Online pass and FASTag guide: toll passes, balance, KYC and plazas

Online pass for toll roads: what does it mean?

For highway users, an online pass usually means a toll pass bought on a website or app instead of at a plaza window. On national highways these passes are not separate cards: they are loaded onto the FASTag already stuck on your windscreen, and the plaza reads the pass when you cross.

Why the term is confusing

People also say “online pass” for travel e-passes, bus passes or exam passes. This guide covers only toll passes for cars and other vehicles.

What you need before buying any pass

You need an active FASTag, linked to the correct vehicle number and with KYC complete. A pass cannot be added to a blacklisted, closed or duplicate tag, so fix those first.

Which online pass options exist on national highways?

There are three paid online pass types for national highway plazas in 2026, plus free exempted tags for notified users. The right one depends on whether you drive long distances across many plazas or cross one plaza near home again and again.

The annual pass in one paragraph

The FASTag Annual Pass started on 15 August 2025 at ₹3,000 and was revised to ₹3,075 from 1 April 2026. It is non-transferable and only for private vehicles. Our FASTag annual pass guide covers eligibility, activation and how crossings are counted.

Local passes in one paragraph

The local passes are tied to a single plaza. The ₹1,500 rate applies to plazas outside municipal or town limits and ₹3,000 to plazas inside them. Not every plaza offers it yet.

How do you buy a monthly toll pass online?

You can buy a monthly toll pass online without visiting the plaza. IHMCL’s portal and the Rajmargyatra app let you pick the plaza, enter your tag or vehicle number and pay. Your current FASTag is configured for the pass, so no new sticker is issued.

1. Open the monthly pass page. Go to the IHMCL portal or the Rajmargyatra app and choose to buy a monthly FASTag pass.
2. Choose the toll plaza. Select the plaza you cross and fill in the captcha.
3. Enter tag or vehicle number. On the acquiring bank’s page, type your Tag ID or vehicle registration number.
4. Pick the pass and pay. Choose the pass type and scheme, then pay online.
5. Save the receipt. Download or print it; it is your proof if the lane does not recognise the pass.

How residence is verified

For the digital local pass, the app asks for consent to read your address and vehicle details from DigiLocker and VAHAN. A map-based check then confirms that the address is within 20 km of the plaza. No paper documents are uploaded.

If the pass does not show at the lane

Keep the receipt on your phone and ask the lane staff to check the pass against your tag. If they still charge you, call 1033 and later raise a dispute with your issuer bank.

Who can get a toll pass for a plaza near home?

A local toll pass is meant for people who cross the same plaza for work, school or shopping. You qualify if your address is within 20 km of an eligible plaza, the vehicle is registered for personal use and it carries a working FASTag.

Plazas that are left out

Highways using a closed toll system, where you pay by distance between entry and exit, are excluded from the local annual pass. Plazas run by a state or local body set their own local rules, which may differ from NHAI’s.

Rules that come with the pass

The pass is valid only at the plaza it was issued for. It does not carry over to the next plaza on the same road. For the wider set of plaza rules, such as the 20 km concession and waiting-time complaints, see our toll tax rules page.

Toll pass or pay per trip: which saves more?

A toll pass saves money only if you cross often enough. Divide the pass price by what a single crossing costs at your plaza: if you cross more times than that in the validity period, the pass wins.

A simple way to work it out

Find the single-journey car toll for your plaza on the plaza board or in the Rajmargyatra app. Divide ₹3,075 by that figure. That is the number of crossings in a year at which the annual pass breaks even.

What is toll tax?

Toll tax is the charge you pay to use a particular stretch of highway, bridge or expressway. On national highways it is collected under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, mostly to recover the cost of building and maintaining that road.

Who collects it

On NH plazas, NHAI or its concessionaire collects the fee, almost always through FASTag. On state highways and state expressways, the state agency or its operator collects it.

