I – TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEMS

WHAT IS A TRADITIONAL TOLL BOOTH?

Traditional toll booths normally have one or more lanes where we can pay (an operator or by using an automatic payment machine which accepts cash or cards). There are also usually one or more dedicated lanes for drivers who have electronic payment devices.

Traditional toll booths, located at the entrance/exit or at intermediate points of highways, are signposted as follows:

WHAT IS AN EXCLUSIVELY ELECTRONIC TOLL SYSTEM?

With this type of collection system, there are no toll booths, but instead a series of collection points (gateways) installed along the route, which have no means of manual payment.

Equipment is installed at these gateways enabling vehicles and their respective license plates to be automatically recognized, thus generating a toll charge for the section of road used and the class of vehicle.

At the entrance to sections of highway with exclusively electronic tolls, the following sign can be seen:

HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH HAS BEEN CHARGED FOR TOLLS ON A HIGHWAY WITH AN EXCLUSIVELY ELECTRONIC TOLL SYSTEM?: The toll charge is set (by vehicle class) for each collection point and is shown in a display panel next to each gateway (you can also calculate the cost by using our toll calculator.

WHAT CLASS IS MY VEHICLE?

II – TOLL PAYMENT SYSTEMS

WHICH TOLL PAYMENT SYSTEMS ARE AVAILABLE AT EXCLUSIVELY ELECTRONIC TOLLS?

AUTOMATIC PAYMENT: payment for the use of these roads is debited directly from your bank account. There is no need to go anywhere to pay your bills or top up cards.

PRE-PAYMENT WITH IDENTIFICATION OF THE VEHICLE’S OWNER: pre-payment is made which is associated with the vehicle’s owner, which can then be used when driving on roads with electronic toll collection.

ANONYMOUS PRE-PAYMENT: pre-payment is made which is associated with an electronic device, which can then be used when driving on roads with electronic toll collection. Pre-payments expire after 90 days, and must be renewed otherwise the device will be invalid.

POST-PAYMENT: payment made, in cash or equivalent means, to a toll collection entity (ECP), after passing through a toll gate, within a maximum period of 15 working days from 0:00 on the day following the passage (Ordinance 60/2022 of January 25th).

Subscription to a payment system must be made at a toll collection intermediary.

WHAT ARE TOLL COLLECTION INTERMEDIARIES?: Toll collection intermediaries (ECP) manage toll payment systems, and by accepting payment from clients act as intermediaries between highway concessionaires and collection system operators. Via Verde and the Portuguese Post Office - CTT – Correios de Portugal are examples of toll collection operators.

WHAT IS THE LEGAL DEADLINE FOR POST-PAYMENT OF TOLLS?: If you have not subscribed to an electronic device, post-payment of tolls is available (only for vehicles with Portuguese registration), and must be settled at a CTT store, Payshop store, or by ATM reference, which can be obtained directly on the CTT website (or via SMS), within the legal period of 15 working days (Ordinance 60/2022 of 25 January).

III – ELECTRONIC DEVICES

WHAT IS AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE?

Equipment capable of transmitting your identification code in accordance with the European Electronic Toll Service.

Electronic devices are not transferable between vehicles, and should be mounted on the inside of the vehicle’s windshield (find out more here).

CAN A VEHICLE DRIVE ON HIGHWAYS WITH EXCLUSIVELY ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION WITHOUT AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE?

Yes. In this case, the collection of the toll fee will necessarily be carried out using the image of the vehicle registration, and must be regularized in a post-payment regime at a CTT branch or the Payshop network, or even by ATM reference, which can be obtained directly from the CTT website or via SMS on the mobile phone, within 15 working days (Ordinance 60/2022 of 25 January).

This alternative is not available for foreign registered vehicles, which have other solutions available based solely on registering the license plate.

IS THE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE?: No. It is optional equipment and is paid for.
WHERE CAN I GET AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE?: These devices can be obtained from authorized retail distributors (such as Via Verde Portugal or CTT - Correios de Portugal and other distributors which may be authorized in the future.
IF I DRIVE WITHOUT AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE IS IT MORE EXPENSIVE?: Yes. By law, tolls for passing gateways have an added administrative cost of €0.32 for each toll point, with a maximum limit of €2.56 € per payment.

