Florida Toll Roads

In Florida, toll roads are often called turnpikes, and there are more of them than in any other state, over 700 miles in total and rising. There are over 150 miles of toll roads in Orange County alone.

Tolls can be anything from 25 cents to several dollars between toll plazas. Along with toll roads, you will also find toll bridges and causeways. For example, the main road from Sanford and Orlando Airport into Orlando, the 417, is a toll road.

Of course, you don’t have to use the toll roads, but they are often the quickest way to get from A to B.

On Florida’s toll roads in the past, you either had a transponder fitted to your vehicle or you stopped and paid for your toll in cash at each toll plaza. With a transponder, you can drive through special express lanes at speeds of up to 25 mph without stopping. As toll booths are upgraded, this speed limit is being lifted.

Transponders are typically either a small electronic box that sticks to the car windscreen with suckers or an adhesive pad that is permanently stuck to the windshield. Theoretically, the adhesive pad models cannot be unpeeled and transferred from one car to another. In contrast, the electronic box models can be easily moved from vehicle to vehicle, which is handy if you regularly visit and hire a rental car.

Electronic Toll Collection

Florida’s toll roads are gradually converting to all-electronic collection at the toll plazas, known as “open road tolling,” which will improve traffic flow and reduce costs. The first turnpikes to undergo this were in Miami-Dade County. Other projects started in 2012 and will continue until all 700-plus miles of toll roads are covered.

All new toll roads are being built as cashless “Toll-By-Plate” roads using automated number plate recognition cameras. Central Florida introduced its first cashless toll road in January 2016, and you will also find it in the Miami and Tampa Bay areas.

Over time, all the cash-collecting toll booths will be removed, and cameras will scan vehicles for transponders or read license plates. The car’s registered owner will then be billed for the toll plus a $2.50 monthly administrative charge. Florida’s rental companies are registering their vehicles with toll plate companies to handle the administration of these toll fees.

If you are driving a rental car and anticipate using Florida’s turnpike toll roads, you need to check how the rental company deals with toll fees, particularly whether you need to opt-in to using the system.

Be aware that you could face a toll violation fine of $100 or more if you drive through an express lane where there are still cash lanes and your vehicle is not registered with one of the toll plate companies. Before driving on a toll road, you must check with your rental company about how toll fees are handled.

Rental Companies and Tolls

Different rental companies have different rules about opting into their toll charge package and paying the toll fees:

• With most, you are automatically enrolled if you drive through a toll without paying, but with others, you must explicitly enroll at the check-in desk
• Some pay only on the days they drive through a toll road, but others pay a daily charge regardless of whether they drive on a toll road.

If you choose to drive through the cash lanes, you pay your toll at the time and do not incur any fees, but with the gradual introduction of cashless toll roads, this will no longer be an option.

Below are typical charges from the most popular rental companies in Florida. All fees are subject to change, and you should always check with the individual rental company.

Avis and Budget rental cars are registered with a system called eToll, and you do not need to pre-register; you are automatically opted in. You can drive straight through Sun-Pass Only and ePass Only express lanes, and you are then billed for the posted toll fees plus a daily service fee of $3.95 (a maximum of $16.75 per rental month) to your credit card.

Remember that all of the car rental companies charge the cost of the actual tolls on top of the service fees unless stated otherwise.

Hertz and Firefly operate a similar system called PlatePass, which has a $4.95 service fee per day and a maximum of $24.75 per month. Dollar, Thrifty, and Fox also use PlatePass, but you must opt in. If you choose not to opt in and then drive through a toll without paying, there is a $15 administration fee for each infraction on top of the standard charges, up to a maximum of around $100.

If opted-in, Dollar or Thrifty charges a $10.49 flat fee per rental day and a $52.49 maximum weekly fee; Fox charges $8.99 and $134.85 for two weeks, respectively.

National, Alamo and Enterprise are registered with TollPass and you do not need to pre-register, you are automatically opted in. There is a $3.95 per usage day service fee with a maximum of $19.75 per rental period.