How To Avoid Toll Fees With Orlando Car Rentals (Updated May, 2023)

by SharonKurheg

When you rent a car, there are almost always costs not included in the advertised price. Sales tax. Vehicle license recovery fee. Customer facility charge. Concession recovery fee. Parking surcharge. Insurance charge. An added fee if you’re under 25 years old. An added fee for additional drivers (here’s why they do that, and how to maybe get out of paying for it). Upcharges for satellite radio (here’s how to get around that charge) and car seats. Stuff like that. In Orlando, as is the case in other cities, the cost of a toll transponder is often quietly added on, as well. And folks, it ain’t cheap!

The Orlando area toll roads include:

  • SR 91/Florida Turnpike
  • SR 408/Spessard L. Holland East-West Expressway
  • SR 417/Greeneway
  • SR 429/Western Beltway
  • CR 522/Osceola Parkway
  • SR 528/Beachline (CAREFUL! They have a HUGE toll that will be starting any moment now, if you wind up in the wrong lanes. Click here for more info)
  • I-4, which runs straight through the tourist corridor in Central Florida, is a free highway. However it now also has a paid toll option.

Screen Shot 2017-07-22 at 2.37.02 PM

All of the above roads primarily use electronic payment so if you stay straight on the road and get to a toll, you need a transponder to pay for the (electronic) toll. Most (but not all!) of the roads still offer a cash option if you merge to the right side of the road (if you look at the right side of the photo above, which is where the non-electronic payments are, the toll booth with the blue sign is unmanned and only takes exact change (For now. They’re in the midst of eliminating “Exact Change” lanes entirely);  the ones with green signs are manned, and they can take bills and can give change. None of the booths take credit cards). After you’ve paid your toll with money, your “pay by cash” road merges back to the main road. There are also blue/unmanned/change only booths for some entrances and exits of the toll roads (because they don’t just charge you while you’re on the road, they also can charge you to enter and exit it, as well), but more and more nowadays ONLY have an electronic option. Oh, and if you go through an electronic/cashless toll and don’t have a transponder, they record your license plate and bill you that way.

Orlando is the largest rental car market in the world, with most of the major car rental companies located on-site at Orlando International Airport (MCO), without the need for a shuttle bus to pick up your rental car. Here’s a breakdown of the largest car rental companies at or near MCO and what they say about paying for tolls with toll transponders:

Alamo

Alamo uses TollPass and, as per their website, the car rental program is offered in different ways, depending on where you rent.

For Florida, the cost is $3.95 – $5.35 per usage day, not to exceed $26.75 per rental period, plus the actual tolls you incur. There is no TollPass Convenience Charge on rental days that you don’t use a toll road.

You can avoid the convenience fee and any other charges by:

  • Stop and pay cash for tolls (where available)
  • Avoid toll roads
  • Use your own transponder – contact your transponder issuer prior to driving on toll roads to confirm its coverage areas and for details on how to use your personal transponder in a rental vehicle

Avis

Avis uses the e-Toll program. Avis e-Toll is offered in 23 states, including Florida. This is what they say about tolls in Florida:

