Paying tolls is part of the responsibility that comes with driving on toll roads and bridges. However, we all make mistakes sometimes. You might accidentally go through an electronic toll plaza with no funds in your account. Or maybe you drove through a toll booth without realizing you had no cash on hand. Whatever the reason, not paying a toll when you are supposed to can lead to significant consequences if you ignore the resulting toll violation.
This guide covers everything that happens when you don’t pay your tolls, from the fines and administrative actions that happen right away to the effects that last for a long time. We’ll also talk about how punishments differ from state to state and give you advice on how to keep punishments from getting worse. If you know the risks and possible solutions, you can deal with any unpaid tolls in the right way to avoid bigger legal and financial problems.
Immediate Consequences of Unpaid Tolls
When you go through a toll plaza or booth and don’t pay, either because you don’t have enough money or because you forgot, the tolling authority starts an administrative process right away. Here are some of the initial consequences you may face:
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Administrative Fees – Most toll operators charge a violation or administrative fee on top of the original unpaid toll, This extra fee is typically $10-50 depending on location
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Violation Notice – Within 30-60 days of the missed toll, you will receive a violation notice by mail requiring payment of the original toll plus any fees
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Registration Hold – If you ignore the notice, a hold may be placed on renewing your vehicle registration until you pay.
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Late Fees – Missed toll notices will start accruing late fees the longer you wait to pay, quickly multiplying the amount owed.
Acting quickly is key to avoiding escalation of fines. In some cases, paying within a short window allows you to pay just the original toll amount.
Legal and Administrative Impacts
If you neglect unpaid toll bills, the consequences intensify, potentially affecting your driving privileges, credit, and involvement with collection agencies or court proceedings.
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License/Registration Suspension – States like Florida and New York may suspend your driver’s license and vehicle registration for unpaid tolls and fees.
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Collections – Unpaid tolls may be sent to collections, harming your credit score and resulting in persistent letters or calls from collectors.
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Court Fines – Not paying could lead to court summons and fines for evading a toll, plus administrative court fees.
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Travel Impacts – Missed tolls could prevent you from renewing driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations until handling the violations.
Long-Term Financial Effects
The impacts of unpaid tolls extend beyond immediate fines. If left unresolved, these violations can negatively affect your finances over time through:
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Increased Insurance Rates – Unpaid debts may cause your car insurance premiums to rise.
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Lower Credit Score – Your credit score will likely drop if violations go to collections, impacting your ability to get future loans/credit.
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Reinstatement Fees – You may have to pay hundreds in state fees to reinstate a suspended license or registration.
State-Specific Considerations
Consequences for not paying tolls can vary across different states. Here are some location-specific risks:
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Northeastern States – States like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have reciprocal agreements to suspend licenses/registrations for unpaid tolls.
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Florida – The Florida DMV can prevent renewal of your license, tag, and registration with toll debts.
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California – California puts an immediate hold on your registration renewal if you miss toll payments.
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Illinois – Illinois can refer unpaid tolls to collections, affect driver’s licenses, and implement registration holds.
Strategies for Avoiding and Resolving Violations
While toll violations can spiral quickly, there are effective ways to prevent or address them:
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Pay missed tolls as soon as possible before administrative fees start accumulating.
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Maintain sufficient funds in accounts linked to transponders like E-ZPass to avoid insufficient funds.
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For incorrect violations, submit a written dispute request with evidence like time-stamped photos.
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Enroll in automatic replenishment programs to avoid low toll account balances.
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Seek assistance through legal aid resources if violations escalate to collections or license suspensions.
Can I Go to Jail for Not Paying Tolls?
Failure to pay tolls does not generally result in jail time, as toll violations are usually civil administrative matters. However, in extreme cases of chronic, intentional toll evasion, some states classify it as misdemeanor criminal theft, which could involve jail time.
What Happens if I Don’t Pay Toll by Plate?
With toll by plate systems, the registered vehicle owner receives the toll bill by mail. If you don’t pay, the same consequences apply, starting with late fees, escalating to collections and registration holds if ignored. Act quickly to resolve plate tolls and avoid penalties.
I Live Out-of-State – Do I Still Have to Pay Missed Tolls?
Even as an out-of-state driver, you are still responsible for paying any tolls you incur, as well as any resulting administrative fees or fines for non-payment. Unpaid tolls could be referred to collections agencies, which could negatively affect your credit. Some states may also report debts to your home state’s DMV.
