For the Paranoid about cashless toll visitors

Question

You won't have much of a choice before too long. As I was driving back from the beach on Monday, I did notice the signs on 528 saying there were no more cash tolls between the beach and McCoy Road (Exit 8). This is in addition to 417 and 429 that are now cashless. 408 is cashless in the overnight hours, and with the exception of maybe 1 or 2 exits, the Turnpike is also cashless. Keep this in mind when you choose your rental car, and bit**ing about it won't help. It exists.

Answer

In Florida, cashless tolling has become increasingly common on major expressways and toll roads, particularly in the Central Florida area around Orlando. Roads like SR-528 (Beachline Expressway), SR-417 (Central Florida GreeneWay), SR-429 (Western Beltway), and large portions of the Florida Turnpike now operate entirely cashless or have limited cash lanes. Even SR-408 (East-West Expressway) enforces cashless tolling during overnight hours.

This means drivers without a SunPass or compatible toll account will receive a bill in the mail via “Toll-By-Plate,” which can include administrative fees. For tourists or rental car users, this can be a surprise if you weren’t expecting it.

Here are the practical implications and options for someone concerned about cashless tolls:

SunPass: The easiest way to handle tolls is with a SunPass or rental car compatible toll device. Many rental companies offer a SunPass option for a daily or per-use fee. This allows you to drive through all tolls without stopping or receiving a mailed bill.
Toll-By-Plate: If you don’t have SunPass, cameras capture your license plate and send the toll invoice to the car’s registered owner. Rental car companies may charge an additional administrative fee for processing.
Rental car considerations: Some rental companies automatically enroll their vehicles in cashless tolling systems. Make sure to ask about fees, which can be higher than the toll itself if billed through the rental company.

Given the current trend, here’s what you should do if you want to avoid surprises:

Confirm with your rental company whether the vehicle includes a SunPass or toll transponder.
Ask about the fee structure for Toll-By-Plate processing.
Plan routes accordingly, knowing that many major Orlando-area toll roads no longer accept cash. For example:

SR-528: fully cashless from Orlando to Cocoa Beach area.
SR-417: fully cashless.
SR-429: fully cashless.
SR-408: cashless during overnight hours; limited cash toll lanes at a few exits during the day.
Florida Turnpike: mostly cashless except a couple of exits with cash lanes.

In summary, Florida is moving rapidly toward a cashless toll system. If you want to avoid administrative fees or receiving unexpected bills after your trip, the safest approach is to either rent a car with a SunPass option, buy a temporary SunPass for your rental, or carefully plan your driving to avoid toll roads altogether.

Being aware of this in advance will save frustration and extra charges. It’s a reality now, and planning ahead is the only practical solution.