In the state of Florida. You are responsible for payment of all tolls incurred during the rental period.  Avis offers an optional service called e-Toll that allows customers to use electronic toll lanes on highways, bridges, tunnels and other tolled passages.  All Avis vehicles are pre-equipped to electronically process tolls.  Unless you directly pay the toll yourself as described below (see “Opting Out of e-Toll”), you will automatically opt-into e-Toll and pay the fees described herein if you drive through an electronic toll.  e-Toll fees (Standard):  If you use the e-Toll service at any time during your rental, you agree to pay a convenience fee of $5.95 for each day on which you incur a toll up to a maximum amount of $29.75 per rental period (not to exceed 30 days). In addition, you will pay all tolls incurred at the maximum prevailing non-discounted or cash rates posted by the toll authority.  e-Toll Unlimited:  Avis also offers e-Toll Unlimited, which includes the cost of tolls and convenience fees.  If you choose e-Toll Unlimited, you agree to pay a daily flat fee of $10.99 – $25.99, depending on checkout location, for each day of the rental period, regardless of whether or not you incur any tolls, up to a maximum of $54.95 – $129.95 per week.  e-Toll Unlimited must be selected at the time you reserve or check out your vehicle, otherwise you agree to pay the standard e-Toll fees if you use the e-Toll service.  Opting Out of e-Toll:  If you do not choose e-Toll Unlimited, you may avoid the standard e-Toll fees on any day during the term of the rental if you ensure the transponder shield box is in the “closed” position and you (i) pay cash for all tolls, (ii) use your own adequately funded, properly mounted and compatible electronic toll device to pay for all tolls, (iii) pay the toll authority directly through any available online or other service according to the toll authority’s rules and requirements; or (iv) avoid electronic toll roads or passages.  Toll Administrator:  If you use the standard e-Toll service, a third party toll program administrator (the “Toll Administrator”) contracted by Avis will process payment of each electronic toll that you incur during the term of the rental and charge your credit/debit card for the amount of tolls and convenience fees set forth above.  Regardless of the service you choose, you agree that, in connection with e-Toll, we may share your personal information, (including your address, credit card/debit information, and other rental information) with the Toll Administrator. You also authorize the Toll Administrator and Avis to charge your credit/debit card for all e-Toll fees described above based on the option that you select. You agree that the Toll Administrator may contact you directly regarding the e-Toll fees. The e-Toll fees may take 4-8 weeks after the rental concludes to be billed to your credit card/debit card on file. You agree to indemnify and hold us, the Toll Administrator, and any other agent we authorize harmless for any fines, charges or administrative fees incurred for any toll violations for which you may be liable. e-Toll does not cover airport parking. Customers must use a personal transponder or another approved payment method to pay for parking.

Budget

Budget uses e-Toll. From their website:

In the state of Florida. You are responsible for payment of all tolls incurred during the rental period.  Budget offers an optional service called e-Toll that allows customers to use electronic toll lanes on highways, bridges, tunnels and other tolled passages.  All Budget vehicles are pre-equipped to electronically process tolls.  Unless you directly pay the toll yourself as described below (see “Opting Out of e-Toll”), you will automatically opt-into e-Toll and pay the fees described herein if you drive through an electronic toll.  e-Toll fees (Standard):  If you use the e-Toll service at any time during your rental, you agree to pay a convenience fee of $5.95 for each day on which you incur a toll up to a maximum amount of $29.75 per rental period (not to exceed 30 days). In addition, you will pay all tolls incurred at the maximum prevailing non-discounted or cash rates posted by the toll authority.  e-Toll Unlimited:  Budget also offers e-Toll Unlimited, which includes the cost of tolls and convenience fees.  If you choose e-Toll Unlimited, you agree to pay a flat daily fee of $10.99 -$25.99, depending on checkout location, for each day of the rental period, regardless of whether or not you incur any tolls, up to a maximum of $54.95 – $129.95 per week.  e-Toll Unlimited must be selected at the time you reserve or check out your vehicle, otherwise you agree to pay the standard e-Toll fees if you use the e-Toll service.  Opting Out of e-Toll:  If you do not choose e-Toll Unlimited, you may avoid the standard e-Toll fees on any day during the term of the rental if you ensure the transponder shield box is in the “closed” position and you (i) pay cash for all tolls, (ii) use your own adequately funded, properly mounted and compatible electronic toll device to pay for all tolls, (iii) pay the toll authority directly through any available online or other service according to the toll authority’s rules and requirements; or (iv) avoid electronic toll roads or passages.  Toll Administrator:  If you use the standard e-Toll service, a third party toll program administrator (the “Toll Administrator”) contracted by Budget will process payment of each electronic toll that you incur during the term of the rental and charge your credit/debit card for the amount of tolls and convenience fees set forth above.  Regardless of the service you choose, you agree that, in connection with e-Toll, we may share your personal information, (including your address, credit card/debit information, and other rental information) with the Toll Administrator. You also authorize the Toll Administrator and Budget to charge your credit/debit card for all e-Toll fees described above based on the option that you select. You agree that the Toll Administrator may contact you directly regarding the e-Toll fees. The e-Toll fees may take 4-8 weeks after the rental concludes to be billed to your credit card/debit card on file. You agree to indemnify and hold us, the Toll Administrator, and any other agent we authorize harmless for any fines, charges or administrative fees incurred for any toll violations for which you may be liable. e-Toll does not cover airport parking. Customers must use a personal transponder or another approved payment method to pay for parking.

Dollar Car Rental

Dollar uses Plate Pass Automated Toll Payment. The charge for Plate Pass used to be on their website, but is no longer found; it’s only described as a “low daily rate” (I tried to call to find out how much it was, but after 45 minutes on hold, I gave up. When I called to ask in January 2020, “Rob” said it’s, “only $5.95 per day.” I’m sure it’s higher now).

