Short answer: yes.
When no transponder is read, a camera photographs your license plate and TOLL-BY-PLATE mails the registered owner an invoice for the tolls from a 30-day period, plus a $2.50 administrative fee.
You’ll pay more than SunPass drivers, who save an average of 25%.
The two places it doesn’t work that way are express lanes, where the Turnpike says TOLL-BY-PLATE can’t be used at all, and rental cars, where the bill goes to the rental company and its toll program decides what you pay.
I rewrote this page in October 2026.
The old version opened with a made-up road-trip story, so that’s gone.
Its list of roads without cash was years out of date, since the whole Turnpike has been cashless since 2021.
It also said E-PASS’s Uni transponder works in 18 states, and CFX, which issues it, says 19.
I also cut two numbers I couldn’t confirm, a $10 minimum balance and “over 3,100” stores, and checked everything else against Florida’s Turnpike, the Central Florida Expressway Authority and the state’s toll law.
More on Florida’s toll roads is in our Florida tolls and SunPass guides.
What Happens When You Drive Through Without SunPass
Nothing happens on the road, and you don’t stop.
Florida’s Turnpike puts cameras overhead at each tolling point.
If no SunPass or other Florida-accepted transponder is detected, the cameras photograph your plate and the toll automatically becomes a TOLL-BY-PLATE transaction.
A Toll Enforcement Invoice then goes in the mail to the vehicle’s registered owner, covering the tolls from a 30-day period, plus a $2.50 administrative charge.
What about a “SunPass Only” lane?
In a rental car, the Turnpike says to contact the rental company, which bills you under your agreement.
In your own car, the Turnpike’s rule covers every tolling location: cameras sit overhead at each tolling point, and a vehicle without SunPass or another accepted transponder that goes through one is converted to TOLL-BY-PLATE, as above.
Express lanes are the exception: the Turnpike says TOLL-BY-PLATE can’t be used on them at all.
Rentals and express lanes each get their own section below.
One thing that surprises people: the Turnpike isn’t the only toll agency in Florida.
If you drive another agency’s road, that agency may send its own invoice, and the Turnpike says to call the number printed on it.
Cash Payment—Is It Still an Option?
Mostly not, so don’t plan on it.
The Homestead Extension of Florida’s Turnpike stopped taking cash on February 19, 2011.
The last stretch of the Turnpike mainline that used cash, between Lantana and Three Lakes, went electronic on November 8, 2021.
That converted the entire length of the Turnpike to electronic tolling.
At those electronic toll locations, the Turnpike’s own words are “Cash is not accepted,” and you’ll be billed by TOLL-BY-PLATE.
The Turnpike’s FAQ still mentions paying with cash “where cash collection is available,” so a cash booth may survive here and there.
The way to know is the Turnpike’s toll map, which shows every toll road and bridge in Florida and which payment methods each one accepts.
Honestly, I’d treat cash as a backup you probably won’t get to use.
How Much More Does Toll-By-Plate Actually Cost?
On the Turnpike’s roads, SunPass customers save an average of 25% compared with TOLL-BY-PLATE.
Turned around, a toll that costs $1.00 with SunPass works out to about $1.33 by plate, on average.
(The old version of this page said you might pay $1.25 by plate, up to $2.
The $1.25 isn’t what a 25% saving gives you, and $2 is the Orlando case below.)
Around Orlando the gap is bigger.
The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) runs all or part of 10 toll roads there, and its Pay By Plate rate is double its E-PASS rate.
So on a CFX road, that same $1.00 toll would be $2.00 by plate.
Then there’s the $2.50 administrative charge, once per Turnpike invoice.
On a long weekend it’s small money.
Over a two-week drive with tolls most days, the higher rate is the part that adds up, not the fee.
To see what your own route costs, our Florida toll calculator compares SunPass with TOLL-BY-PLATE and with the rental programs.
🗼 I Wrote a Book About My Japan Travel Catastrophes!
Before I landed in Tokyo, I thought I was the “Final Boss” of international travel. Spoiler alert: I WASN’T. 😅
🚅 I boarded the wrong Shinkansen and ended up in THE WRONG CITY. I confused locals with my “expert” bowing that was more awkward than accurate. I accidentally stumbled into a high-stakes Kendo practice thinking it was a tourist show. Sound like something you’d do?
“Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to Japan” is your shortcut to avoiding ALL my cringe-worthy mistakes. ✨ Inside, you’ll find practical, LIFE-SAVING tips on etiquette, transport, money, and hidden gems that will save you time, money, and a whole lot of confusion.
What If You’re Renting a Car?
Rental cars work differently.
TOLL-BY-PLATE isn’t available to you in a rental car.