How it differs from road tax

Road tax is paid to the RTO when you register a vehicle, and it lets you use roads in general. Toll tax is paid each time you cross a specific plaza. Our tax and permits section explains road tax by state.

Toll tax meaning: tax, fee or user charge?

The everyday phrase is “toll tax”, but the legal term on national highways is user fee. The word “toll” itself means a charge for using a road or bridge, and it comes from Old English toll, related to German Zoll. Calling it a tax is common, not wrong.

Toll meaning in Hindi

In Hindi the charge is usually called chungi, path kar or marg shulk. For a fuller explanation in Hinglish, read toll tax rules in Hindi.

What is NHAI FASTag?

NHAI FASTag is the tag issued directly by Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL), the toll arm of NHAI, rather than by a bank. It works on a prepaid wallet that you manage through the My FASTag app and the IHMCL customer portal.

Where to buy the NHAI tag

IHMCL sells its tag at point-of-sale counters at NH plazas and through e-commerce sites.

What is NETC FASTag and how does it work?

NETC FASTag is the name for any tag on the National Electronic Toll Collection network. IHMCL runs the programme and NPCI handles clearing and settlement between banks. An RFID reader at the lane reads your tag, and the toll is debited from your linked wallet or account.

What happens at the lane

The reader identifies the tag, the plaza system checks that it is active and not blacklisted, and the barrier opens.

Recharging through UPI

Every NETC tag has a UPI ID in the form netc.vehiclenumber@bankhandle. You can recharge it from any UPI app by entering that ID.

How to apply for FASTag?

To apply for FASTag, pick an issuer bank or NHAI, submit the vehicle RC and an ID proof, pay the tag fee and deposit, and fix the sticker inside the windscreen. You can apply online through a bank app or in person at a plaza counter, bank branch or RTO.

Online application

Open the issuer’s app or website, enter the vehicle number, upload the RC and ID, and pay. The tag is posted to you. Since February 2026 banks must check the vehicle details before activating the tag.

At a counter

Point-of-sale counters at NH plazas and many bank branches can issue a tag on the spot. Carry the original RC and your ID.

How much does a new FASTag cost?

A new FASTag costs a one-time issuance fee of at most ₹100 including GST, a refundable security deposit that banks usually set at ₹200 for cars, and a first recharge. The exact deposit and minimum recharge vary by bank and vehicle class, so check them on the issuer’s page.

Why prices differ between banks

Banks may waive the issuance fee as an offer, and deposits for trucks and buses are set by vehicle class. Read the bank’s charge list before you buy. Our new FASTag charges page tracks issuer offers.

Getting the deposit back

The deposit is returned when you close the account, after the bank settles any pending tolls.

Which is the best FASTag for you?

The best FASTag is simply the one whose bank you already use, because recharges, statements and support then sit in one app. Every NETC tag works at every FASTag plaza, so the choice affects service and fees, not whether the tag is accepted.

What to compare

Compare the deposit, any monthly or low-balance charges, whether the tag can auto-recharge from your savings account, and how quickly customer care answers. Our best FASTag in India guide compares the main issuers.

How to link FASTag with vehicle number?

You link FASTag with vehicle number at the time of purchase: the issuer records the registration number from your RC against the tag ID, and NPCI’s database stores that pair. You cannot move a tag to another number yourself; the issuer has to change or replace it.

Checking the link

Your bank app or statement shows the registration number on the tag. If the number is wrong, ask the issuer to correct it with a copy of the RC.

One vehicle, one tag

Only the latest tag linked to a vehicle stays active. Older tags on the same number are deactivated, so do not buy a second tag “as a backup”.

How to check FASTag balance?

The quickest way to check FASTag balance is the issuer bank’s app or net banking, where the tag wallet shows its current balance. You also get the balance in the SMS sent after each deduction, and NHAI wallet users can give a missed call.

What the colour code means

In the My FASTag app, green means active with enough balance, orange means low balance, and red means the tag is blacklisted. Recharge at orange; red blocks payments at plazas.

