Beware of surprise fines with your electronic toll badge, this check is mandatory before taking the motorway

Electronic toll badges can sometimes be a source of problems on the motorway, especially on the new free-flow tolls.

Several motorways have switched to full free-flow mode in recent months. This is the case for the A13, A14, and A79, which previously experimented with this new payment system on some sections. If you're driving on these expressways today, you no longer need to stop at the toll barriers. While waiting for them to be completely dismantled, temporary diversions have been created to bypass them.

This doesn't mean that these motorways have become free, but the way they are paid has changed. Gates equipped with sensors and cameras are able to detect the passage of each vehicle, and motorists are required to pay the bill within 72 hours of their journey.

Faced with this change, and despite the time savings achieved thanks to this new system—we're talking about 30 minutes between Paris and Caen on the A13—many drivers have raised their voices. Many were surprised to receive fines after their motorway trip, most often because they hadn't been properly informed of the change in payment method. But it's also possible to have understood this and still receive a ticket a few days later. This mishap can happen to all owners of electronic toll badges...

For drivers with badges, the switch to free flow hasn't changed much. Payment is the same, namely that a charge is made to their account after each trip on a tolled motorway. Except that a problem that can be encountered at traditional toll booths can have more serious consequences now that the barriers have gone paperless!

The small electronic toll box has an estimated lifespan of 6 or 7 years. When it no longer works—because of the battery, which you don't need to change yourself—no signal is detected. If you arrive in front of a barrier, it won't raise. You'll need to press the emergency button and contact a toll agent.

The situation is embarrassing but harmless. It can be more problematic if the problem occurs on a free-flowing motorway! If your badge is deactivated, it won't be detected when you pass through the gantries. If you think you're in compliance, there's no reason to pay for your journey at the motorway company's website or at the tobacconist's within 72 hours. The cameras will have recorded your vehicle's license plate, and the ticket won't take long to arrive at your home.

There's no point in disputing it; your good faith won't be enough, because it's up to motorists to have working equipment. The fine for non-payment of the toll is 10 euros if you pay within 10 days, to which must be added the cost of the trip. It rises to 90 euros after this period. To avoid this scenario, consider requesting a change of badge when it's more than 5 years old. It's free and easy to do, and everything is done online on the website of the electronic toll collection company with which you have a subscription.