Invoices go to the vehicle’s registered owner, not the driver.
Around Orlando, CFX says its invoice goes to the registered owner, the rental car company, which may then charge you the tolls plus service fees.
Most rental companies offer a toll program that adds tolls to your rental agreement, and each one has its own fees.
If you drive a cashless toll or a “SunPass Only” lane without your own transponder, the rental company or its vendor bills you under the terms of your agreement.
Our rental car toll program comparison lays out what the main companies charge.
You have three ways around the rental program:
- Bring your own SunPass portable. A SunPass PRO can ride along in a rental. Add the rental’s license plate and the dates you’ll have it to your account on SunPass.com, or call 1-888-TOLL-FLA (7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). If the transponder isn’t in the car or isn’t working, the rental company may charge you. Take the transponder with you when you return the car. Pack it in your carry-on so it’s with you at the rental counter.
- Visitor Toll Pass, if you’re renting at Orlando International Airport. It’s a free hangtag from CFX that hangs on the rearview mirror, charges the lowest toll rate and skips the rental program’s fees. It works on all toll roads in Florida, express lanes included. When you reserve it in the app you put down a $10 deposit, which goes toward your tolls.
- A Uni from E-PASS. It sticks on with suction cups, so it moves between cars, as long as the rental is the same class as your own car (two axles, say). Tell the rental company you’re using your own transponder and add the rental’s plate to your E-PASS account, and give it time: CFX says the plate can take up to 48 hours to link, and tolls in that window may be invoiced.
What doesn’t work is the cheaper SunPass.
The SunPass Mini is a sticker that can’t come off the windshield without being destroyed, so a Mini you buy for a rental stays on the rental.
Using Out-of-State Transponders
Good news if you’re driving down from up north.
The Turnpike accepts these transponders in its electronic toll lanes: SunPass, E-PASS, E-ZPass, LeeWay, ExpressToll, Peach Pass and NC Quick Pass, PIKEPASS, K-TAG, EZTAG, and TollTag.
There’s a catch for drivers from Kansas, Oklahoma or Texas.
Certain passes from those states work on every Turnpike road, but none of them work on CFX’s toll roads around Orlando, so check the route before you count on yours there.
Whatever you carry, keep the account behind it in order.
The Turnpike lists the reasons a SunPass holder still gets an invoice, and they’re worth checking for any pass: the plate or vehicle details on the account are out of date, the account is short of funds, the card on file expired, or the transponder isn’t mounted correctly or has stopped working.
If you’re picking a pass for road trips beyond Florida, our toll pass by state checker shows which pass works where.
What About Florida’s Express Lanes?
Express lanes, like 95 Express in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, are what Florida calls managed lanes, and they’re the one place where not having a transponder isn’t just more expensive.
The Turnpike says TOLL-BY-PLATE can’t be used on Florida Managed Lanes, and that drivers must have a SunPass or another Florida-accepted transponder to travel in one.
Orlando’s I-4 Express is a good example.
Its tolled lanes run 21 miles through Orlando, from west of Kirkman Road to east of State Road 434, and CFX says plainly there’s no cash or Pay By Plate option on them.
The tolls are variable, and the amounts are posted on overhead signs well before each managed-lane entrance, so you have time to decide.
So if you’re driving without a transponder, stay in the regular lanes and read the signs before every merge.
If you do end up in one by mistake, our page on what happens if you accidentally get on the express lane in Florida goes through what to expect, and what the express lanes cost covers the pricing.
What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your Invoice?
It starts politely and gets expensive.
If the Toll Enforcement Invoice isn’t paid by its due date, a second invoice is mailed.
If that’s not paid either, the tolls and fees may be assigned to a collection agency, which adds its own fees.
FDOT can also request a Registration Stop on the plate, and it may issue a Uniform Traffic Citation to the owner.
Under Florida law (section 316.1001), failing to pay a toll is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation.
The Turnpike’s FAQ spells out what that can mean: a civil penalty of $100 or more, court costs and suspension of your vehicle registration if the tolls stay unpaid.
My advice is to pay it the week it shows up.
If an invoice already got away from you, our missed toll helper walks through what to do next.
Should You Just Get a SunPass?
If you live in Florida or come back often, yes.
For a one-week visit in your own car, it’s still worth it if you’ll be on toll roads most days, and it’s a must if you want the express lanes.
SunPass always charges the lowest toll in Florida, averages 25% less than TOLL-BY-PLATE and works on all of Florida’s toll roads, including the managed lanes, and on most bridges.