Keeping enough balance

Before a long drive, add up the tolls on the route in the Rajmargyatra app and keep more than that in the wallet, because a low balance can get the tag blacklisted mid-trip.

How to check FASTag balance with vehicle number?

To check FASTag balance with vehicle number, open the FASTag or recharge section in a UPI app or your bank’s bill-pay page, choose the issuer bank and type the registration number. The app fetches the linked tag and shows its current balance before you recharge.

Why the issuer bank matters

The vehicle number tells the app which tag to look up, but it still needs to know which bank holds the wallet. If you do not know the issuer, it is printed on the sticker and shown in old toll SMS messages.

How to check FASTag balance with vehicle number online?

Most bill-payment platforms let you check FASTag balance with vehicle number online without logging in to the bank. Select FASTag recharge, pick the issuer, enter the number, and the fetched details usually include the name and the available balance. You can stop there without paying.

Online methods compared

The bank site is the most accurate. Payment and UPI apps are faster but depend on what the issuer shares. The NHAI wallet can also be checked on the IHMCL customer portal, fastag.ihmcl.com.

How to know FASTag balance without an app?

You can know FASTag balance without any app from the SMS that arrives after every toll deduction, which ends with the remaining balance. NHAI wallet users can also give a missed call to +91-8884333331 from the registered mobile number, and bank customers can call the issuer’s helpline.

Reading the last SMS

Search your messages for the bank name or “FASTag”. The latest toll message shows the plaza, the amount and the balance left.

Calling the issuer

Every bank has a toll-free FASTag line. Our FASTag customer care number list gives the numbers by issuer.

How to check FASTag history?

To check FASTag history, log in to the issuer bank’s FASTag portal or app and open the statement or transactions section. You can filter by date and download the list. NHAI wallet users see the same history in the My FASTag app and on the IHMCL portal.

What the history shows

Each line shows the date and time, the plaza name, the lane, the vehicle class charged and the amount.

How to check FASTag transaction history?

When people ask how to check FASTag transaction history, they often want proof for a dispute or an expense claim. Download the statement from the bank portal as a PDF, mark the line in question and keep the SMS. Disputes must reach the bank within 40 days of the transaction date.

Spotting a wrong deduction

Look for a plaza you never crossed, two charges seconds apart at one plaza, or a higher vehicle class than yours.

Raising the dispute

Call the issuer or use the grievance option in the bank app, quote the transaction ID and attach the statement. A chargeback usually takes 20 to 30 working days.

SBI FASTag transaction history: where do you find it?

Your SBI FASTag transaction history sits in SBI’s FASTag customer portal, where the statement section lists every toll and recharge. Log in with the registered mobile number or customer ID. For help, SBI’s FASTag toll-free number listed by IHMCL is 1800-110-018.

More on SBI tags

Recharge, KYC and closure for State Bank tags are covered in detail on our SBI FASTag page.

What does a FASTag message tell you?

A FASTag message is the SMS your issuer sends after every debit, recharge or status change. A toll SMS names the plaza, gives the date and time, the amount deducted, the vehicle number and the balance left.

Messages worth acting on

A low balance alert means recharge now. A blacklist message means the tag will fail at the next plaza. A deduction at a plaza you did not cross means a dispute, raised within 40 days.

Fake FASTag messages

Fraudsters send SMS links claiming your tag will be blocked unless you “update KYC”. Banks do not ask for OTPs or card PINs by SMS link. Open your bank’s app directly instead of tapping the link.

Toll gate slip: do you still get one?

At most FASTag lanes no paper toll gate slip is printed, because the payment is electronic and the SMS serves as the record. A paper slip is still handed out when you pay in cash or by another method at a lane, and at some state-run plazas.

Paying without FASTag

A vehicle without a valid FASTag that enters a FASTag lane is charged double the toll. The slip you get then shows the higher amount, so recharge or fix the tag before the trip.

Toll gate receipt and toll plaza slip: how to get proof of payment?