You must opt-in or decline this service at the time of reservation or at the rental counter. If you decline the optional PlatePass All-Inclusive service at the start of the rental period, but still use electronic toll roads and/or bridges during the rental period (including “cashless” or “all electronic” toll roads and bridges, as noted above), you will be liable for and we will c harge you: (a) all tolls incurred for such use (at the highest, undiscounted applicable toll rate); (b) a $9.99 usage day fee; and (c) all other applicable toll charges or fees, if any.

I don’t know if or how they take having your own transponder into consideration. Again, I tried to call and ask, since it’s nowhere to be found on their website, but after being on hold for 45 minutes, I gave up.

Enterprise

Enterprise uses TollPass and, as per their website, the car rental program is offered in different ways, depending on where you rent.

Northeast United States
Chicago Metropolitan Area
Southern California
Golden Gate Bridge and Northern California Bay Area
Louisville, KY
Colorado, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington State, Puerto Rico and Ontario, Canada

For Florida, the cost is $3.95 – $4.95 per usage day, not to exceed $30 per rental period, plus the cost of the tolls you go through. There is no TollPass Convenience Charge on rental days that you don’t use a toll road.

You can avoid the convenience fee and any other charges by:

  • Stop and pay cash for tolls (where available)
  • Avoid toll roads
  • Use your own transponder – contact your transponder issuer prior to driving on toll roads to confirm its coverage areas and for details on how to use your personal transponder in a rental vehicle

Fox Rental Car

Fox is off MCO property – they have a shuttle to get to/from the airport. Fox uses PlatePass All-Inclusive Service, which costs $12.99 per day, with a maximum charge of 15 rental days. However when I called them in May, 2023, the representative said there was no maximum charge; you paid $12.99 for every day of your rental. This would be on top of the cost of your tolls.

From their website: “If you choose not to purchase the optional PlatePass All-Inclusive service at the commencement of your rental, and you utilize a PlatePass Toll Road, then you will be charged a USD/15 admin fee per toll (USD/90 maximum per rental agreement) plus the price of the toll and fees from the tolling authority.”

Fox Rental Car doesn’t mention if you are able to use your own electronic toll device when renting one of their cars.

Hertz Car Rental

Hertz uses Plate Pass Automated Toll Payment. The charge for Plate Pass is $5.95 per day, that’s on top of the actual tolls you have to pay. Your opt-in decision is made when you elect to use an electronic-only lane – it’s billed automatically to all drivers who use an eligible cashless toll road, and they charge you every day of your rental, whether you use a toll road each day or not.

You can use your own transponder instead of Plate Pass:

To avoid using PlatePass: (1) If your rental vehicle includes a transponder, make sure it remains secured within the shield box, with the shield box closed and (2) pay all tolls with cash, with your personal toll transponder (where permitted) compatible with the toll road, or directly to the toll authority (where permitted). Some tollways without cash lanes permit payment in other ways and at other times. Toll authorities sometimes change their toll payment options. Check with the applicable toll authority to learn all payment options.

We’d recommend contacting your transponder issuer prior to driving on toll roads to confirm its coverage areas and for details on how to use your personal transponder in a rental vehicle.

National

National uses TollPass, which costs $3.95 – $5.35 per usage day not to exceed $26.75 per rental period, plus the cost of the tolls you incur. There is no TollPass Convenience Charge on rental days that you don’t use a toll road.

You can use your own transponder – contact your transponder issuer prior to driving on toll roads to confirm its coverage areas and for details on how to use your personal transponder in a rental vehicle

Payless Car Rental

Payless uses the e-Toll program. As per their website, Payless e-Toll is offered in 23 states & Washington D.C. Here’s what they have to say about paying for tolls in Florida:

In the state of Florida. You are responsible for payment of all tolls incurred during the rental period.  Payless offers an optional service called e-Toll that allows customers to use electronic toll lanes on highways, bridges, tunnels and other tolled passages.  All Payless vehicles are pre-equipped to electronically process tolls.  Unless you directly pay the toll yourself as described below (see “Opting Out of e-Toll”), you will automatically opt-into e-Toll and pay the fees described herein if you drive through an electronic toll.  e-Toll fees (Standard):  If you use the e-Toll service at any time during your rental, you agree to pay a convenience fee of $6.95 for each day on which you incur a toll up to a maximum amount of $34.75 per rental period (not to exceed 30 days). In addition, you will pay all tolls incurred at the maximum prevailing non-discounted or cash rates posted by the toll authority.  e-Toll Unlimited:  Payless  also offers e-Toll Unlimited, which includes the cost of tolls and convenience fees.  If you choose e-Toll Unlimited, you agree to pay a flat daily fee of $10.99 -$25.99, depending on checkout location, for each day of the rental period, regardless of whether or not you incur any tolls, up to a maximum of $54.95 – $129.95 per week.  e-Toll Unlimited must be selected at the time you reserve or check out your vehicle, otherwise you agree to pay the standard e-Toll fees if you use the e-Toll service.  Opting Out of e-Toll:  If you do not choose e-Toll Unlimited, you may avoid the standard e-Toll fees on any day during the term of the rental if you ensure the transponder shield box is in the “closed” position and you (i) pay cash for all tolls, (ii) use your own adequately funded, properly mounted and compatible electronic toll device to pay for all tolls, (iii) pay the toll authority directly through any available online or other service according to the toll authority’s rules and requirements; or (iv) avoid electronic toll roads or passages.  Toll Administrator:  If you use the standard e-Toll service, a third party toll program administrator (the “Toll Administrator”) contracted by Payless will process payment of each electronic toll that you incur during the term of the rental and charge your credit/debit card for the amount of tolls and convenience fees set forth above.  Regardless of the service you choose, you agree that, in connection with e-Toll, we may share your personal information, (including your address, credit card/debit information, and other rental information) with the Toll Administrator. You also authorize the Toll Administrator and Payless to charge your credit/debit card for all e-Toll fees described above based on the option that you select. You agree that the Toll Administrator may contact you directly regarding the e-Toll fees. The e-Toll fees may take 4-8 weeks after the rental concludes to be billed to your credit card/debit card on file. You agree to indemnify and hold us, the Toll Administrator, and any other agent we authorize harmless for any fines, charges or administrative fees incurred for any toll violations for which you may be liable. e-Toll does not cover airport parking. Customers must use a personal transponder or another approved payment method to pay for parking.

SIXT

SIXT is off MCO property – they have a shuttle to get to/from the airport. SIXT offers different toll services to assist with paying for tolls hassle-free in all states, but doesn’t give any specifics for any of them. Their website says to, “Ask at your pick-up branch about your toll service options.”

They do allow you to use your own transponder:

We welcome renters to use their own transponders during their rentals. If you opt to use your own transponder in one of our Northeast states, please ensure that our transponder box is closed so that our transponder is not activated during your trip. In all other states, please make sure to contact your transponder provider to ensure your unit works in the state(s) you are traveling in and that your rental vehicle is registered on your account.

*Always refer to the terms and conditions of your transponder provider for specific information on how to properly use your transponder during a rental.

We used Sixt for the first time when we were in Texas a few years ago, but had no tolls to go through, so we didn’t sign up for the program. PROCEED WITH CAUTION, READ ALL OF THE FINE PRINT and MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR TOLLS before accepting a rental car with Sixt Rent A Car.

Thrifty Car Rental

Thrifty uses Plate Pass Automated Toll Payment. The charge for Plate Pass used to be on their website, but is no longer found; it’s only described as a “low daily rate” (I called and was told it varies from $9.99 to $27.99 per day and she could not give me a specific price for Florida).  You must opt-in or decline this service at the time of reservation or at the rental counter. If you decline the optional PlatePass All-Inclusive service at the start of the rental period, but still use electronic toll roads and/or bridges during the rental period (including “cashless” or “all electronic” toll roads and bridges, as noted above), you will be liable for and we will charge you: (a) all tolls incurred for such use (at the highest, undiscounted applicable toll rate); (b) a $9.99 usage day fee; and (c) all other applicable toll charges or fees, if any.

Thrifty does not mention the option of using your own transponder instead of their Plate Pass system.

How Can You Avoid Paying Some Of These Crazy Charges?

