If a national freeway toll goes unpaid, you will receive, in order, a regular-mail payment notice and then a registered-mail notice (雙掛號) to make up the payment, with a NT$50 processing fee added. If it is still unpaid after the registered-mail deadline, a NT$300 fine is imposed under Article 27, paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalties Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The freeway bureau (高公局) issues a separate ticket for each day's arrears, settled day by day, and the toll and the processing fee must still be paid. If the cumulative arrears exceed NT$300, the freeway bureau also refers the case for compulsory enforcement under the law on government fees (規費法). The cheapest approach is to pay it yourself within days 3 to 5 counting from the day after you pass through the toll zone (for example, for a trip on July 1, that is July 4 to July 6), when you also pay only 9/10 of the price.
Note: This article is compiled from the highway toll collection management measures (公路通行費徵收管理辦法; amended December 26, 2025), the freeway bureau's ETC (electronic toll collection) topic site page on arrears inquiry and payment reminders (updated October 15, 2025) and related Q&A. The actual payment deadline for the regular-mail and registered-mail notices is the one printed on the notice; the collection fee of each payment channel may be adjusted, so follow the toll operator's (遠通電收) announcements. If you receive an "arrears" text message or email with a link, verify it first and do not click the link.
From passing through to a ticket: the timeline
On national freeways, distance-based tolling treats one vehicle number plus one day as 1 toll record, and arrears are collected in half-month cycles (the 1st to the 15th, and the 16th to the end of each month). The freeway bureau's rules, organized:
| Stage | What happens | Cost |
|---|
| Day 4 after passing through | Vehicles without an eTag can start checking the tolls due; for eTag vehicles, payment is deducted automatically before dawn on day 3 after passing through | — |
| Within days 3 to 5 counting from the day after passing through the toll zone (for example, for a trip on July 1, July 4 to July 6) | Vehicles without an eTag pay on their own; eTag vehicles top up the account balance before this period ends | Toll at 9/10 of the price |
| After the automatic payment period | The operator sends a regular-mail "toll payment notice" (those who agree can receive it by email instead) | Toll at the original price |
| After the regular-mail payment deadline | A registered-mail "notice to pay the outstanding toll and the recovery processing fee" is sent, with each half-month cycle combined into 1 notice | Original price plus a NT$50 processing fee |
| After the registered-mail payment deadline | Tickets are issued day by day under Article 27, paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalties Act | A NT$300 fine per item (day); the toll and the fee must still be paid |
| Cumulative arrears over NT$300 | Referred for compulsory enforcement to the Ministry of Justice's administrative enforcement agency (法務部行政執行署) under the law on government fees; before referral, the freeway bureau's regional maintenance engineering branch office sends a postal reminder (郵簡) | — |
The freeway bureau's Q&A gives an example: if a registered-mail notice lists 16 days of arrears and is not paid by the deadline, 16 tickets of NT$300 are issued, NT$4,800 in total, far more than the toll itself.
Legal basis of the fine
- Article 27, paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalties Act: a vehicle driving on a toll highway without paying must make up the toll; the competent authority must notify the owner in writing to pay, and if payment is still not made by the deadline, a fine of NT$300 is imposed.
- Paragraph 2 of the same article: forcibly breaking through a toll station to avoid payment is fined NT$3,000 to NT$6,000 on the vehicle owner or driver, and the arrears are also recovered.
- Article 14 of the highway toll collection management measures: those who do not pay as required are notified in writing to make up the payment by a deadline and are charged a recovery processing fee (covering vehicle registration lookup, photos, bill printing, postage, labor and payment handling fees); if they still do not pay by the deadline, tickets are issued under Article 27 of the Act.
- Article 15 of the same measures: the written notice is given by registered mail; where a regular-mail notice is sent before the registered mail, no recovery fee is charged at the regular-mail stage, and arrears of the same period can be combined into one notice with a single processing fee.
- Item 16 of the freeway bureau's arrears recovery guidelines (欠費追繳作業注意事項): cumulative unpaid tolls over NT$300, together with the processing fee, are referred for compulsory enforcement under the law on government fees.
- Deadline for issuing tickets: under the current Article 90 of the Act, a violation can no longer be ticketed once more than 2 months have passed from the day it was committed (for continuous or ongoing conduct, from the day it ended). The freeway bureau's "penalties and appeals" page (updated January 22, 2020, which predates two amendments of Article 90, on June 10, 2020 and January 14, 2026) still says "ticketing is completed within three months counting from the day after the payment deadline passes unpaid", which differs from the 2 months in the current article; the current Article 90 governs.
Small arrears of NT$50 or less get an advisory notice first
The freeway bureau's Q&A explains that when a small toll of NT$50 or less is overdue, an advisory notice (勸導單) is first sent by registered mail, combined into 1 notice per half-month cycle; if the person still does not pay after the advisory, a ticket is issued. Each vehicle owner has only 2 chances of an advisory for small arrears; after that, further small arrears are ticketed directly.
