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What Is Pay Toll by Plate and How Does It Work?

Pay Toll by Plate

As transportation infrastructure evolves, tolling systems have become more advanced, moving away from traditional toll booths toward more automated, digital solutions. Today, drivers and fleets encounter a range of toll collection methods designed to reduce congestion, enhance efficiency, and improve the overall travel experience.

One of the most significant changes in modern tolling is the widespread adoption of electronic toll collection (ETC) systems. These typically involve transponders — small devices installed in vehicles that automatically deduct toll fees as a vehicle passes through a tolling point. This system has helped eliminate the need to stop, pay with cash, or wait in line, creating a smoother experience for drivers.

However, not every vehicle on the road has a transponder. Whether it’s an occasional driver, an out-of-state vehicle, or a fleet truck that hasn’t been equipped with an electronic tolling device, tolling authorities needed a solution for capturing toll payments without physical interaction. That’s where “Pay Toll by Plate” systems come in.

Pay Toll by Plate has quickly become a popular alternative to traditional transponder-based tolling, offering a convenient — though sometimes more costly — option for drivers and fleet operators. As more toll roads adopt all-electronic or cashless systems, understanding how Pay Toll by Plate works is critical for both everyday drivers and commercial fleets aiming to avoid unnecessary fees and administrative hassles.

What Is Pay Toll by Plate?

Pay Toll by Plate is an electronic tolling method that allows vehicles to pass through toll points without the need for a physical transponder or stopping to pay in person. Instead of relying on a tag or device in the vehicle, this system uses advanced camera technology to capture the vehicle’s license plate as it passes under a toll gantry or through a tolling zone.

Once the license plate is captured, the tolling authority uses vehicle registration databases to identify the registered owner. A toll invoice is then mailed or emailed directly to the address associated with that license plate. The driver is responsible for paying the toll, often within a specific timeframe to avoid late fees or penalties.

This method has grown in popularity as toll agencies shift toward cashless or all-electronic tolling systems, eliminating traditional toll booths and human toll collectors. With fewer stops and less congestion, traffic flow improves — but it also shifts the responsibility for toll payment and management to the vehicle owner or fleet operator.

While the concept is simple and convenient for occasional users or vehicles without transponders, it can introduce challenges, particularly for commercial fleets that operate multiple vehicles across different tolling jurisdictions.

Common Names for Pay Toll by Plate

Different tolling authorities across North America use various terms for this method, including:

  • Toll-By-Plate (used by Florida's Turnpike, Pennsylvania Turnpike, etc.)
  • PlatePay (used in Oklahoma and other states)
  • Pay by Mail (common in Texas and parts of California)
  • Toll-by-Mail or Video Tolling (used in New York, Maryland, and others)

Although the names differ, the underlying system is the same — tolls are billed to the license plate, not paid on the spot or via transponder.

While Pay Toll by Plate offers flexibility, it also comes with certain trade-offs — such as higher toll rates, longer billing cycles, and potential administrative complications, especially for fleet operations. 

How Pay Toll by Plate Works

The Pay Toll by Plate system is designed to keep traffic flowing by eliminating the need for toll booths or physical toll collection. Instead, it relies entirely on digital imaging and license plate recognition technology to collect toll fees from drivers. Here’s a breakdown of how the process works from start to finish:

Step 1: Vehicle Passes Through a Toll Gantry Without a Transponder

When a vehicle enters a tolling zone — such as a bridge, tunnel, express lane, or highway — and it does not have a transponder (like E-ZPass or Complete Pass), the system automatically switches to toll-by-plate mode.

Instead of stopping or interacting with any toll infrastructure, the driver simply continues through the tolling area. There is no need to slow down or pull over.

Step 2: Cameras Capture the Vehicle’s License Plate

High-speed cameras positioned on toll gantries or poles take clear images of the front and rear license plates as the vehicle passes by. These cameras are equipped with automated license plate recognition (ALPR) technology that can capture plate numbers accurately, even at highway speeds and in various lighting conditions.

Step 3: Tolling Authority Identifies the Vehicle Owner

The captured license plate data is then processed by the tolling authority’s system. Using motor vehicle registration databases, the system matches the plate number to the registered vehicle owner’s name and mailing address. In some cases, tolling agencies may also retrieve contact information such as email addresses if available.

Step 4: Invoice Is Mailed or Emailed to the Registered Owner

Once the vehicle is identified, an invoice for the toll amount is generated and sent to the owner. This invoice typically includes:

  • The date and time of the toll
  • The location or route of the tolling point
  • The toll amount
  • Any additional service or administrative fees
  • Payment due date
  • Instructions for how to pay

For commercial fleets, this often means receiving multiple paper invoices across different tolling regions, creating extra work to reconcile toll costs and ensure timely payment.

Step 5: Billing Timeline

Toll-by-plate transactions typically take longer to process compared to transponder-based tolling. Most tolling agencies send invoices 30 to 60 days after the toll was incurred, though this varies by region. Delays in receiving the invoice can lead to unintentional missed payments and late fees if the notice goes unnoticed or reaches the wrong address.

Step 6: Payment Methods

Tolling authorities provide several options to pay Pay Toll by Plate invoices, including:

  • Online payment portals (through toll agency websites)
  • By mail (sending a check or money order with the invoice)
  • By phone (calling the toll authority’s payment hotline)
  • Auto-pay enrollment (setting up an account and linking a payment method for automatic processing)

Some agencies even offer early payment discounts, while others impose late fees or penalty charges if the invoice isn’t paid on time.