  1. Bring your own transponder (for most, but not all car rental companies). There are several transponders from other areas of Florida, as well as parts of Georgia and North Carolina, that are interchangeable with the toll roads in Florida. For example, joy of joys, effective May 28,2021, E-Z Pass can be used throughout the state of Florida! NC QuickPass, Peach Pass, K Tag, T, and PikePass are also all usable in Florida.
    a group of logos of different brands
  2. If you want to avoid cashless toll roads and thus only avoid the crazy “administrative fees,” do your homework before you get to Orlando. Know where you will want to go and how to get there (i.e. Google SR528, SR429 etc.). If you’re going to incur toll roads in your travels, check with the websites of each road and see if cashless tolls are unavoidable (The 408 and 528 are the quickest and easiest ways to go between Orlando International Airport/MCO and the Disney/Universal/theme parks and convention/International Drive areas, and both have cash options all the way through to/from these places – but not necessarily at any exit in between them).
  3. I know it sounds kind of obvious, but if you want to avoid tolls and possible administrative fees altogether, don’t take toll roads. It CAN be done in the Orlando area…just be prepared to spend lots of extra time on the road (i.e. with no traffic backups, it will take about 30 minutes, give or take, to go between MCO and WDW if you use the 417 or 528, but a good 60 to 75 minutes if you take surface streets and non-toll roads).
  4. Consider purchasing a SunPass transponder of your own (for car rental companies that allow you to use your own transponder). Other options are SUnPass PRO (good in Florida + 21 other states), Uni (good on Florida and 19 other states), etc.
    If you have your own SunPass or Uni, you may get a hefty discount for each toll you go through.
    You can purchase your transponder by mail and have it delivered (if you have a U.S. address), or you can buy it in person once you’ve landed in Orlando. SunPasses are available in Central Florida at Walgreens pharmacy, Publix supermarket, CVS Pharmacy and AAA Auto Club South. If you want to buy one after you’ve landed at MCO and avoid tolls until you purchase it, the closest locations are Walgreens (5702 Lee Vista Blvd.), which about 3 miles north of the airport, and Publix (4042 S. Semoran Blvd.) which is about 5 miles north of MCO. IMPORTANT! If you buy the transponder in Orlando as soon as you arrive, please note it takes several hours for your Sunpass balance to reflect the money you’ve put into your account – as per SunPass: “Please wait until 6:00 AM of the morning following activation before using your SunPass. After 6:00 AM of the morning following activation, your SunPass will work on all Florida toll roads and most bridges.” So if you land at 2pm, buy your transponder at 3pm and go through an electronic toll at 3:30pm, YOUR SUNPASS ACCOUNT MAY NOT HAVE MONEY IN IT YET and you may incur whatever fees & charges your car rental company lists. Purchasing your transponder by mail, ahead of time, will alleviate this issue.
    IMPORTANT INFO AS PER SUNPASS’S WEBSITE:

    SunPass customers using a rental vehicle may have their tolls applied to their SunPass account. Customers with SunPass Portable transponders may use their transponders in their rental vehicles. (It is strongly recommended that SunPass customers access their online SunPass accounts or contact the SunPass Customer Service Center to add the rental vehicle subscription to their account for the rental period.) If the transponder is not in your vehicle or functioning properly, tolls from other agencies will not be posted to your SunPass account, and may be charged to you by the rental Service Provider. Please remember to remove your transponder upon return of the vehicle. SunPass customers that do not have their transponders in the vehicle are subject to the tolls, fees and charges set forth below and in their rental agreements.

    SunPass also sells “SunPass Mini” stickers for $4.99 but once attached to your rental car, you can’t take it with you when your rental period is complete.

  5. The Central Florida Expressway Authority has and automated toll payment solution for visitors to Florida who are renting a car out of Orlando International Airport. The program allows car renters to refuse the rental car companies’ toll transponder, thereby saving them the cost of transponder and/or penalties – YOU ONLY PAY FOR THE TOLLS INCURRED, and save up to 80% on them, to boot! Click here for the details.

Renting a car in Orlando has its advantages – you have the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want during your vacation/holiday. However, the costs of car rentals can be a bit ridiculous. Hopefully, this article can help you avoid some of the more ridiculousness.

Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.

Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.

Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!

This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

43 comments

Mark Peters July 24, 2017 - 10:31 am

How does the toll system know to charge my personal purchased SunPass and not the toll payment system used by the rental car company?? What are the chances of me getting charged the excessive fees by the rental car company even though I purchased my own SunPass??

