The Government of India has tightened the rules for toll collection on national highways. Now, there is a strict system in place to deal with missed FASTag payments. Under the updated rules, a new term called “unpaid user fees” has been formally defined. It refers to a toll fee that is not paid even though the vehicle’s route has been successfully entered through electronic toll collection systems. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026, which came into force from March 17, 2026.
FASTag payment missed, will have to pay double toll: Why can this happen?
This situation may arise due to reasons such as insufficient FASTag balance, technical glitches, or the camera-based system recording the vehicle without a successful transaction.To recover such pending toll amount, the Government has launched a technology-driven e-notice system. If toll payment is missed, the registered vehicle owner will receive an electronic notice with details such as vehicle number, date and place of journey and amount payable. These notices will be sent through SMS, email, mobile app or made available on the specified online portal.
Pay principal amount within 72 hours
One of the biggest changes is the penalty structure. If a user fails to pay the toll and does not respond within the stipulated time, the amount payable is double the basic toll fee. However, there is a relief window built into the system. If the pending amount is paid within 72 hours of receiving the e-notice, the user will have to pay only the basic toll amount without any penalty.The rules also include a provision for grievance redressal. If any vehicle owner feels that the notice has been issued wrongly, they can file a complaint through the official portal within 72 hours. Authorities are required to investigate and resolve such cases within five days. If no action is taken within this period, the claim for unpaid fees will automatically lapse.For cases where the dues have not been paid for more than 15 days and no dispute is under review, the pending amount will be recorded in the VAHAN database. This may result in restrictions on vehicular services until the outstanding toll is paid.
(TagstoTranslate)Fastag Toll Payment(T)Unpaid User Fee(T)National Highway Fee Amendment 2026(T)Toll Payment Penalty(T)E-Notice System for Toll(T)Toll Collection Rules(T)Toll Payment Grievance Redressal(T)Government Toll Policy(T)Vehicle Database Toll Records(T)Vehicle Toll Fee