Can My Wages Be Garnished for Unpaid Tolls?
While rare, your wages could potentially be garnished in some cases of unpaid tolls, generally when the amount owed is very high or violations are willful and ongoing. Before pursuing garnishment, the toll agency usually attempts resolutions like payment plans. Consult a lawyer if facing possible wage garnishment.
Final Thoughts
Missed tolls, while seemingly minor at the time, can quickly spiral into major administrative headaches, legal issues, and financial troubles if left unaddressed. But by acting quickly, understanding your risks, and leveraging solutions like dispute processes, you can avoid the most serious consequences of unpaid toll bills.
Being aware of the many potential impacts—on your license, registration, credit, insurance, and more—highlights the importance of attentively paying any required tolls when traveling. However, should a violation occur, you can remedy the situation promptly before penalties escalate by contacting the toll authority, paying online, or submitting appeals. With the right approach, a single missed toll payment doesn’t have to put your driving privileges or finances in jeopardy.
Forms of tolls around the U.S.
There are approximately 16 different toll systems/passes in effect across the U.S. While some are used in multiple states, others are limited to perhaps one or two states. Drivers in Texas, for example, may use a TxTag toll transponder—Oklahoma’s Pikepass and Kansas’ K-Pass transponders are also accepted.
With the rise of automated toll booths using camera-operated systems, you might drive through an unfamiliar toll system and not even know it until a bill arrives in the mail. These forms of tolls often don’t require the driver to slow down from highway speed, so they can be easy to miss.
If a toll bill arrives via mail and everything corresponds with your recent travel locations and dates, the necessary thing to do is pay the bill. In many instances this can be done online. If the toll was incurred while you were behind the wheel of a rental car, you’ll still be on the hook for paying for your time on that road.
Yet, it’s smart to keep in mind that mistakes can happen. A camera-based system might mis-read a license plate number. Receiving such a bill could be frustrating and you may have to provide some sort of documentation proving that you don’t own the vehicle corresponding with the toll fee.
An automated toll system could also charge the wrong amount if the transponder is obscured, or is otherwise operating improperly for some reason.
Consider these tips for paying tolls when traveling in other states.
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Article QuickTakes:
Toll roads are a daily routine for many drivers, but questions can arise when travel plans involve crossing state lines and encountering unfamiliar toll systems. The good news is that large swaths of the U.S. operate on toll systems that work from state to state. One of the nation’s largest is E-Z Pass, which presently covers 18 states and stretches from Maine to Florida, and as far west as Illinois and Minnesota.
But not every state has the same form of toll collection system or vehicle transponder. This can make especially long road trips more complicated, as you could encounter a handful (or more) of different tolling methods during a single drive.
So what happens if you get a toll from out of state? If you believe you were charged in error, is there any recourse to dispute the charge?
Ask Trooper Steve: Here’s what happens if you don’t pay a toll in a rental car
FAQ
Do unpaid tolls affect your credit?
Can unpaid tolls affect registration in Texas?
How long do you have to pay tolls in Texas?
What happens if you don’t pay The Toll Roads in California?
What happens if my toll bill is unpaid?
If your toll bill remains unpaid after 60 days it will be sent to collections, and an additional $10 collection fee will be tacked on for each invoice. If you have a EZ TAG account and have received toll invoices in the mail due to an unpaid balance, your account may be suspended.
What happens if you miss paying a toll?
If you miss paying a toll, the initial consequence is often an administrative fee on top of the unpaid toll amount. This fee can vary, but it is usually charged to cover the cost of processing your violation. For example, in New York, neglecting to pay a toll can quickly result in a bill with a $5 late fee if not addressed promptly.
What happens if you don’t pay a toll in New York?
For example, New York holds stringent penalties for non-payment of tolls, and your disregard for these fees can lead to the state taking action to prevent you from driving by suspending your driving-related documents. If you ignore toll bills and subsequent violation notices, the toll operator might escalate the issue to court proceedings.
What happens if you don’t pay a toll in Texas?
Under Texas law, someone who fails to pay a toll may be charged with a criminal misdemeanor for toll evasion under Chapter 370.11 of the Texas Transportation Code. If found guilty, the registered owner of the vehicle can face fines of up to $250 per unpaid toll in addition to court administrative fees.