Lifestyle

FASTag Toll Payment Rules 2026: No Cash, UPI at Extra Cost and E-Notices for Missed Tolls

Cash is no longer taken at national highway toll plazas. Know how FASTag, UPI payment, unpaid toll e-notices and the annual pass work for drivers now.

Planning a long drive for Diwali or a weekend away? Check your FASTag before you leave. Toll plazas on national highways no longer take cash, paying by UPI costs extra, and a toll that goes unpaid can now follow you through an electronic notice. Knowing the FASTag toll payment rules can save you money and a tense wait at the barrier.

What Has Changed at Toll Plazas?

Since 10 April 2026, toll plazas on national highways and expressways have stopped accepting cash. Toll is now collected digitally, and FASTag is the main way to pay. The idea is simple: fewer queues, fewer arguments over change, and vehicles moving through the lanes faster.

There are more than 1,150 toll plazas on national highways and expressways, so almost every long road trip passes through at least one. Toll roads run by state governments or local bodies may have their own payment arrangements. Even there, a working FASTag is the easiest way through.

What If Your FASTag Does Not Work?

UPI is the backup. If your vehicle does not have a valid, working FASTag, you can scan a code and pay at the plaza. But you pay 1.25 times the normal toll for your type of vehicle. So a ₹100 toll becomes ₹125, and a ₹200 toll becomes ₹250.

A FASTag can fail for ordinary reasons: the balance has run low, the tag has been blacklisted, or the reader at the plaza cannot scan it because the sticker is damaged or not fixed properly on the windscreen. On a long trip with several plazas, that extra 25% on every crossing adds up quickly.

Missed a Toll? How the E-Notice Works

Sometimes a vehicle crosses a plaza, the system records it, but no money is collected. Since 17 March 2026, this is treated as an unpaid toll. The vehicle owner gets an electronic notice by SMS, email, app or other electronic means. It shows the vehicle, the date and place of crossing, and the amount due. The notice is also posted on an online portal.

What happens next depends on how quickly you act:

Pay within 72 hours of the notice and you pay only the normal toll, with nothing extra.
Pay later and the amount becomes twice the toll.
Think the notice is wrong? You can raise an objection on the portal within 72 hours. It has to be decided within five days. If it is not, the claim lapses.
Leave it unpaid for more than 15 days (with no objection pending) and the dues are recorded in VAHAN, the national vehicle registration database. Restrictions can then be placed on vehicle-related services until you clear the amount.

The exact services that can be held back have not been listed yet. Still, the message is clear: a small toll left unpaid could turn into a hurdle the next time you need something done for your vehicle. Since these notices come by SMS and email, keep the mobile number and email linked to your vehicle up to date, and do not ignore toll messages.

Is the FASTag Annual Pass Worth a Look?

If you drive on national highways often, the FASTag annual pass may cut your toll bill. From 1 April 2026 it costs ₹3,075, up from ₹3,000. It covers up to 200 toll crossings or one year, whichever comes first.

It is only for private, non-commercial cars, jeeps and vans. Taxis, commercial vehicles and buses cannot use it.
It works only at national highway and national expressway plazas. State highways and city toll roads are not covered, so normal FASTag deductions apply there.
It is tied to one vehicle and its FASTag. It cannot be moved to another car, and it ends if you sell the vehicle.
It does not renew by itself. After 200 crossings or a year, your FASTag goes back to normal deductions until you buy a new pass.
You can buy it on the Rajmarg Yatra app or the NHAI website, using an active FASTag linked to your vehicle.

A quick way to judge it: ₹3,075 spread over 200 crossings works out to about ₹15 per crossing. If the tolls on your regular routes cost more than that and you cross plazas often, the pass can save money. If you take only one or two highway trips a year, a normal FASTag with enough balance is usually enough.

What You Can Do Before Your Next Road Trip

Check your FASTag balance a day before you leave and top it up, keeping enough for the return journey too.
Open your FASTag provider’s app or website and make sure the tag is active and not blacklisted.
Look at the sticker on your windscreen. If it is peeling, scratched or loose, get it replaced before the trip.
Keep a UPI app ready as a backup, but remember it costs 1.25 times the toll.
Read every toll SMS. If you get an e-notice, pay or object within 72 hours.

If your tag is not read at a plaza, or you are stopped for a blacklist alert even though your tag is active, call the national highway helpline 1033. It handles FASTag problems at toll plazas and can be reached from a mobile or a landline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still pay toll in cash on national highways?

No. Since 10 April 2026, toll plazas on national highways and expressways collect toll digitally. FASTag is the main way to pay, and UPI is accepted as a backup at a higher rate.

How much extra do I pay if I use UPI at a toll plaza?

If your vehicle does not have a valid, working FASTag and you pay by UPI, you pay 1.25 times the normal toll for your vehicle type. For example, a ₹200 toll becomes ₹250.

What happens if no toll is deducted when I cross a plaza?

You will get an electronic notice for the unpaid toll by SMS, email or app. Pay within 72 hours and you pay only the normal toll. After that, the amount becomes twice the toll. If the notice looks wrong, you can object on the portal within 72 hours.

Can an unpaid toll affect my vehicle records?

Yes. If the toll stays unpaid for more than 15 days and no objection is pending, it is recorded in VAHAN, the national vehicle registration database. Restrictions can then be placed on vehicle-related services until you pay.

Can I use the FASTag annual pass on state highways?

No. The annual pass works only at national highway and national expressway toll plazas. On state highways and city toll roads, normal FASTag deductions apply.

Who should I call if my FASTag is not read at a toll plaza?

Call the national highway helpline 1033. It handles FASTag problems such as a tag not being read, a tag not being accepted, or a blacklist alert on a tag that is active.