What Pay By Plate is and who uses it

Pay By Plate is Florida's system for paying tolls without a physical toll tag or transponder in your vehicle. Instead of mounting a device, you drive through a toll plaza, a camera reads your license plate, and the state bills you by mail. You do not need to set up an account beforehand or stop at a booth—you straightforward drive through and pay later.

Most drivers use Pay By Plate when they do not have a SunPass or other toll tag, or when they are driving a rental car or borrowed vehicle. It is also the default method if you drive through a toll plaza without any transponder. The system works on Florida's turnpikes, toll roads, and some bridges statewide.

Pay By Plate is not optional if you use tolled roads—you must pay one way or another. The difference is that Pay By Plate charges you a higher per-toll rate than a SunPass account would, and you receive an invoice by mail instead of having funds deducted from a prepaid balance.

Key Takeaways

  • Pay By Plate charges you by mail after you drive through a toll plaza; a camera reads your license plate and the state sends you an invoice.
  • The per-toll rate for Pay By Plate is higher than SunPass rates—typically 50 percent more per transaction.
  • You must pay the invoice within 30 days to avoid late fees and potential suspension of your vehicle registration.
  • If you drive tolled roads regularly, opening a SunPass account saves money because the per-toll rate is lower and you avoid mail invoices.
  • Rental cars and borrowed vehicles are automatically billed under Pay By Plate unless the owner has set up a toll tag.

How much Pay By Plate costs compared to SunPass

Pay By Plate invoices cost more per toll than a SunPass transponder account. The exact difference depends on the road and the toll amount, but Pay By Plate typically costs roughly 50 percent more per transaction. For example, a toll that costs $1.50 with SunPass might cost $2.25 with Pay By Plate.

The higher rate exists because the state incurs costs to photograph, process, and mail invoices to drivers. SunPass accounts avoid those administrative steps by deducting funds electronically from a prepaid balance. If you use tolled roads more than a few times per month, a SunPass account usually saves money within weeks.

Pay By Plate invoices are sent to the address on your vehicle registration. If your address has changed and you have not updated your registration, you may not receive the bill, which can lead to late fees and registration suspension.

What happens when you receive a Pay By Plate invoice

After you drive through a toll plaza without a transponder, the camera captures your license plate. Within 7 to 10 days, an invoice is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. The invoice lists the toll amount, the date and location of the toll, and the due date—usually 30 days from the invoice date.

You can pay the invoice by mail, online through the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) website, or by phone. Payment methods include check, credit card, and debit card. The invoice will include instructions for all three payment methods and a reference number you will need if you pay by phone or online.

If you do not recognize a toll on your invoice—for example, if you did not drive that road—you can dispute it. Contact the toll authority listed on the invoice with the date, time, and location of the toll, and provide evidence that you were not driving that vehicle at that time. Disputes must be filed within a set timeframe, usually 30 days from the invoice date.

Late payments and penalties

If you do not pay a Pay By Plate invoice within 30 days, the state adds a late fee. The late fee is typically $2.50 per unpaid toll, though this can vary. If the invoice remains unpaid for 60 days or longer, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) may suspend your vehicle registration and driver license.

A suspended registration means you cannot legally drive the vehicle, and law enforcement can stop you and issue a citation. A suspended driver license affects your ability to drive any vehicle in Florida. Both suspensions remain in place until you pay the outstanding toll invoice and any accumulated late fees.

If you receive a notice of suspension, you can request a hearing with DHSMV to dispute the toll charges or explain why you could not pay. You must request the hearing within 10 days of the suspension notice. Even if you request a hearing, you should pay the toll invoice as soon as possible to avoid further penalties.

When Pay By Plate applies to rental and borrowed vehicles

If you rent a car in Florida and drive through a toll plaza, the rental company's name appears on the vehicle registration. Pay By Plate invoices are sent to the rental company, not to you. However, most rental car agreements include a clause that allows the company to charge you for tolls, plus a processing fee—often $2 to $5 per toll in addition to the toll amount itself.

