Payment methods
How to pay Ohio Turnpike tolls
Four ways to pay: E-ZPass at the discounted rate, cash or card at staffed cashier lanes, or Toll By Plate billed to the registered owner at the cash rate.
Quick answer: E-ZPass = cheapest (Class 1: $0.073/mi). Cash, card, and Toll By Plate all = $0.106/mi for Class 1. Card payment runs at the cashier lane only; you cannot tap a card at an unmanned gantry.
E-ZPass
Highway-speed gantry, lowest rate
Drive through the dedicated E-ZPass lane at the posted speed. The gantry reads your tag at entry and exit and bills your account at the discounted Ohio rate. Full E-ZPass guide.
Cash
Take a ticket on entry, pay on exit
Pull a paper ticket from the spitter on entry, drive to your exit, hand the ticket to the cashier and pay in cash. Change is given. Cash rate applies (about 31% higher than E-ZPass for Class 1).
Credit / debit card
Cashier lane only, same rate as cash
Visa, Mastercard, AmEx and Discover are accepted at staffed lanes. Contactless tap-to-pay works at most plazas. The toll is charged at the published cash rate.
Toll By Plate
Plate photographed, invoice mailed
If you go through an E-ZPass gantry without a tag, the camera captures your plate and the Turnpike bills the registered owner by mail at the cash rate, plus any administrative processing fee.
At the plaza, lane by lane
| Lane | Who uses it | Speed | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-ZPass dedicated | Tag-equipped vehicles | Highway speed at modern plazas, 25 mph at older ones | E-ZPass rate |
| Cashier (staffed) | Cash, card, lost-ticket payers | Stop and pay | Cash rate |
| Toll By Plate | No tag, no stop (billed by mail) | Roll past the gantry | Cash rate, plus fee if applicable |
What happens if you don't pay
- 1First invoice arrives in the mail. Sent to the registered vehicle owner. Cash rate plus any administrative processing fee.
- 230 days to pay. Standard window. Pay online at ohioturnpike.org, by mail, or by phone.
- 3Late notice and fees. Past due, administrative penalties stack on top of the unpaid toll.
- 4Registration hold. Persistent non-payment can result in your registration being held by the Ohio BMV. Some other states have reciprocity arrangements.