Where to pay: channels and handling fees
| Stage | Channel | Collection handling fee |
|---|
| Paying on your own, or regular-mail notice | Cash payment at the multimedia kiosks of the four major convenience store chains (統一, 全家, 萊爾富, OK) | NT$5 per item |
| Paying on your own, or regular-mail notice | Credit card through the toll operator's website, the ETC App or the toll operator's customer service line | None |
| Paying on your own, or regular-mail notice | Cash at the counter of 遠傳電信, a post office (郵局) or 美廉社 | NT$5 per item |
| Paying on your own, or regular-mail notice | Toll operator service center | None |
| Registered-mail notice | Take the notice to the four convenience store chains, Far EasTone, a post office, Simple Mart or a toll operator service center | None |
| Registered mail but you do not have the bill with you | Credit card (toll operator website, ETC App, customer service, the "beep-pay" service 嗶嗶繳) | None |
| Registered mail but you do not have the bill with you | Go to the four convenience store chains, Far EasTone, a post office or Simple Mart and pay after a replacement slip is issued | NT$5 per item (free at toll operator service centers) |
If your case has been referred for compulsory enforcement and you have received a payment notice from the branch office of the administrative enforcement agency, arrears of NT$30,000 or less can be paid with the barcoded notice at 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK and Simple Mart with no handling fee; arrears over NT$30,000 must be paid in person at the branch office or at a branch office under the freeway bureau, or by postal transfer or remittance.
Checking arrears and tickets, and appealing
- Check toll arrears: the toll operator's website, the ETC App, convenience store kiosks, customer service at 02-7716-1998 (24 hours), or the government MyData platform.
- Check whether you have an ETC ticket: on the motor vehicle service website (監理服務網), go to "Traffic Violations" → "Fine inquiry and payment" and enter your ID number and birthday; for how to pay a ticket, see how to look up and pay a traffic ticket.
- If you question the bill: under item 19 of the arrears recovery guidelines, you must appeal to the operator (the toll operator) with supporting proof before the payment deadline on the notice.
- If you disagree with a ticket: submit a written statement to the appeal office printed in the upper-right corner of the red ticket (紅單). If you disagree with the appeal result, request the ruling from the adjudication unit for the area where the vehicle is registered, and file an administrative lawsuit with the district court within 30 days from the day after you receive it.
- If it is not your violation: under Article 16 of the measures, where the vehicle or plates were stolen and misused, scrapped plates were misused, plates were lost, or plates were forged or altered, you can apply with proof to the collecting authority (the freeway bureau) to cancel it; if you tell the collecting authority who the actual driver was within the payment deadline, the notice is sent to the driver instead (Article 14, paragraph 2).
Taipei and New Taipei vehicle owners: an outdated address is the most common reason notices are missed
Regular-mail notices, registered mail and tickets are all sent to the address on your vehicle registration record; the freeway bureau's Q&A explains that violation notices are sent first to the residence or workplace address the owner has registered with the motor vehicle authorities. If you have moved or do not live where your household is registered, update your mailing address at a Motor Vehicles Office (監理站) or regional motor vehicles office, or online through "residence / workplace setting and inquiry" (住居所／就業處所設定及查詢) on the motor vehicle service website. The Taipei and New Taipei office phone numbers published on the motor vehicle service website:
| Office | Address | Phone |
|---|
| Taipei City regional motor vehicles office (臺北市區監理所) | No. 21, Sec. 4, Bade Rd., Songshan Dist., Taipei City | 02-27630155 |
| Shilin Motor Vehicles Office (士林監理站) | No. 80, Sec. 5, Chengde Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei City | 02-28314155 |
| Taipei regional motor vehicles office (臺北區監理所) | No. 7, Ln. 248, Zhongzheng Rd., Shulin Dist., New Taipei City | 02-26884366 |
| Banqiao Motor Vehicles Office (板橋監理站) | No. 116, Sec. 3, Zhongshan Rd., Zhonghe Dist., New Taipei City | 02-22227835 |
| Luzhou Motor Vehicles Office (蘆洲監理站) | No. 163, Sec. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Luzhou Dist., New Taipei City | 02-22886883 |
The following is this article's suggestion: if you often drive on national freeways, sign up for an eTag and set automatic top-up (when the balance falls below NT$120, it tops up NT$400 automatically), and also apply for electronic bills, so you will neither miss the 9/10 price nor get ticketed. For the rates and the 9/10 rule, see how national freeway ETC charges work; if you receive a suspicious collection text message, see identifying scam texts and calls.
Frequently asked questions
How much is one ticket for an overdue freeway toll?
Under Article 27, paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalties Act, if the toll is still unpaid after the registered-mail deadline, a fine of NT$300 is imposed for each 1 day of arrears. One notice with several days of arrears results in as many tickets as there are days, and the toll and the NT$50 processing fee must still be paid.
Do I pay more if I only pay after receiving the regular-mail notice?
No processing fee is added at the regular-mail stage, but the 9/10 deadline has passed, so the toll is charged at the original price. If you wait until the registered-mail stage, a NT$50 processing fee is added for each half-month cycle.
What happens if a toll stays unpaid for a long time?
