Can You Cross Toll Booth For Free? Yes!

Komal Bajpai

Author

Updated: 19-04-2025 at 8:30 AM

A toll plaza is a highway payment station where drivers pay a toll tax that is determined by the size, weight, and wear and tear of the vehicle. Certain vehicles, such as two-wheelers, are exempt from paying the toll.

What Is Toll Tax?

A toll tax is a fee that people have to pay to use roads or bridges and that money is later used for the construction or maintenance of highways. Toll tax helps the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) maintain and improve the conditions of the roads so that people can travel efficiently without any problems.

Rules Concerning Toll Tax In India

There are some important rules regarding toll taxes outlined in the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Those rules are:

Digital payments: The use of FASTag is compulsory to charge toll taxes. Vehicles don’t have to stop and pay; rather the fee is automatically deducted as the vehicle passes the toll gates.
Fixed rates: Toll rates are fixed as they are pre-determined based on some criteria like the type of vehicle and the distance traveled by it.
Refund: If someone has to wait at the toll gates for more than 3 minutes, the authority is supposed to provide them with a free pass.

Who Is Exempted From Paying Toll Tax?

There are some classes of people who don’t have to pay toll taxes. Those classes are mentioned below:

Government vehicles
Emergency vehicles like ambulances, fire trucks, etc.
Vehicles of armed forces like the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Vehicles of authorities like the president and prime minister.

What Are The Charges Of Toll Tax?

The charges of toll taxes are based on some pre-determined criteria. Those criteria are mentioned below:

Vehicle type: Heavy vehicles like trucks or buses are charged higher than two-wheeler vehicles.
Distance: The number of kilometers covered by the vehicle.
Road type: Roads such as expressways charge higher toll than other highways.

Difference Between Road Tax Vs. Toll Tax

Component	Road Tax	Toll Tax
Objective	Collected for construction and maintenance of roads	Charged for construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, or tunnels
Frequency of collection	Paid annually or as a one-time fee	Collected at toll plazas whenever one uses the facility
Applied to	All vehicles of the state	All vehicles using a toll route
Collected by	State govt.	NHAI

NHAI Rules Regarding Free Passage For Your Car

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has released rules regarding conditions where cars can pass toll plazas without paying toll taxes:

Waiting time: If there’s a long queue in the toll plaza and one’s vehicle is within 100 meters of it, people can pass without paying any toll tax. If one has to wait even for 10 seconds, one can pass the toll plaza without paying any toll tax.
Accidents: If there’s any accident due to which the toll plaza isn’t being used, one can pass without paying the toll tax.

Why Are Tolls Paid?

The money spent on creating, maintaining, and operating the roads we use contributes to the overall cost of both creating new roads and repairing the ones that already exist.

Read below to find out the key features of toll tax, the essential guidelines while using toll booths, and how you can pay automatically using FASTag.

Key Features Of A Toll Tax

One kind of indirect tax that isn't imposed directly on people according to their income is the toll tax.
The primary goal of road taxes is to provide funding for road construction and upkeep.
This road tax is being collected by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), not the Regional Transport Office (RTO), as is customary.
The NHAI divides this type of income creation and distributes it to contractors or private parties who build and maintain the roads.
In addition, these toll booths offer conveniences like restrooms, water sources, and emergency assistance.

Guidelines To Know Before Using Toll Booths?

The 10-second FASTag rule: When crossing a toll, don't forget to monitor the time it takes. This is because waiting times cannot exceed 10 seconds per the new NHAI criteria. There won't be any toll charges for drivers if they exceed the 10-second restriction. This is to guarantee that there is no traffic generated and that the toll mechanism is effective.

100-metre line: Verify if your automobile is on a yellow line or not and if you are in line to pay the toll. A yellow line placed 100 metres apart designates the toll lanes. In other words, if the queue is longer than the yellow line, then according to the NHAI regulations, you do not have to pay the toll fee and can continue with your journey. They have to let all the vehicles go until the queue does not cross the yellow line. This is to reduce any traffic congestion that may be created in the toll queue.

Remember to keep these rules in mind while crossing a toll booth the next time. And if you notice that they are not following the above-mentioned rules, then you can complain by calling 1033. They will assist you with your issue and make sure everything is done under the regulations.

Pay Using The FASTag Service Automatically

An additional method is to pay with FASTag. It is essentially a tag that is fastened to the car's windscreen and is connected to your bank account directly. Every time you pass a booth, the cost will be automatically deducted from your account, eliminating the need for human intervention.
Thus, you can skip the queue at the toll booth and avoid stopping to pay the toll if you possess a FASTag. Additionally, you will receive an SMS each time you pass a toll, allowing you to keep track of the total number of toll booths you have passed on your trip.
It will guarantee a hassle-free driving experience. It was introduced to reduce traffic, improve the toll collection system, increase efficiency, and promote digital payments.

Conclusion

The toll tax plays a very important role in funding the infrastructure development and maintenance of roads all over India. Now every time you pass through a toll, remember that you also contribute to the construction and maintenance of the roads, as it ensures keeping India’s highways in good condition and gives a smoother journey for travellers.

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