Reply
sharonheg July 24, 2017 - 12:13 pm

Hi Mark! The tolls look for a transponder first – as long as you have one in use, your transponder will be charged. If you don’t have a transponder (or if it’s in the wrong spot – so make sure you place it where the instructions recommend, or not functioning correctly), then it takes a picture of your rental car’s license plate and, depending on the rental car company you’re using, you could incur the toll price and/or administrative fees and/or you then automatically opt in for the car rental company’s automated toll payment for the time you rent the car. As Sunpass suggests, make sure to access your online SunPass accounts or contact the SunPass Customer Service Center to add the rental vehicle subscription to your account for the rental period.

Reply
Kim August 7, 2017 - 1:30 pm

Good question and thanks for all the info! I am from NYC and have Ez-Pass. I understand it is NOT accepted in Florida. Is this correct?

Reply
sharonheg August 7, 2017 - 4:47 pm

Hi Kim! That’s correct – EZ Pass doesn’t work with the SunPass system at this time. I’ve read they’re trying to get them to sync up, but it’s been a long process so far.

Reply
Hyatt Card, Orlando Toll Charges, Victor Noir Erection, Tap Water Guide, Young Explorers - TravelBloggerBuzz July 26, 2017 - 6:30 am

[…] This may be helpful to some of you visiting Disney perhaps…How to Avoid Crazy Toll Charges When Renting a Car in Orlando. […]

Reply
Karen January 27, 2018 - 12:38 pm

Hi we’re flying into Miami travelling to Naples then upto Jacksonville,hiring our car from Alamo could you recommend best pass to buy for tolls .

Reply
SharonKurheg January 27, 2018 - 12:45 pm

Hi Karen! I would recommend a Sunpass. If you live in the US, you can order one online. If you live outside the US, the article tells you the brands of stores where you can buy one once you arrive in FL. Or you can use Alamo’s system, if you’d prefer.

Reply
Karen Duffy January 27, 2018 - 12:56 pm

Thank you travelling from the UK.

Reply
SharonKurheg January 27, 2018 - 12:59 pm

I thought so – you said “hire car” We say “rental car” 😉 Honestly, Alamo’s system isn’t bad, as far as toll payment systems go, IMHO.

Reply
James July 30, 2021 - 5:29 pm

For anyone else, it would be more convenient to Fly into Miami, go to Jacksonville(Take I-95 North), then go to Naples(I-95 South to I-4 West (would recommend SR-417 TOLL (north terminus is at a dual interchange with I-4 in Sanford,FL) Sunpass or Cash as of July 2021),
then
I-75 South at interchange with I-4 in suburban Tampa
or
I-275 South, causeway $1-1.50(cash is more expensive)), Joins I-75 in Bradenton-Sarasota, to go South to Naples

Naples is at bottom of N-S portion of I-75.

There are two options to Go east, 1) up to Fort Myers, (about 30 mins), FL-80 East to West Palm Beach (toll-free,I-95,US Hwy 1, and turnpike as options) 2) Alligator Alley ($3.25 cash/$2.95 SunPass)

I-75 goes West to East across alligator alley (kinda self-explanatory on name, although I’ve never seen one on my 5-10 trips)

Hope this helps

Reply
Shannon April 14, 2018 - 10:19 am

Hertz has updated their policy to only charge for PlatePass for each day it is used with no maximum.

“You will be charged for each toll at the highest, undiscounted toll rate plus a $4.95 convenience fee for each calendar day when tolls are incurred. There is no maximum PlatePass convenience fee.”

Reply
SharonKurheg April 14, 2018 - 10:36 am

OK. I’ll double check that and change the article accordingly. Thank-you for the heads up! 🙂

Reply
Kevin June 5, 2018 - 12:19 am

They will ship the SunPass to Canada now. I just ordered one to be shipped to my Canadian address.

Reply
SharonKurheg June 5, 2018 - 12:27 am

Great to hear, Kevin! I didn’t know that. Will do some quick research and d the post as needed. Thanks for the update 🙂

Reply
rbtzn July 23, 2018 - 1:18 pm

Thank you so much for this detailed article! I remember our last trip we had a car for 10 days and drove thru the tolls only on the way to/from the airport! I’m researching rental cars now and just had 2 updates for your article. 1) SIXT has increased their daily fee to $8.99, but they did confirm that if I have my own transponder I can waive their fee and pay on my own. They said sometimes previous renters leave their transponders by accident and if SIXT can’t remove the old transponder, I won’t be able to add my own and there’s no way around that (not sure how that works exactly???) 2) the sunpass link is now https://www.sunpass.com/en/signup/transponderclassify.shtml thanks again for this wealth of information!