For a FASTag crossing, your toll gate receipt is the bank statement entry or SMS, which you can download from the issuer’s portal as a PDF. Monthly pass receipts are issued online after payment and can be printed. A printed toll plaza slip comes only from a cash or manual lane.

Downloading a receipt

Log in to the bank’s FASTag portal, open transactions, choose the date and download.

What is FASTag KYC?

FASTag KYC is the identity check the issuer runs on the tag owner, using an ID proof, an address proof, a photo and the vehicle RC. Tags without full KYC have limits, and an NHAI wallet left without KYC for two years can no longer be recharged.

KYC and KYV are different

KYC checks the person. KYV (Know Your Vehicle) checked the car and its photos. NHAI ended routine KYV for car, jeep and van tags issued from 1 February 2026; it is now asked only in cases such as complaints, loose tags or a number mismatch.

Reminder SMS before the block

IHMCL sends reminder messages before the two-year mark. After the block, the remaining balance can still be used until the tag runs low.

FASTag KYC update: which documents work?

For a FASTag KYC update you need one identity proof and one address proof from the issuer’s approved list, a passport-size photo and the vehicle RC. A driving licence covers both identity and address, which makes it the simplest single document to use.

Accepted documents

IHMCL lists the driving licence, PAN card, passport and voter ID among accepted documents. Its page says Aadhaar with address is not currently accepted for its wallet. Banks may accept different lists, so check yours before uploading.

Company-owned vehicles

Firms need the certificate of incorporation or partnership deed, the company PAN, a photo ID of the authorised signatory and proof of the business. The IHMCL FASTag KYC update online guide walks through the portal screens.

How to check FASTag KYC status?

To check FASTag KYC status, log in to your issuer’s FASTag portal and open the profile or KYC section, which shows pending, approved or rejected. On the IHMCL portal it is under My Profile. Processing takes up to 7 working days after you submit.

If it says rejected

Rejection usually means a blurred upload, an expired document or a name that does not match the RC.

How to complete SBI FASTag KYC online?

To complete SBI FASTag KYC online, log in to SBI’s FASTag customer portal, open the KYC or profile section, choose the customer type, fill in your details and upload the ID, address proof, photo and RC. Submit and track the status in the same section.

Before you upload

Scan documents in colour and make sure the name matches the RC. Mismatched names are the most common reason a bank rejects KYC.

How to change FASTag mobile number?

To change FASTag mobile number, ask the issuer bank to update it. Most banks let you do this through net banking or the bank app if the tag is linked to your account; wallet tags usually need a request with your KYC details through customer care or a branch.

For NHAI wallet tags

NHAI tags are managed through the IHMCL customer portal and the My FASTag app. If you cannot log in because the old number is gone, call 1033 and ask for the update process.

How to change car number in FASTag?

You change car number in FASTag only to correct a mistake, such as a number typed wrongly at issue or a temporary number replaced by the permanent one. The issuer corrects it after checking the RC. A tag cannot be shifted to a different car.

Temporary to permanent number

If the tag was issued against a temporary registration, send the issuer the permanent RC once it arrives.

New car, new tag

When you buy another car, close the old tag or keep it on the old car, and buy a new one for the new vehicle. A tag moved to a different windscreen will be flagged as a mismatch.

How to deactivate FASTag online?

To deactivate FASTag online, log in to the issuer bank’s FASTag portal or app and use the close or deactivate option, or raise a request with customer care. The bank verifies you, blocks the tag and refunds the balance under its own process.

Before you deactivate

Make sure no toll is pending and no pass is running on the tag. A running annual or local pass is not transferable to another tag.

Step-by-step help

Bank-wise steps, refund timelines and screenshots are on our how to deactivate FASTag page.

How to cancel FASTag when you sell a car?

To cancel FASTag when you sell a car, the seller asks the issuer bank to close the tag before handing over the vehicle, and the buyer gets a fresh tag in their own name. IHMCL’s rule is that the original owner closes the account; tags are not transferred with the car.