Under the freeway bureau's arrears recovery guidelines, cumulative unpaid tolls over NT$300, together with the processing fee, are referred to the administrative enforcement agency for compulsory enforcement under the law on government fees; before referral, the regional maintenance engineering branch office sends a postal reminder.
Will arrears of only a few dozen NT dollars also get a ticket?
Small arrears of NT$50 or less first get an advisory notice, and each vehicle owner has 2 chances of an advisory. If you still do not pay by the deadline after the advisory, or you owe again after using up the 2 chances, you are ticketed NT$300 directly.
I sold the car but still received a toll notice. What should I do?
First check whether the transfer of ownership was completed. If the plates were lost, stolen or forged and misused, you can apply with proof to the freeway bureau to cancel it under Article 16 of the highway toll collection management measures, and appeal to the toll operator before the payment deadline on the notice.
Last updated: 2026-11-03
This article was compiled by SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only. For individual cases, contact the freeway bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (交通部高速公路局), the toll operator's customer service at 02-7716-1998, or the Motor Vehicles Office where the vehicle is registered.
Sources
- Freeway bureau ETC topic site: arrears inquiry and payment reminders (欠費查詢及催繳通知; in Chinese; updated 2025-10-15, checked 2026-11-02): half-month cycles, the two stages of regular mail and registered mail, the NT$50 processing fee, collection handling fees by channel, and tickets of NT$300 per item (day) after the deadline.
- Freeway bureau ETC topic site: paying freeway tolls as required (行駛國道應依規定繳交通行費; in Chinese; updated 2026-03-11, checked 2026-11-02): tolls can be checked 3 days after passing through, regular mail then registered mail with NT$50 added, NT$300 daily tickets and compulsory enforcement.
- Freeway bureau: guidelines on electronic toll collection applications and arrears recovery (電子收費申請及欠費追繳作業注意事項; in Chinese; announced February 7, 2018, checked 2026-11-02): items 12, 13, 15, 16 and 19: the regular-mail and registered-mail process, the recovery fee, referral for enforcement over NT$300, and the appeal deadline.
- Freeway bureau: national freeway toll collection plan (國道高速公路通行費徵收計畫; in Chinese; 18th amendment of October 2, 2026, checked 2026-11-02): paying after the fact within days 3 to 5 counting from the day after passing through the toll zone gets 9/10 of the price.
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: the NT$50 fee and one ticket per day (50 元作業費與一天一張罰單; in Chinese; updated 2026-01-12, checked 2026-11-02): each registered-mail notice lists at most 15 to 16 days of arrears, with an example of day-by-day ticketing.
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: advisory principles for small arrears of NT$50 or less (50 元以下小額欠費勸導原則; in Chinese; updated 2026-01-12, checked 2026-11-02): the advisory notice and the 2 advisory chances.
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: payment notice from the administrative enforcement agency branch office (行政執行分署傳繳通知; in Chinese; updated 2026-01-12, checked 2026-11-02): no-fee payment at convenience stores for NT$30,000 or less.
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: postal reminder before compulsory enforcement (強制執行前催繳郵簡; in Chinese; updated 2026-01-12, checked 2026-11-02): the postal reminder before referral.
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: checking ETC arrears tickets (查詢 ETC 欠費罰單; in Chinese; updated 2026-01-12, checked 2026-11-02): the lookup path on the motor vehicle service website.
- Freeway bureau ETC topic site: penalties and appeals (裁罰及申訴; in Chinese; updated 2020-01-22, checked 2026-11-02): overdue arrears are ticketed under Article 27, paragraph 1 of the Act; appeals go to the appeal office printed in the upper-right corner of the red ticket (the 3-month ticketing period stated on this page does not match the 2 months in the current Article 90; the current article governs).
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: disagreeing with the appeal result (不服申訴結果; in Chinese; updated 2026-01-12, checked 2026-11-02): an administrative lawsuit within 30 days from the day after the ruling is received.
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: address to which tickets are mailed (罰單寄送地址; in Chinese; updated 2026-01-13, checked 2026-11-02): mailed to the registered address on the motor vehicle record; address changes are handled at a motor vehicle office.
- Freeway bureau ETC Q&A: checking the toll due (查詢應繳通行費; in Chinese; updated 2025-11-13, checked 2026-11-02): inquiry channels and MyData.
- National laws and regulations database: highway toll collection management measures (公路通行費徵收管理辦法; in Chinese; amendment date December 26, 2025, checked 2026-11-02): Articles 14 to 16: notices to make up payment, recovery fees, registered mail and grounds for cancellation.
- National laws and regulations database: Road Traffic Management and Penalties Act (道路交通管理處罰條例; in Chinese; amendment date August 17, 2026, checked 2026-11-02): Article 27, paragraphs 1 and 2, fines of NT$300 and NT$3,000 to NT$6,000; Article 90, no ticketing after more than 2 months.
- Motor vehicle service website: motor vehicle office locations (監理所站位置; in Chinese; checked 2026-11-02): addresses and phone numbers of the Taipei and New Taipei motor vehicle offices.