Reply
SharonKurheg July 23, 2018 - 1:25 pm

Oh thank you so much! I checked all the links (and price quotes) a few months ago but I guess I missed the updates. I’ll change them accordingly and give you a shout out, too 🙂

Glad the article was helpful!

Reply
micheal August 19, 2018 - 3:33 pm

hi I am arriving on 4th sept . driving a hire car from Alamo .with 4nights in Orlando then fort Lauderdale ,then key west ,then clearwater ,return to Orlando . would I be better getting a pass from publics or Alamo or just paying cash tolls. thank you.

Reply
SharonKurheg August 19, 2018 - 3:47 pm

Hi Micheal! I’m only “very” familiar with the toll roads in the Central Florida region, since that’s where I live, so I can only answer you from that POV.

If you get the pass from Alamo, you’ll know how much you’ll be paying for the transponder each day.

If you get a pass from Publix, you’ll have to pay for the transponder or sticker, but you’ll also get a small discount on each toll you pass through.

Just as there are some electronic-only tolls in the Central FL area, there are sure to be some in the other places you plan to visit; in that case you’ll have no option to pay cash at those tolls.

It’s all a matter of sitting down, figuring out your route, Googling to learn about the tolls you’re incur, and figuring it out on paper. 🙂 Good luck!

Reply
Huy June 6, 2021 - 8:00 am

micheal, be sure to google map your route from MCO to FLL it may be worth it to take the turnpike and having a transponder is definitely a must. the alternative is to add MLB to your itinerary to explore the space coast (kennedy space center, beaches, watch a rocket launch, etc) from there you can save a lot of money staying on 95 all the way down to ft lauderdale. from ft lauderdale to the florida keys you can take 95 until the very end and then hop on the turnpike again.

Reply
Matt D December 27, 2018 - 8:27 pm

Wish I’d seen your article before I rented from Thrifty this trip…
Picked up a One-Way rental from Miami to Denver (24 days), with the Miami Airport office insistent that I had to pay for their Sunpass for the entirety of the rental despite only being in Florida for the first 3 days. Asked them if there was any problem with me buying the Sunpass sticker for $4.95 & they said it was for Florida residents ONLY.
So as Miami is all cashless tolls I was lumbered with a pre-paid toll bill of $189+tax on top of my rental fee etc…
I call it the Thrifty ‘extortion tax’, which is compounded by lies told to me at the Airport office re the sticker system it seems.
We still have more than 2 weeks to go as left Florida last week, annoyed to be paying Thrifty an extra $8/day for absolutely nothing…

Reply
SharonKurheg December 27, 2018 - 11:02 pm

OMG Matt, how awful! But yeah…they lie. They lie like a rug. And they know that when you’re at the car rental desk, you need to make split decisions and they take advantage of that. I wish you had found the article, too…it’s always better to know everything ahead of time, so you can make an informed decision instead of getting ripped off. I’m sorry that happened.

Reply
Shannon July 3, 2019 - 10:57 am

I always check “avoid tolls” on my GPS, and use the same routes that locals would use. The toll roads are a tourist trap. You can get around without them easily.

Reply
Kenneth Alan July 22, 2019 - 7:02 am

Hi, sorry for my question but some details are not very clear for me. For example for Advantage (and others) the daily fee is $4.95 with a maximum of $24.95 per month. So if I rent 10 days the fees will be $49.50 or $24.95. Thank you for your answer.

Reply
SharonKurheg July 22, 2019 - 10:35 am

Hi! As I understand it, it would be $24.95, since that’s the maximum.

Of course, that’s before tolls 😉

Reply
Ron August 7, 2019 - 3:10 pm

You need to update the policies. Some have changed and are much more customer friendly (Hertz, for example).

Reply
SharonKurheg August 7, 2019 - 7:52 pm

OK, thank-you. I do check them periodically to see if they’ve updated their policies. Will check again. Thank-you for the heads u!

Reply
David January 8, 2020 - 2:26 pm

I downloaded the free app PayTollo and paid the tolls via the app, much cheaper than any Other option. You enter your rental car license plate and description of the car. You load a balance/add a credit card and it is deducted from that balance, you are refunded the left over at a time of your choosing. Very slick, easy and cheap. https://www.paytollo.com/pt_florida

Reply
SharonKurheg January 8, 2020 - 2:30 pm

That could be good option if you have your own car but it says on PayTollo’s website that it doesn’t support rental cars at this time. That really won’t help anyone renting a car in Central Florida.

