What Pay By Plate means for Illinois drivers

Pay By Plate is Illinois's system for paying tolls without a physical toll tag or transponder. When you drive through a toll plaza on the Illinois Tollway, a camera reads your license plate, and the toll authority sends you an invoice by mail. You then pay the amount due within a set timeframe. This system exists so drivers who don't have a prepaid toll account can still use toll roads legally.

The Illinois Tollway operates this system statewide on all its toll roads, including I-90, I-88, I-355, and I-294. If you drive a rental car, borrow a vehicle, or straightforward don't want to buy a toll tag, Pay By Plate is how you settle the debt. The invoice arrives at the address registered with your vehicle's title.

Key Takeaways

  • Pay By Plate invoices are mailed to the address on your vehicle registration, so keeping your address current with the Illinois Secretary of State matters.
  • You have 14 days from the invoice date to pay the toll amount, or you may face late fees and collection action.
  • Paying online through the Illinois Tollway website is faster than mailing a check and gives you a record of payment when ready.
  • If you use toll roads regularly, opening a prepaid I-PASS account costs less per toll and avoids invoices altogether.
  • Rental car companies sometimes charge their own processing fee on top of the toll when they receive the invoice on your behalf.

How the invoice process works

When your license plate passes through a toll plaza without a toll tag, the Tollway's camera system captures the plate number and the date and time of the transaction. The Tollway then cross-references your plate with the Illinois Secretary of State's vehicle registration database to find the registered owner's mailing address. An invoice is generated and sent to that address within a few days of the toll transaction.

The invoice shows the toll amount, the date and location of the toll, and the payment important date. Most invoices give you 14 days to pay. If you pay within that window, you pay only the toll amount. If you miss the important date, late fees are added—typically $25 to $50 per invoice, depending on how far past the important date you go. Repeated non-payment can result in collection action, vehicle registration holds, or suspension of your driver's license.

Paying your Pay By Plate invoice

The fastest way to pay is online through the Illinois Tollway's website at illinoistollway.com. You can search for your invoice by license plate number or invoice number and pay by credit card, debit card, or electronic check. Payment is processed when ready, and you receive a confirmation number and receipt on screen.

You can also pay by mail by sending a check or money order to the address printed on your invoice. Mail payments take longer to process—typically 7 to 10 business days—so if you're close to the important date, paying online is safer. Some invoices include a payment stub; include it with your mailed payment so the Tollway can match it to your account quickly.

If you dispute a toll charge—for example, if you believe you were charged twice for a single passage or if the toll amount seems incorrect—contact the Illinois Tollway customer service line at 1-800-UC-IPASS (1-800-824-7277). They can review the transaction and issue a refund or credit if warranted.

Why your registration address matters

Pay By Plate depends entirely on the address the Illinois Secretary of State has on file for your vehicle. If you've moved and haven't updated your registration, invoices will go to your old address and you won't receive them. The Tollway has no way to know you didn't get the notice, so the late fees and collection actions will proceed as scheduled.

Update your vehicle registration address with the Secretary of State as soon as you move. You can do this online through their website, by mail, or in person at a Secretary of State office. The process is quick and costs nothing. Keeping your address current protects you not only from missed toll invoices but also from missing other important vehicle-related mail, such as registration renewal notices or safety recall information.

When Pay By Plate costs more than I-PASS

If you use Illinois toll roads regularly, a prepaid I-PASS account is almost always cheaper. I-PASS is a toll tag you mount on your windshield; it communicates with toll plaza readers and deducts the toll from your prepaid balance. The per-toll rate is typically 30 to 50 percent lower than the Pay By Plate rate for the same road.

For example, a single toll might cost $2.50 with I-PASS but $3.50 or more with Pay By Plate. If you cross tolls even a few times a month, the savings add up quickly. I-PASS accounts are free to open, and you can load money onto them online or at participating retailers. You can also set up automatic replenishment so your balance never runs out.

I-PASS is also available for motorcycles, trucks, and commercial vehicles, each with its own rate structure. If you drive a rental car, the rental company usually offers I-PASS for an additional daily fee, which is often cheaper than paying Pay By Plate invoices after the fact.

Rental cars and Pay By Plate

When you rent a car in Illinois and use toll roads, the rental company receives the Pay By Plate invoice at their address. They then bill you for the toll amount plus a processing fee—usually $5 to $15 per invoice, depending on the rental company's policy. This fee covers their administrative cost of receiving the invoice, processing it, and billing you.

To avoid this fee, ask the rental company at pickup whether they offer I-PASS for the rental period. Many do, and the daily I-PASS fee is often lower than the processing fee you'd pay on a single invoice. Alternatively, if you know you'll use tolls, ask whether the rental company will waive the processing fee if you pay the toll invoices directly yourself—some will provide you with the invoice details so you can pay the Tollway directly and avoid the middleman fee.

What happens if you don't pay

Ignoring Pay By Plate invoices creates a cascade of problems. After 14 days, late fees are added. After 60 days of non-payment, the Tollway may refer your account to a collection agency. Collection agencies report unpaid tolls to credit bureaus, which damages your credit score and can affect your ability to borrow money or rent housing.

The Tollway can also place a hold on your vehicle registration renewal, preventing you from renewing your plates. In some cases, repeated non-payment can result in suspension of your driver's license. If you receive an invoice you cannot pay when ready, contact the Tollway's customer service line to discuss a payment plan or to dispute the charge if you believe it's incorrect. Acting early is far cheaper than dealing with collection action or license suspension later.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I never received my Pay By Plate invoice?

Check that your address is current with the Illinois Secretary of State. If it is, contact the Illinois Tollway at 1-800-UC-IPASS to request a copy of the invoice. If your address was wrong, update it when ready and ask the Tollway whether they can waive or reduce late fees given the delivery failure. Late fees are not always automatic if you can show the invoice was mailed to an incorrect address.

Can I set up automatic payments for Pay By Plate invoices?

The Illinois Tollway does not offer automatic payment for Pay By Plate invoices. You must pay each invoice manually, either online or by mail. If you want to avoid invoices altogether, open an I-PASS account instead—I-PASS can be set to automatically replenish when your balance drops below a certain amount.

Do I have to pay a Pay By Plate toll if I was just passing through Illinois?

Yes. Toll roads in Illinois are public infrastructure funded by tolls, and all drivers—whether they live in Illinois or are passing through—must pay. The invoice will be mailed to the address on your vehicle registration, regardless of where you live. If you live out of state, make sure your current address is on file so you receive the invoice.

What's the difference between Pay By Plate and I-PASS?

Pay By Plate is invoice-based: you drive through, your plate is read, and you receive a bill by mail. I-PASS is prepaid: you buy a toll tag, mount it on your windshield, load money onto it, and tolls are deducted automatically as you drive. I-PASS costs less per toll and requires no invoices or late-payment risk.

Can I dispute a Pay By Plate charge if I think I was overcharged?

Yes. Contact the Illinois Tollway customer service at 1-800-UC-IPASS with your invoice number and the details of the transaction you dispute. They will review the toll records and issue a refund or credit if the charge was incorrect. Keep your invoice and any supporting documentation until the dispute is resolved.