The days of searching for loose change at toll plazas are officially over. The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced that cash payments will no longer be accepted at any national highway toll booth from April 10, 2026.
From that date onward, only digital payments will be allowed.
This means FASTag and UPI will be the only accepted methods for toll payment.
After years of gradual digitalisation by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), this long-awaited step aims to remove the long queues that have become a daily problem for millions of commuters on routes such as the Delhi–Meerut Expressway, Mumbai–Pune Expressway, and the Golden Quadrilateral network.
What If You Do Not Have FASTag?
Vehicles without a valid FASTag will not be stopped, but they will have to pay an extra fee.
In such cases, payment can still be made through UPI, but the amount charged will be 1.25 times the normal toll fee.
If someone refuses to make the digital payment, the vehicle may be barred from entry under the National Highway Fee Rules, 2008.
In addition, an e-notice will be issued, and if the payment is not made within three days, the fine will be doubled.
ID Card Toll Exemption Practice Has Ended
Yes, the practice of avoiding toll by showing a government identity card has now been stopped.
The government has clarified that toll exemption will now be available only for vehicles that have a valid “exempted FASTag” or an annual pass.
This means that showing a government ID card during personal travel will no longer be valid.
A major step has been taken against a long-standing practice that often affected ordinary travelers. Earlier, government officials, defence personnel,
and others entitled to certain concessions were often allowed to pass through toll booths by simply showing their ID cards, even when traveling in their private vehicles.
The ministry has now written to all relevant government departments, directing them to obtain exempt FASTags for legally eligible vehicles or purchase FASTag annual passes.
Officials have made it clear that this exemption applies to the office or authority, not to any individual person. Using a government ID card to skip toll queues in a private vehicle was never legally valid, but it was often ignored. That practice has now been completely ended.
FASTag Annual Pass and New Price
The FASTag Annual Pass is a useful option for people who regularly travel on highways.
Its price has been increased from ₹3,000 to ₹3,075, effective from April 1, 2026.
With this pass, users get the benefit of unlimited travel up to 200 trips on national highways during the year, so there is no need to pay toll charges again and again.
More Changes Coming in the Future
This new rule is part of a bigger future plan.
The National Highways Authority of India is now working on introducing a free-flow tolling system, where vehicles will no longer need to stop at toll plazas.
Under this system, vehicles will be identified through cameras and RFID technology, and the toll amount will be deducted automatically.
Will This Make Travel Easier?
According to the government, more than 98 percent of toll transactions are already digital.
Because of this new rule, highway travel is expected to become faster, more convenient, and more transparent.
It is now clear that carrying cash on highways will no longer help at toll gates. Digital payment will be the only option.
The April 10 deadline is less of a technical leap and more of an administrative boundary line. You may still carry cash while traveling on the highway, but you will not be able to cross the toll gate using it.
