TACOMA — Have you ever driven on one of Washington’s toll roads, bridges or tunnels by mistake and wondered if you still had to pay the toll fee? The short answer is yes.
There are five toll facilities in Western Washington:
- State Route 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge
- State Route 167 HOT lanes
- State Route 520 bridge
- Interstate 405 express toll lanes
- State Route 99 tunnel
Christopher Foster, communications manager for the Washington State Department of Transportation Toll Division, said in a previous interview that even if the driver used the toll road by mistake, the fee needs to be paid.
“Drivers receive plenty of notice before traveling on a toll road. We install signage at key locations near toll roads to inform drivers where and when tolling will begin, and to mark the last exit before entering a toll road,” Foster said.
There are 47 toll signs along SR 520 and on the roads leading to it that advise drivers that the toll road is ahead. The SR 99 Tunnel has approximately 24 toll signs located on the North and South end of the tunnel, according to the WSDOT website.
How can you dispute a toll in Washington?
Tolls can only be disputed for a handful of reasons in Washington state, including:
- If the vehicle was sold or transferred prior to when the toll occurred
- If the license plate of the vehicle in the photo doesn’t match the actual license plate
Although the fee for using the toll roads can rarely be disputed, late fees and penalties accrued for not paying the toll on time can be waived. Good To Go, the automated toll-paying system, has a penalty/fee waiver program that people can participate in a maximum of two times.
What does it cost to ignore a Washington toll charge?
Good To Go charges drivers a $5 late fee if a toll is not paid by the due date on the initial bill. If the toll and late fee are not paid within 80 days, drivers will be issued a notice of civil penalty and will be charged $40 for each unpaid toll. Leaving the civil penalty unresolved for more than 20 days will escalate to the Department of Licensing placing a hold on the vehicle registration according to the Good To Go website.
Foster also that said drivers using the penalty and fee waiver program for the first time will have their penalty and fees removed from their account if they have a valid reason and second time users will have to open a Good To Go account to have the fees and penalties waived.
If you want to dispute penalties and fees, the only valid reasons would include:
- Not receiving a bill by mail
- Forgetting to add the vehicle to an already existing Good To Go account
A full list of acceptable reasons to dispute toll, fees and penalties is available on the Good To Go Website.
Drivers can call the Good To Go customer service center to make a payment at 1-866-936-8246 or pay online at mygoodtogo.com.