While the process is relatively straightforward, it can become complex and expensive — especially for fleets managing dozens or hundreds of toll transactions monthly.

Advantages of Pay Toll by Plate

While transponder-based tolling is often the preferred method for frequent travelers and commercial fleets, Pay Toll by Plate does offer several advantages — particularly for occasional drivers or those who don't want to manage a transponder account. Here's a closer look at the key benefits:

1. No Need for a Transponder

One of the most appealing aspects of Pay Toll by Plate is that it doesn’t require any upfront equipment or installation. Drivers don’t need to purchase, install, or maintain a transponder device in their vehicle. This is ideal for individuals who rarely use toll roads or don’t want to commit to a toll account subscription.

There’s also no need to worry about lost, damaged, or improperly mounted transponders — all toll charges are processed simply based on your license plate.

2. Convenient for Occasional or Out-of-State Drivers

Pay Toll by Plate is particularly convenient for:

  • Vacationers or road trippers traveling through unfamiliar toll areas
  • Rental cars, which may not always come equipped with a transponder
  • Out-of-state drivers who don’t have an account with the local tolling authority
  • Occasional toll users who may only use toll roads a few times per year

For these groups, Pay Toll by Plate offers a hassle-free way to pay tolls without having to sign up for a regional transponder system that may never be used again.

3. Useful as a Backup in Case of Transponder Failure

Even for drivers or fleets that normally rely on transponders, Pay Toll by Plate can serve as a valuable backup mechanism. If a transponder is accidentally left at home, malfunctions, or fails to register properly at a tolling point, the tolling system will typically default to capturing the license plate and billing via the toll-by-plate process.

This redundancy helps ensure that tolls are still recorded and paid, preventing drivers from being stopped or fined for toll evasion — although it may come at a higher cost.

While these benefits make Pay Toll by Plate a convenient option in certain scenarios, it’s important to weigh them against the potential downsides — such as increased costs, delayed billing, and administrative complexity, especially for businesses managing large fleets. In the next section, we’ll explore these challenges in more detail.

Pay Toll by Plate for Commercial Fleets

While Pay Toll by Plate may offer flexibility and convenience for occasional drivers, it often poses significant challenges for commercial fleets and trucking companies. Fleet operations are complex by nature, and relying on a plate-based tolling system can quickly create operational inefficiencies, increased costs, and unnecessary administrative burdens. Here’s a breakdown of the most common issues fleets face when using Pay Toll by Plate:

1. Increased Cost from Plate-Based Tolling

One of the biggest drawbacks for fleets is the higher toll rates associated with Pay Toll by Plate. Tolling authorities often charge more for plate-based billing than they do for transponder-based transactions — sometimes adding service fees or surcharges on top of the base toll.

For fleets that travel across multiple tolling jurisdictions on a regular basis, these added costs can multiply quickly. Over time, what seems like a small difference per transaction can amount to thousands of dollars in excess toll charges annually — a major hit to the bottom line.

2. Administrative Complexity from Multiple Paper Invoices

Another common issue is the overwhelming volume of invoices that arrive via mail or email. Each tolling authority sends separate invoices for the tolls incurred, and there’s often no centralized system to consolidate them. A fleet operating across multiple states could easily receive dozens — if not hundreds — of paper invoices each month, all needing to be processed manually.

Fleet managers or office administrators must sort through each invoice, match them to vehicles and drivers, ensure timely payments, and respond to any disputes or errors. This increases labor costs and creates the risk of:

  • Duplicate payments
  • Missed due dates
  • Lost invoices
  • Late fees and penalties

3. Difficulty in Tracking Toll Expenses Per Vehicle

Accurate toll tracking is essential for understanding the true cost of operating a fleet. However, Pay Toll by Plate systems make cost attribution and reporting much more difficult. Since invoices are issued per plate, and not through a centralized toll account with real-time data access, it’s challenging to:

  • Allocate toll costs to specific trucks or drivers
  • Identify toll-heavy routes
  • Monitor driver compliance
  • Audit toll spend efficiently

This lack of visibility can limit a fleet’s ability to control costs, optimize routes, or make strategic operational decisions.

4. Real-World Example: The Fleet That Drowns in Paper Invoices

Imagine a medium-sized fleet with 100 vehicles operating across 15 tolling jurisdictions. Without a toll management solution, each vehicle might generate multiple Pay Toll by Plate transactions per week. That could result in hundreds of separate invoices every month, each from a different tolling authority with its own format, payment terms, and processes.

This scenario isn’t hypothetical — many fleets experience this exact issue, spending countless hours each month just trying to manage toll paperwork. What’s worse, many tolling authorities do not offer fleet-specific support, leaving businesses to figure it out on their own.

The result? Lost productivity, higher administrative costs, and avoidable financial penalties — all of which could be prevented with a more streamlined toll management approach.

Why Switch to BestPass?

Avoid the higher rates, administrative headaches, and complex billing cycles associated with Pay Toll by Plate systems by switching to Bestpass. Bestpass streamlines your toll payments under one simplified, consolidated account, providing nationwide transponder solutions like Complete Pass and Horizon Scout tailored to your fleet's needs. Join over 30,000 fleets who manage toll payments efficiently and transparently—with Bestpass.

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