Understanding Toll-by-Plate

Understand How Toll-By-Plate Works

In 2010, the Selmon Expressway converted to All-Electronic Toll (AET). What that means is that there are no toll booths. Toll equipment is housed in “gantries” that stretch across the roadway (think of a sign structure). There are signs at each entry to the Expressway – to let you know that you’re on a toll road – and there are signs at each tolling point giving you the price of that toll.

When you go under a toll gantry, if the equipment does not detect a SunPass transponder, we take a photo of your vehicle as you pass under the equipment. The picture (and accompanying toll data) is sent to the back office where the license plate is “read.” If the vehicle has been in our system before, the computer reads it and creates a toll transaction. If not, then a human has to look at the plate and determine the plate’s numbers and letters, the State, and other identifying markers.

After we identify the plate number, then we look up the registration associated with the license plate. Once we have that, we bundle the tolls and mail an invoice to the registration address. If the address on your registration does not match your current address, you will not receive the toll invoice. (In the State of Florida, a motor vehicle is required by law to be registered within ten days of the owner either becoming employed, placing children in public school, or establishing residency. Registering your motor vehicle goes hand in hand with the titling process.)

A Toll-by- Plate customer has 30 days to pay the tolls and administrative fee. If payment is not received, tolls roll over to the next invoice and another administrative fee is added. After 60 days, the tolls and fees are referred to an external collection agency. The collection agency sends out a notice asking for the entire amount, including a fee for the collection agency. A customer has 30 days to pay.

If there is no payment within 30 days, another notice is sent out notifying the vehicle owner that the registration for that vehicle is now “on hold.” The Registration Hold is a protective measure against escalating fees.  Once a Registration Hold is placed on a vehicle, the owner cannot register the vehicle until the tolls and fees are paid.

You can avoid this potential hassle – and save yourself money – by opening a SunPass account! You save on the original toll ($.25 per toll adds up!), there is no administrative fee ($2.50 per invoice!) and – if you keep your SunPass account up-to- date and replenished – there’s no collection agency involvement – no registration holds!