Why the seller should act first

If the tag stays active, tolls the buyer runs up keep coming out of the seller’s wallet or account. Peel off the sticker on handover, close the account the same day and keep the closure message.

What the buyer needs

The buyer applies for a new tag with the transferred RC. If the old tag is still live, the new one may clash with it under the one-vehicle-one-tag rule, so ask the seller to confirm closure. Ownership transfer itself is handled at the RTO.

How to close FASTag account?

To close FASTag account, contact the issuer bank through its app, portal, helpline or branch and ask for closure. The bank confirms your identity, blocks the tag at all plazas and settles the balance and deposit. If the vehicle is stolen or lost, call the issuer at once to block the tag.

Refund of balance and deposit

The remaining balance and security deposit are refunded under the bank’s process, usually to the linked account.

Changing bank instead of closing

If you only want a different issuer, you still close the old tag and buy a new one. Our how to change FASTag bank page explains the order of steps so you are never without a working tag.

Toll exemption for defence personnel: who is covered?

Toll exemption for defence personnel comes from Section 3 of the Indian Tolls (Army and Air Force) Act, 1901. MoRTH clarified in June 2014 that it applies to serving personnel on duty, not to retired personnel, and not to journeys in personal vehicles. Official military vehicles are covered.

What to show at the plaza

Exempt movement is supported by the pass or documents specified under the Indian Toll (Army and Air Force) Rules, 1942, such as a movement order for the journey.

Ex-servicemen and families

Retired personnel and families travelling privately pay normal toll on NH plazas. Viral letters claiming otherwise have been checked and found to be fake.

Toll tax free card army: does one exist?

There is no general toll tax free card that lets army personnel drive private cars through NH plazas for free. Exemption under the 1901 Act depends on being on duty, so it is shown with duty documents, not with a personal card bought or issued for life.

Cards sold online

Ignore websites or agents selling an “army toll card”. Exempted FASTags are issued only by an NHAI-authorised agency to notified users, free of cost.

Exempted FASTag for official vehicles

Government vehicles that qualify get an exempted FASTag, valid for five years, and must still fix it on the windscreen so the lane can read it.

Agra toll tax: which plazas are around Agra?

Agra toll tax depends on which road you use. IHMCL’s July 2026 list places three NH fee plazas in Agra district: Raibha on the Agra bypass, Baretha or Jajau on the Agra-Gwalior stretch of NH 44, and Jawar on the Mathura-Devinagar bypass. Two state expressways also start near Agra.

State expressways near Agra

The Yamuna Expressway towards Noida and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway towards Lucknow are state roads, not NHAI ones. Their plazas take FASTag at state rates, and the NH annual pass does not apply.

Checking the amount

The car rate for each NH plaza is on NHAI’s toll information system and in the Rajmargyatra app.

Agra Lucknow Expressway toll charges: who sets them?

Agra Lucknow Expressway toll charges are set by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), which built and runs the roughly 302 km road. News reports say UPEIDA revised its expressway rates from 1 April 2026. Because it is a state road, NHAI passes do not cover it.

How the toll is charged

You pay according to the distance between your entry and exit points, so a short hop costs far less than the full Agra-Lucknow run. FASTag is deducted at the exit.

Where to confirm the rate

Check UPEIDA’s official rate notice or the plaza board before travelling. We have not listed a figure here because we could not confirm the current table from an official source.

Lucknow toll: which plazas surround the city?

The main NH Lucknow toll points in IHMCL’s list are Itaunja on the Lucknow-Sitapur road, Sahijana in Lucknow district on NH 731, Nawabganj in Unnao on the Kanpur road and Ahmadpur in Barabanki on the Lucknow bypass towards Ayodhya. The Agra-Lucknow Expressway plaza is separate and state-run.

KMP toll: how is the expressway charged?