Reply
Jeff June 6, 2021 - 9:51 am

I presume this is a mistake in the “National” section:

“Hertz actually lowered the price of TollPass usage for their Emerald Club members in some states in early 2018, but the price in Florida is still less ;-).”

Reply
SharonKurheg June 6, 2021 - 9:53 am

Hehehehe – whoops. I’ll go fix that right now. Thank-you 🙂

Reply
Alex June 6, 2021 - 10:21 am

I just picked up from an off-airport agency next to MCO and drove to WDW with Google set to avoid tolls. It only took 42 minutes and that was with “orange”-level traffic. On a weekend. I think the times listed are misleading or no longer accurate.
Other than that though, this was very helpful.

Reply
Patrick Dant March 11, 2022 - 9:32 pm

This is fricken crazy. I went down to Orlando Fl for a week and rented a car choosing to pay tolls in cash costing less than $10 total. I later received a toll bill from Thrifty for $116 for toll including an administration fee of $89.91.
I will not submit to this type of fraudulent practice and will complain to the Fl AG if they are willing to support out of state complaints. This level of fraud is rampant from what I’m reading and needs to be addressed by the governments in these states.

Reply
SharonKurheg March 11, 2022 - 9:46 pm

Sorry to hear that happened; it’s very frustrating, I know. I suppose you could ask Thrifty to send you a list of exactly what tolls you went through and figure out what happened, and go from there. Good luck!

Reply
Matias Suarez May 31, 2022 - 4:16 pm

Hi we are travling from switzerland to Tampa an d stay there for most the time we want to visit orlando at some time we would like to rent a Car from Hertz wich Tollsystem would u recommend for that ?

greeting Matias

Reply
SharonKurheg May 31, 2022 - 4:39 pm

There’s no toll on I-4 (the main road between Tampa and Orlando) but there are some tolls on most of Tampa’s highways, and most, if not all of those are electronic. For an ease of use, I’d say get whatever your car rental company offers for tolls – but that will cost more than if you had a transponder.

Reply
kate June 10, 2022 - 5:25 am

Just saw this and looked up my budget rental from Zezgo. The fine print says, “E-Toll/Sunpass activation fee is 14.95 USD per day. If the customer declines Toll pass / E-toll device, a penalty of 25.00 USD for each toll used in addition to the cost for each unpaid toll will apply. Please note, that it is difficult to avoid Toll Roads while driving in Florida State, so it is highly recommended to activate Toll Device offered by the provider in order to avoid violation charges (up to the full amount of security deposit). Note that it is not possible to use personal Toll device or pay on spot:”

That is terrible. I might just need to cancel that reservation

Reply
SharonKurheg June 10, 2022 - 7:06 am

Wow. I’ve never heard of Zezgo – must me tiny/new. But yeah, that sounds like a total rip off!

Reply
Frank April 15, 2023 - 9:04 am

Hi there!
What do you think about Ecotoll, which I found by chance and seems to be a much more fair thing than all the other systems and offerings.
What do you think about it?

Reply
SharonKurheg April 15, 2023 - 10:56 am

We’re not familiar with it, sorry.

Reply
sam May 25, 2023 - 5:50 pm

does illinois I-PASS work in florida orlando? it says it does. i dont need orlandovisitor toll pass right?

i am renting avis at MCO. how do i avoid getting charged by AVIS?

Reply
SharonKurheg May 25, 2023 - 5:55 pm

The information we garnered was from each rental car company’s website. Beyond that, as Florida residents who typically use SunPass, I don’t know if a pass from Illinois works. You may want to check I-Pass’s website, or contact their customer service. Contacting Avis directly may also be a good idea for specific questions about their services. Good luck!

Reply
Carmen August 10, 2023 - 9:57 am

Hi!
Have you heard about the company AmeriCars? It looks like they only charge you a 20$ initial fee for the activation and a week after they’ll charge you only the tolls you used, but I’m worried there might be some hidden fee or trick, so wondering if you have an opinion or know this company at all.
Thanks!

Reply
SharonKurheg August 10, 2023 - 11:42 am

Never heard of them but with some quick Googling, it looks like they get really crappy reviews. I’d stick to a name brand car rental place and try some of the suggestions we listed under “How Can You Avoid Paying Some Of These Crazy Charges?” in this post.

Reply

Leave a Comment