DOES AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVE OTHER USES APART FROM PAYING FOR TOLLS, SUCH AS PAYING FOR PARKING?: Yes. Drivers using vehicles equipped with electronic devices can choose to pay for other services such as parking provided which are provided by collection organizations.

IV – FOREIGN-REGISTERED VEHICLES

CAN DRIVERS OF FOREIGN REGISTERED VEHICLES USE EXCLUSIVELY ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEMS?: Yes. Drivers should subscribe to a payment system (see the means of payment available here), which will be activated when the vehicle passes through a gateway.

WHICH MEANS OF PAYMENT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FOREIGN REGISTERED VEHICLES AT EXCLUSIVELY ELECTRONIC TOLLS?: There are different means of payment, with specific characteristics. You can check the available payment methods here.

IF I HAVE AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE FROM THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN ON MY VEHICLE, CAN I DRIVE ON TOLL ROADS IN PORTUGAL?: There are several devices which are authorized for all Portuguese highways through partnerships between the issuing entity and Via Verde. To find out if you can use your device on electronic toll roads in Portugal, you should first check with the issuing entity.

WHEN SHOULD I GET A MEANS OF PAYMENT FOR A FOREIGN-REGISTERED VEHICLE?

Means of payment for foreign-registered vehicles should be acquired before you travel in Portugal, taking care to ensure that the product will be valid for your trip (including the first day of travel).

The document confirming means of payment without the need for an electronic device should be kept with you at all times should you need to show it to Inspection Agents.

V – OTHER QUESTIONS

I DROVE ON A HIGHWAY WITH AN EXCLUSIVELY ELECTRONIC TOLL SYSTEM WITHOUT A VALID MEANS OF PAYMENT. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Should drivers of a foreign registered vehicle drive on a highway with exclusively electronic tolls and has not acquired a valid means of payment, they contact the operator of the road used and request the issue of a payment notification for the tolls registered.

To see the sums owed, depending on the highway used, you should consult:

Paytolls - Online payment of tolls (vialivre.pt) (A22 e A28)

Toll Payment (pagamentodeportagens.pt) (A33, A8 – A19 / Pousos, A19, A4 – Vila Real-/ Bragança (Quintanilha), A23 – Abrantes / Guarda)

Ascendi (A4 – Sendim-/ Águas Santas (A3), A4 (Túnel do Marão), A13 – Atalaia (A23) / Coimbra Sul, A17 – Mira / Aveiro Nascente (A25), A23 – Torres Novas (A1) / Abrantes), A24, A25, A29, A41 – Freixieiro (A28) / A42 e A42

Payment can also be made to the concessionaire’s Inspection Agents and the operators of toll collection systems on highways.

IF I DON’T PAY THE TOLL, DO I HAVE TO PAY A FINE?

Yes. Non-payment of a toll is an administrative offence under the law and is punishable with a fine.

The fine is 7.5 times the respective toll amount, with a minimum value of 25 euros and a maximum of four times the minimum value of the fine, respecting the maximum limits provided for in the General Regime for Taxation Infringements.

ARE INSPECTIONS CARRIED OUT?: Yes. Concessionaires and operators of toll collection systems carry out frequent inspections on highways, in collaboration with the police.

WHAT IF I AM DRIVING A RENTED VEHICLE?

Many rental companies have vehicles equipped with electronic devices, and clients may pay for this service when renting a vehicle. Tolls are paid by direct debit. The conditions for the provision of the service must be checked with the car rental firm holding the contract with the respective collection entity (Via Verde).

Should the client opt to not use the electronic device and/or the car rental firm does not provide any toll payment service available, tolls may be paid using the post-payment scheme (CTT), although it may not be possible to directly associate the collection period and the vehicle rental contract.

In the case of a vehicle with Portuguese registration, and if the customer does not choose to use a device and/or Rent-a-Car does not provide any toll payment service, tolls can be paid in a post-payment regime within 15 working days (Ordinance 60/2022 of 25 January) in a CTT store or online. It may not be possible to make a direct association between the billing period and that of the vehicle rental agreement. More information, on the CTT website.

In the case of a vehicle with foreign registration, and if the customer does not choose to use an electronic device and/or Rent-a-Car does not provide any toll payment service, the customer must adhere to one of the means of payment. available (more information here).