It also pays for parking at most major Florida airports.
| Pass | Price | Moves between cars? | Where it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| SunPass Mini | $4.99 | No, it’s a windshield sticker | FL, GA, KS, NC, OK, TX |
| SunPass PRO | $14.95 | Yes | The same six states, plus wherever E-ZPass is accepted |
| E-PASS sticker (CFX) | Free | No | FL, GA, NC |
| Uni (CFX) | $14.95 | Yes, suction cups | 19 states, including everywhere E-ZPass is accepted |
Prices are from CFX’s E-PASS and SunPass comparison and where-it-works is from each pass’s issuer, both checked in October 2026.
Buying one is easy.
SunPass transponders are sold at thousands of stores in Florida, including Publix, CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens, and you activate it on SunPass.com or in the SunPass app.
You can also order by phone at 1-888-TOLL-FLA, but it’s mailed and takes 4 to 5 business days, so that’s for before the trip.
If you’ve already booked a rental, our SunPass PRO vs SunPass Mini comparison will help you pick.
One thing you might read about: Florida’s Toll Relief Program.
It ran from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
It’s over now.
My Personal Tips for Stress-Free Toll Travel
These are the habits I’d suggest to anyone driving Florida’s toll roads:
- Price the route first. A toll calculator shows which roads have tolls and roughly what they’ll cost, before you’re on them.
- Decide about rental tolls before you land. The line at the rental counter, with jet lag, is the worst place to compare toll fees.
- Mount the transponder where it belongs. SunPass goes on the windshield just below the rearview mirror, and one that isn’t mounted correctly is one of the reasons the Turnpike gives for an invoice.
- Keep your plate current on the account. New car, rental or a trailer, update the account, since out-of-date plate details are another reason for an invoice.
- Watch the mail for a few weeks. Pay the invoice by the due date it lists, before a second one is mailed.
- Read the signs at every merge. Express-lane toll amounts are posted well ahead of each entrance, which gives you time to stay out.
🗼 I Wrote a Book About My Japan Travel Catastrophes!
Before I landed in Tokyo, I thought I was the “Final Boss” of international travel. Spoiler alert: I WASN’T. 😅
🚅 I boarded the wrong Shinkansen and ended up in THE WRONG CITY. I confused locals with my “expert” bowing that was more awkward than accurate. I accidentally stumbled into a high-stakes Kendo practice thinking it was a tourist show. Sound like something you’d do?
“Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to Japan” is your shortcut to avoiding ALL my cringe-worthy mistakes. ✨ Inside, you’ll find practical, LIFE-SAVING tips on etiquette, transport, money, and hidden gems that will save you time, money, and a whole lot of confusion.
Alternative Options: E-PASS and Uni
SunPass isn’t your only Florida choice.
E-PASS comes from CFX in Orlando.
Its sticker is free and works on all toll roads and most toll bridges in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.
On CFX roads, E-PASS customers save up to 50% compared with Pay By Plate.
Uni is the E-PASS portable.
It costs $14.95 and works on toll roads in 19 states, including everywhere E-ZPass is accepted.
It also works in Florida’s express lanes, the “SunPass Only” lanes and I-4 Express included.
Because the Uni attaches with suction cups, CFX says it moves between cars and works on motorcycles too, which its E-PASS sticker doesn’t.
If you’re torn between the two portables, our Uni vs SunPass PRO page compares them.
What to Do If You Get a Surprise Invoice
Don’t panic, and don’t ignore it.
Here’s the order I’d go in:
- Check whose invoice it is. A Toll Enforcement Invoice is paid at SunPass.com or by mail. If another agency sent it, call the phone number on that invoice.
- If you think it’s wrong, call the SunPass Customer Service Center at 1-888-TOLL-FLA (1-888-865-5352).
- If you have a SunPass account, log in and use “Pay Toll Enforcement Invoice.” Then find out why it happened (an old plate, low funds, an expired card or a loose transponder) so it doesn’t happen again.
- If you don’t have an account, pay online at SunPass.com, or mail a check or money order made payable to FDOT to FDOT/SunPass, P.O. Box 31241, Tampa, Florida 33631-3241.
- If you were in a rental car, contact the rental company. It handles the tolls under your rental agreement.
Paying by the due date keeps it at the toll and the $2.50 fee.
After that comes the second notice, and then the collection fees.
The Bottom Line
Can you drive through Florida tolls without SunPass?
Yes, in your own car.
TOLL-BY-PLATE mails you the bill, at a higher toll rate plus $2.50 per invoice.
Turns out the real traps are the other two cases: express lanes need a transponder, full stop, and in a rental car the rental company’s program sets the price unless you bring your own pass or pick up a Visitor Toll Pass in Orlando.
For a short trip, paying by plate is fine.
If you’ll be back, or you’re driving a lot, a SunPass or an E-PASS pays for itself in saved tolls.
