What Pay by Plate Is and How It Works in Tampa

Pay by Plate is a tolling system used on certain roads in the Tampa Bay area where you don't need a physical toll tag or transponder in your car. Instead, a camera reads your license plate as you drive through a toll plaza, and the toll authority sends you a bill in the mail based on that plate number.

In Tampa, Pay by Plate is used on the Suncoast Parkway (State Road 589), the Veterans Expressway (State Road 60), the Selmon Expressway (State Road 618), and the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway Extension. These roads are operated by the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority. When you drive through a toll point on any of these roads, the system captures your plate, matches it to your vehicle registration, and you receive an invoice by mail.

The main difference between Pay by Plate and a toll tag like SunPass is convenience and cost. With Pay by Plate, you don't buy or maintain a device. With SunPass, you prepay into an account and get a small discount on tolls. Pay by Plate charges the full toll rate and bills you after the fact.

Key Takeaways

  • Pay by Plate reads your license plate at toll plazas and sends you a bill in the mail; you don't need to buy a toll tag or prepay.
  • In Tampa, Pay by Plate is used on the Suncoast Parkway, Veterans Expressway, Selmon Expressway, and Lee Roy Selmon Expressway Extension.
  • You pay the full toll rate (not a discounted rate) and receive an invoice by mail, usually within two to three weeks.
  • If you don't receive a bill or want to pay online instead of waiting for mail, you can look up and pay tolls on the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority website using your plate number.
  • If you use these roads regularly, switching to a SunPass toll tag will save you money because SunPass users pay a lower per-toll rate.

How to Pay Your Pay by Plate Invoice

When you receive your Pay by Plate bill in the mail, you have several ways to pay. You can mail a check to the address on the invoice, pay by phone by calling the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority, or pay online through their website.

If you want to pay before the bill arrives, you don't have to wait. You can visit the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority website, enter your license plate number, and see any tolls owed. The site will let you pay when ready by credit card or debit card. This is useful if you drove the road recently and want to settle the charge right away rather than wait for the invoice to arrive by mail.

Payment is due by the date listed on your invoice. Late payments may result in additional fees or a suspension of your vehicle registration, so it's important to pay on time.

The Difference Between Pay by Plate and SunPass

Both Pay by Plate and SunPass work on Tampa Bay expressways, but they operate differently and cost different amounts. Pay by Plate is the default system — if you don't have a SunPass tag, you automatically use Pay by Plate when you drive through a toll plaza.

SunPass is a prepaid toll tag you buy and install in your windshield. You load money into your SunPass account ahead of time, and the tag communicates with toll readers as you pass through. SunPass users pay a lower per-toll rate than Pay by Plate users. For example, if a toll costs $2.50 on Pay by Plate, a SunPass user might pay $1.75 for the same stretch of road. Over time, if you use the expressways regularly, a SunPass tag pays for itself.

The trade-off is that SunPass requires you to buy the tag (usually $10 to $15), set up an account, and monitor your balance so it doesn't run empty. Pay by Plate requires no upfront purchase or account management — you just drive and pay the bill when it arrives. For occasional users, Pay by Plate is simpler. For regular commuters, SunPass is cheaper.

What to Do If You Don't Receive a Bill

If you drove a Tampa Bay expressway and expected a bill but didn't receive one, the most likely reason is that your vehicle's registration information doesn't match the license plate in the system. This can happen if you recently bought the car, changed your address, or have a vanity plate that the system couldn't read clearly.

The best step is to check the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority website yourself using your plate number. Enter your plate and see if any tolls are showing as unpaid. If they are, you can pay them directly online. If nothing appears, the toll may not have been captured, or there may be a delay in the system processing it.

If you believe you were charged incorrectly or have questions about a specific toll, you can contact the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority directly by phone or through their website. They can look up your account by plate number and explain any charges.

Tolls on Each Tampa Bay Expressway

Toll amounts vary depending on which expressway you use and how far you travel. The Suncoast Parkway, Veterans Expressway, Selmon Expressway, and Lee Roy Selmon Expressway Extension each have different toll points and rates. Tolls are generally higher for longer stretches of road.

Rather than listing specific dollar amounts (which change periodically), the best way to find the exact toll for your trip is to use the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority's toll calculator on their website. You enter your starting point and destination, and the tool shows you the current toll for that route. This is more reliable than a printed list because rates are adjusted by the authority from time to time.

If you drive the same route regularly, you'll see the same toll each time, so after your first trip you'll know what to expect. Keeping track of these costs can help you decide whether switching to SunPass makes financial sense for your driving patterns.

Disputing a Toll Charge

If you believe you were charged for a toll you didn't incur, or if you were charged twice for the same trip, you can dispute the charge. Contact the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority with your plate number, the date of the toll, and an explanation of why you think the charge is wrong. They will investigate and correct the charge if an error is found.

Keep in mind that if you drove the expressway, you are responsible for the toll even if you didn't see a toll booth or didn't expect to be charged. All toll points on Tampa Bay expressways use the camera-based system, so there's no way to "miss" paying if you use the road. If you drove it, a charge is correct unless there's a documented system error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use Pay by Plate or can I get a SunPass tag instead?

You can choose either one. Pay by Plate is automatic if you don't have a SunPass tag. If you want to switch to SunPass, you buy the tag, install it in your windshield, and set up an account. Once your SunPass tag is active, the toll readers will recognize it and charge your account instead of reading your plate.

What happens if I don't pay my Pay by Plate bill?

If you don't pay by the due date, late fees are added to your bill. If you continue not to pay, the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority can report the debt and your vehicle registration may be suspended, preventing you from renewing your registration with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles.

Can I pay tolls with a credit card or only by check?

You can pay by credit card, debit card, check, or phone. The easiest method is to pay online through the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority website using a credit or debit card. You can also call their customer service line and pay over the phone.

If I rent a car in Tampa, am I responsible for Pay by Plate tolls?

The toll is charged to the vehicle's registered owner, which is the rental company. However, most rental car companies pass toll charges on to the renter, either by charging your credit card on file or by adding the cost to your final bill. Check your rental agreement to see how the company handles tolls.

How long does it take to receive a Pay by Plate bill in the mail?

Most bills arrive within two to three weeks of when you drove the expressway. If you need to know the toll amount sooner, you can look it up on the Hillsborough County Expressway Authority website using your plate number and pay when ready online.