Grace period for late fees, civil penalties on unpaid Washington tolls ends in March

Washington state drivers who are late in paying their toll road fees would do well to remember the grace period for late fees on unpaid tolls ends on March 1.

In July 2021, a revamped Good to Go! toll system was launched, at which time the Washington State Department of Transportation stopped charging late fees and civil penalties on all express toll lanes, bridges and tunnels in the state. WSDOT also stopped requesting registration holds from the state Department of Licensing due to unpaid tolls.

The pause on charging late fees was put in place for two reasons: to give the vendor installing the new system enough time to implement the necessary changes to the system to charge late fees and penalties, and to provide a grace period for customers adjusting to the new toll billing system.

When late fees and civil penalties resume in less than two months, people who have an unpaid toll will receive a second bill that includes a $5 processing fee. If the second bill remains unpaid after 80 days, a $40 civil penalty will be assessed for each unpaid toll. Failure to pay the second bill will lead to a WSDOT request for a hold on the vehicle’s registration with the DOL.

“Our goal is to collect the toll to pay for important transportation investments,” WSDOT Toll Division Director Edward Barry stated in a news release. “We want to work with customers to resolve unpaid bills, avoid fees and help them lower their bills in the process.”

Most tolls that will be subject to late fees have remained unpaid after the initial bill was sent, according to the news release, with some having been unpaid for more than a year. About 90% of customers pay their tolls on time, the department stated.

Customers with unpaid toll bills can do the following to resolve the situation:

• The easiest way to make a payment is online at MyGood ToGo.com, where customers can pay their bill in full or choose to open an account at no cost and save $1.75 on each unpaid toll.
• People who cannot locate their bill should call Good To Go! customer service at 1-866-936-8246. A representative can help locate any unpaid tolls if the customer provides the name and address listed on the vehicle’s registration with DOL, and the vehicle’s license plate number.
• Drivers who believe they received a toll bill in error can file a dispute online at MyGood ToGo.com.