KMP toll on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway, also called the Western Peripheral Expressway, is charged by the distance you travel, using a closed system with entry and exit plazas. The road was built by Haryana’s HSIIDC and is not on IHMCL’s NH fee plaza list, so NH passes do not apply.

Nearby NH plazas

Around Manesar and Gurugram, NH plazas apply on NH 48. Our Gurgaon toll page covers those.

Palwal toll tax: which plazas fall in Palwal?

For Palwal toll tax, IHMCL lists four NH plazas in Palwal district: Karman near Hodal and Gadpuri on the Delhi-Agra highway, and Chhajju Nagar and Peelak on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway. The KMP Expressway ends near Palwal too, but it is state-run and priced separately.

Eastern Peripheral Expressway

On the EPE you pay by distance between entry and exit. The NH annual pass applies on this expressway because it is a national highway.

Paliyekkara toll price: what do cars pay?

The Paliyekkara toll price for a car single journey is ₹90, the 2024 rate that was still being collected at the end of August 2026. NHAI approved a rise to ₹100, but the Kerala High Court must clear it before it applies. The plaza is in Thrissur district on NH 544.

Paliyekkara toll charges for other vehicles

Paliyekkara toll charges for buses, trucks and commercial vehicles are higher and were also part of the proposed revision. Check the plaza board or NHAI’s toll information system for the class you drive before relying on any figure.

Why the rate is in court

The High Court suspended collection here in 2025. A division bench order of 17 October 2025 let collection resume, on the condition that no higher fee is charged without further court orders.

How many toll gates from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada?

On the usual route, there are six NHAI toll gates from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada in IHMCL’s July 2026 list: Vempadu, Krishnavaram, Eethakota, Unguturu, Kalaparru and Pottipadu. The count changes if you take the NH 16 section through Kovvur instead, which has the Veeravalli plaza.

Route differences

Eethakota and Unguturu are on NH 216A, the old NH 5 alignment between Diwancheruvu and Gundugolanu. Drivers using the Gundugolanu-Devarapalli-Kovvur section of NH 16 cross Veeravalli instead of those two.

Total toll for the trip

Add the car rate of each plaza on your route in the Rajmargyatra app or NHAI’s toll information system. With an annual pass, each plaza counts as one crossing.

Panthangi toll gate: where is it?

Panthangi toll gate, listed by IHMCL as Pantangi, is on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada section of NH 65 in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana. It is the first plaza out of Hyderabad towards Vijayawada and is known for long queues during festival rush.

Plazas on the same section

IHMCL lists Chillakallu in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, as the other plaza on this Hyderabad-Vijayawada section. A full trip crosses both.

Current car rate

We could not confirm the current Panthangi rate from an official source. Check the plaza board, NHAI’s toll information system or the Rajmargyatra app.

Choutuppal toll gate: is it the same as Panthangi?

Yes. People who search for Choutuppal toll gate usually mean the Panthangi plaza, because Panthangi village lies in Choutuppal mandal on NH 65. There is no separate NH fee plaza named Choutuppal in IHMCL’s list.

Local pass for nearby residents

Residents within 20 km of the plaza, including much of Choutuppal, can check whether the local pass is offered here in the Rajmargyatra app.

Gooty toll plaza: which plaza is it?

IHMCL’s list has no plaza named Gooty toll plaza. In Anantapur district, the Hyderabad-Bangalore NH 44 plazas are Marur and Kasepalli, and the Gooty-Tadipatri road (NH 67) has the Jodi Dharmapuram plaza. “Gooty toll” in bus and map listings likely means one of these.

Confirming the right plaza

Search the plaza name in the Rajmargyatra app or NHAI’s toll information system to see its location and rate. If your FASTag SMS shows a plaza name, that is the official one.

Other plaza guides

For plaza rates on routes near you, use our toll near me and NHAI toll plaza guides, or route pages such as Panipat toll tax, Meerut toll tax and Delhi to Prayagraj toll tax. For complaints, see the toll tax complaint number page, and for blocked tags, the FASTag blacklist rules.