2026 Update: The Halifax bridge toll removal was part of the province's 2025 budget, fulfilling a 2024 election promise by Premier Tim Houston - estimated to cost the province approximately $40 million per year in foregone revenue. Halifax Harbour Bridges issued $4.67 million in refunds to more than 177,000 closed MACPASS accounts following the change. Separately, as of April 2026, Cobequid Pass's out-of-province toll has become a point of interprovincial political friction. New Brunswick officials have cited it as a comparable practice while defending a new toll of their own, and some advocacy groups have called for Nova Scotia to eliminate the out-of-province Cobequid Pass charge entirely, though no such change has been announced.
Nova Scotia Toll Costs: Current Rates (2026)
| Facility | NS-Registered Vehicles | Out-of-Province Vehicles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angus L. Macdonald Bridge | FREE | FREE | Toll-free for everyone since March 17, 2025 - no exceptions, no residency requirement |
| A. Murray MacKay Bridge | FREE | FREE | Toll-free for everyone since March 17, 2025 - no exceptions, no residency requirement |
| Cobequid Pass (motorcycles) | FREE (since Dec 16, 2021) | $4.00 | Rate unchanged since January 1, 2004 |
| Cobequid Pass (standard cars, light trucks) | FREE (since Dec 16, 2021) | Higher than motorcycle rate - check [httsp://www.cobequidpass.com Cobequid] for exact current figure | Rate unchanged since January 1, 2004 |
| Cobequid Pass (heavy commercial vehicles, tractor-trailers, buses) | FREE (since Dec 16, 2021) | Up to $24.00 | Rate unchanged since January 1, 2004; applies to non-NS-registered commercial vehicles regardless of company location |
To calculate toll costs across Nova Scotia and confirm current out-of-province Cobequid Pass rates, use the TollGuru Nova Scotia toll calculator:
Halifax Harbour Bridges - Now Completely Toll-Free
The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge and A. Murray MacKay Bridge span Halifax Harbour, connecting Halifax to Dartmouth. Both were tolled continuously from the Macdonald Bridge's opening in the 1950s until March 17, 2025. Refer Halifax Harbour Bridges for further notice:
- Toll collection stopped at exactly 5:00 AM on Monday, March 17, 2025
- Toll plaza demolition began at the Macdonald Bridge on March 14, 2025, and at the MacKay Bridge on March 28, 2025
- Demolition included removal of toll booths, concrete barriers, gantries, and electrical equipment, plus roadway resurfacing and lane reconfiguration
- More than 177,000 MACPASS accounts were closed; $4.67 million was refunded to account holders
- Both bridges retain their previous speed limits: 70 km/h on the MacKay Bridge, 50 km/h on the Macdonald Bridge
- The Macdonald Bridge still has a weight limit of 3,200 kg (7,055 lbs) and permits cars, light trucks, buses, pedestrians, and bicycles; the MacKay Bridge has no weight limit and permits all vehicles including semi-trailers
- Slow-moving or oversized vehicles (cranes, backhoes, wheel loaders, graders, asphalt spreaders, forklifts, tractors) still require a written letter of permission from Halifax Harbour Bridges to cross the MacKay Bridge - this requirement is unrelated to tolling and remains in effect
Cobequid Pass - Free for Nova Scotians, Tolled for Visitors
The Cobequid Pass is a 45 km (28 mi) tolled section of the Trans-Canada Highway 104 between Thomson Station, Cumberland County and Masstown, Colchester County. It is a twinned four-lane highway with five interchanges, six major bridges, and five wildlife/land-access tunnels.
Since 11:00 AM on December 16, 2021, Nova Scotia-registered vehicles have had free passage through Cobequid Pass. At the time, approximately 50% of passenger vehicles and 70% of commercial trucks using the highway were registered out-of-province, and tolls remain in place for those vehicles specifically. The last toll rate change was January 1, 2004, and as of this writing there are no announced plans to increase it.
Nova Scotia-registered drivers without a transponder must still stop briefly at the toll booth to confirm NS registration, even though no payment is required. A free transponder is available specifically to speed this process - apply at Login and it will be mailed to you at no cost.
How to Pay Nova Scotia Tolls
Halifax Harbour Bridges (Macdonald and MacKay):
- Nothing to pay - simply drive across. No toll booths, no account, no transponder needed of any kind.
Cobequid Pass (Nova Scotia-registered vehicles):
- Free passage - apply for a free E-Pass transponder at Login to skip the verification stop, or simply stop briefly to confirm NS registration
Cobequid Pass (out-of-province vehicles):
- E-Pass transponder (paid, for non-residents) or pay in cash at the toll booth
- Video toll or pay-by-plate does not exist here - you must pay in person or hold a valid transponder at the time of crossing
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need MACPASS to cross the Halifax bridges?
No. MACPASS has been fully decommissioned - more than 177,000 accounts were closed and $4.67 million refunded after tolls ended on March 17, 2025. There is nothing to pay and no account needed to cross either bridge.
I'm visiting Nova Scotia from another province - do I pay tolls?
The Halifax Harbour bridges are free for everyone, regardless of where your vehicle is registered. Cobequid Pass on Highway 104, however, still charges out-of-province vehicles - from $4 for a motorcycle up to $24 for a heavy commercial vehicle.
Why does Nova Scotia still toll out-of-province drivers at Cobequid Pass?
When the province removed tolls for NS-registered vehicles in 2021, it kept the charge for out-of-province traffic to help fund highway maintenance, since a large share of Cobequid Pass users (roughly half of passenger vehicles and 70% of trucks, per 2019 data) are from outside the province. This has become a point of interprovincial political discussion as of 2026, with New Brunswick officials citing it in debates over their own new toll, though no change to the Nova Scotia policy has been announced.
How are truck tolls calculated at Cobequid Pass?
For out-of-province commercial vehicles, tolls are based on the number of axles and vehicle configuration, ranging up to $24 for the largest tractor-trailers and buses. Nova Scotia-registered commercial vehicles pay nothing.
Nova Scotia Tolling Agencies and Contacts
- Cobequid Pass: Atlantic Highway Management Corporation Limited (subsidiary of Aecon Concessions), operating on behalf of Highway 104 Western Alignment Corporation, a Nova Scotia Crown corporation
- Halifax Harbour Bridges (Macdonald and MacKay): Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB), the operating name of the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission - now managing toll-free operations only
Useful Links & Resources
- Nova Scotia Toll Calculator - Plan routes and confirm current Cobequid Pass out-of-province rates
- Cobequid Pass - Official current rates, NS-resident free transponder application
- Halifax Harbour Bridges - Official confirmation of toll-free status and bridge information
- Government of Nova Scotia News Releases - Original announcements for both toll removals
- Prince Edward Island Toll Guide - StraitPASS also works at Cobequid Pass
- New Brunswick Toll Guide - the neighbouring province currently discussed alongside Cobequid Pass
- Canada Toll Guide - All Canadian provinces and territories overview