The rental company will charge your credit card on file for the toll and the processing fee. You will not receive a Pay By Plate invoice in the mail because the rental company handles the payment. If you want to avoid this fee, you can ask the rental company to provide a SunPass transponder, though some companies charge a daily rental fee for the device.

If you borrow a friend's or family member's vehicle and drive through a toll plaza, the invoice is sent to the vehicle owner. You should reimburse the owner for the toll amount and any late fees if the invoice is not paid on time. The owner is responsible for paying the invoice, so unpaid tolls can affect their registration and driver license, not yours.

Setting up a SunPass account to avoid Pay By Plate

If you drive tolled roads regularly, opening a SunPass account is cheaper than using Pay By Plate. A SunPass transponder is a small electronic device that mounts on your windshield and communicates with toll plazas as you drive through. Funds are deducted automatically from your prepaid account balance, and you receive a monthly statement instead of individual invoices.

You can open a SunPass account online through the SunPass website or by phone. You will need to provide your name, address, phone number, email, and vehicle information. The transponder costs $13.95, and you must prepay a minimum balance—typically $25 to $100 depending on your usage. The per-toll rate for SunPass is significantly lower than Pay By Plate, so the transponder pays for itself within a few tolls if you drive frequently.

SunPass also offers discounts during off-peak hours on some roads, further reducing your costs. If you own multiple vehicles, you can add additional transponders to the same account and manage them all online. You can also set up automatic replenishment so your account balance is topped up automatically when it falls below a certain amount.

Updating your address to receive Pay By Plate invoices

Pay By Plate invoices are mailed to the address on your vehicle registration. If you have moved and have not updated your registration with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), you will not receive the invoice. The toll will still be owed, and late fees will accumulate even though you never received a bill.

You can update your vehicle registration address online through the DHSMV website, by mail, or in person at a local DMV office. You will need your vehicle identification number (VIN), current registration, and proof of your new address. Updating your address takes a few days to process, so do it as soon as you move to may support you receive future invoices.

If you have already missed a Pay By Plate invoice because your address was outdated, contact the toll authority or FDOT as soon as you discover the unpaid toll. Explain that your address was not current and provide your updated address. You may be able to avoid or reduce late fees if you can show that the invoice was undeliverable due to an address mismatch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund if I paid a Pay By Plate toll but also have a SunPass account?

If you drove through a toll plaza with a SunPass transponder but the camera also read your license plate and sent you a Pay By Plate invoice, contact the toll authority when ready with your SunPass account number and the invoice reference number. You should not be charged twice. The toll authority can void the Pay By Plate invoice and confirm the charge was deducted from your SunPass account instead.

What if I never received a Pay By Plate invoice but got a registration suspension notice?

Contact DHSMV right away and request a hearing to dispute the suspension. Provide evidence that your address was incorrect on your registration or that you did not receive the invoice. You can also contact the toll authority to request a copy of the original invoice. Pay the toll amount as soon as possible, even while disputing it, to minimize additional penalties.

Do I have to use Pay By Plate if I drive through a toll plaza without a transponder?

Yes. If you do not have a SunPass or other toll tag and you drive through a toll plaza, you will be billed under Pay By Plate. There is no way to avoid it other than using a toll tag or not driving tolled roads. You must pay the invoice within 30 days to avoid late fees and registration suspension.

Can I dispute a Pay By Plate toll if I think the amount is wrong?

Yes. If the toll amount seems incorrect or you believe the toll was charged in error, contact the toll authority listed on your invoice within 30 days. Provide the date, time, and location of the toll, and explain why you believe it is wrong. The toll authority will investigate and either confirm the charge or issue a refund.

Will Pay By Plate affect my credit score?

Unpaid tolls themselves do not appear on your credit report, but if the debt is sent to a collection agency after a long period of non-payment, it can affect your credit. More when ready, unpaid tolls lead to registration and driver license suspension, which has serious legal and practical consequences. Pay the invoice within 30 days to avoid these outcomes.