New 3% card fee hits ferry riders March 1
Feb 18, 2026, 12:48 PM
The MV Kittitas leaving Mukilteo, the ferry is part of Washington State Ferries. (Photo: @SounderBruce via Flickr Creative Commons)
(Photo: @SounderBruce via Flickr Creative Commons)
If you use plastic to pay for your ferry ride, it’s about to cost a little extra.
Beginning March 1, Washington State Ferries (WSF) will add a 3% fee to all fares paid by credit or debit card.
The surcharge was authorized by the legislature in the state’s 2025–27 transportation budget and will not apply to passengers who pay with cash or use an ORCA card. The agency estimates the new fee will bring in $7.4 million over two years.
“This fee is really just designated to cover the financial transaction that ferries were already incurring when collecting fares,” Hillary Badger, WSF’s Director of Finance and Administration, said. “These are not revenue‑generating fees. This is purely cost recovery.”
The fee will apply to all in-person, kiosk, and online purchases. The agency will be required to notify customers at the point of sale and itemize the fee on receipts. The surcharge will not apply to memorial sailings, annual business accounts, or authorized film and photography activities, according to WSF.
Ferry riders are paying more across the board as lawmakers want WSF to generate more than $400 million in fare revenue over two years. Fares went up 3% last October and will rise another 3% on May 1. The summer peak surcharge also jumped to 35%, and a $1 vessel‑replacement fee is now standard.
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