Last Chance To Pay E-ZPass Toll Violations Is Imminent: MDTA

MARYLAND — Drivers are urged to check all of their license plates for video tolls to see if fines are owed before a Maryland customer assistance plan that waives civil penalties ends this week.

The Maryland Transportation Assistance Plan offered a nine-month grace period for unpaid video tolls. As the program reaches its final hours, the Maryland Transportation Authority urged customers to pay unpaid video tolls in full by 11:59 p.m. Nov. 30.

The grace period was adopted after more than 27,000 E-ZPass customers signed an online petition calling for an investigation into billing errors. Maryland EZ-Pass users signed a Change.org petition asking Gov. Larry Hogan to investigate the billing system.

"Bills from 2020 arriving over one year later, late fees of $25 being billed without having received any notices, stacks of bills being sent with threats of withholding vehicle registrations and tax refunds, transponders not working, and the list is endless," a portion of the petition reads.

On Thursday, Dec. 1, toll debt referrals to the Central Collection Unit for collections actions and to the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration for vehicle registration suspensions will resume, according to a news release from the agency.

Before the grace period ends, MDTA officials encourage all E-ZPass customers who had any periods with insufficient money in their accounts to check Find My Tolls. Since video tolls are recorded to the registered vehicle owner and are separate from E-ZPass accounts, replenishing E-ZPass accounts will not pay for outstanding tolls.

The MDTA Board approved the nine-month customer assistance plan, which waived the civil penalty for every video toll transaction paid in full while the plan is in place.

As of Nov. 27, state officials said $137 million in civil penalties have been waived for about 756,000 drivers and businesses that have paid their outstanding video tolls.

The customer assistance plan is not toll forgiveness, or an elimination of tolls owed. Tolling remains in effect statewide and drivers are responsible for paying the outstanding toll amount, the news release said.

On Dec. 1, customers will be responsible for the full amounts of all unpaid tolls, plus any civil penalties, which will be due based on the printed due dates.

• Related: Fed Up E-ZPass Users Launch Petition To Resolve Billing Issues

Need help? Reach out to MDTA before the grace period ends. During this limited time, the website also gives customers the option to convert video tolls to E-ZPass or Pay-By-Plate, when video tolls are searched through Find My Tolls.

If you cannot pay all your tolls before the Nov. 30 deadline, the MDTA says drivers should pay every outstanding toll that you can to have the associated civil penalties waived and have your toll and civil penalty debts reduced.

Customers with unpaid video tolls can pay by these methods:

• Visit Find My Tolls and find tolls using the notice mailing number(s) or by checking all license plates.
• Mail the bottom portion of the notice(s) along with your check/money order (do not send cash) payable to: Maryland Transportation Authority, P.O. Box 12853, Philadelphia, PA 19176-0853
• Use the automated call system 24/7 at 1-866-320-9995 (select Option 1 for Notice of Toll Due, then enter the mailing number on the notice when prompted).
• Visit an in-person Customer Service Center.