Texas Toll Amnesty Programs 2026: How to Get Fees Waived and Reduce Toll Violations

Got a pile of unpaid Texas toll violations sitting on your dashboard? Here is the good news: Texas toll agencies have real relief options in 2026, and many of them are permanent, not just a one-time deal. You just need to know where to look and how to ask.

What Changed for Texas Toll Drivers in 2026

Texas tolling in 2026 looks very different from what it used to be. The 89th Texas Legislature passed a set of major reforms that completely reshaped how toll agencies can charge you, bill you, and collect from you.

These changes came from three key bills: Senate Bill 137, House Bill 1557, and Senate Bill 2324. Together, they put real limits on fees, created mandatory veteran waivers, and started a process to eventually end tolls on roads that have paid off their debt.

This is not just bureaucratic shuffling. These reforms directly affect what you owe and how much relief you can get today.

The New Fee Caps You Need to Know About (SB 137)

Senate Bill 137 is the most important piece of legislation for everyday drivers. Before it passed, toll agencies could stack up fees in ways that turned a small missed payment into a massive debt.

That era is over.

SB 137 now sets hard limits on what agencies can charge. Here is what the law requires:

The $48.00 annual cap is a game-changer. No matter how many invoices you rack up in a year, agencies cannot charge you more than $48.00 in administrative fees total. Period.

There is also a payment plan protection built in. If you enter a formal payment plan, that enrollment counts as a valid defense against further civil penalties. The law rewards people who try to resolve their debt.

Free Tolls for Veterans: What HB 1557 Requires

Starting in 2026, veteran toll waivers are no longer optional for agencies. House Bill 1557 turned them into a mandatory state requirement.

Every toll project entity in Texas must now offer free toll use to qualifying veterans. This is not a discount program you have to hunt down. It is a legal obligation.

Who qualifies under HB 1557:

• Congressional Medal of Honor recipients
• Legion of Valor awardees
• Purple Heart recipients
• Other veterans with qualifying specialty license plates

How to use it:

1. Make sure your vehicle has the qualifying veteran specialty plate
2. Link the plate to an electronic toll collection account
3. Ensure your transponder is properly mounted on your windshield
4. Contact your toll agency to confirm your exemption is active

Agencies can limit accounts to two transponders per participant. However, the law requires an extra transponder option for veterans who can show a hardship. Multi-vehicle households are covered.

You can verify your eligibility through TxDOT’s Veterans Discount Program page.

The HCTRA Fee Waiver: Texas’s Permanent Amnesty Option

This is the section most people are actually searching for. And the answer is better than you might expect.

HCTRA operates what it calls a Violation Fee Waiver Reduction Policy. Think of it as a permanent amnesty valve that is always open, as long as you act before your account reaches the debt collection stage.

Under this policy, you can get your fees reduced to a single flat charge. No special program announcement required. No waiting for an amnesty window to open.

The rules for using it:

• You must request it specifically. It is not automatic.
• Your account must not have been sent to collections yet.
• You are eligible for one waiver in any 365 days.
• It covers common errors like expired payment info or misunderstanding EZ TAG lane requirements.

You can review the full policy on the HCTRA Violation Fee Waiver page.

This is essentially a built-in amnesty program with no expiration date. Most drivers have never heard of it. Now you have.

How Each Texas Toll Agency Handles Relief in 2026

Texas has four major toll agencies, and each one operates differently. Knowing which agency you are dealing with is the first step to getting relief.

HCTRA (Harris County Toll Road Authority)

HCTRA manages Houston-area roads and now also handles former TxTag accounts. Their collection process is designed to resolve issues through communication first.

The HCTRA collection timeline:

• Days 0 to 120: You receive an EZ Invoice with a $10 administrative fee. Multiple outreach attempts happen, including bilingual phone calls. Payment plans of 12 to 18 months are available with no interest.
• Days 121 to 200: Formal hearings begin for habitual violators. Settlement is still possible at this stage.
• Day 180 and beyond: Registration blocks and potential lawsuits if a hearing order goes unpaid for more than 40 days.

HCTRA also caps administrative fees at $750 per account, which prevents the kind of runaway debt accumulation that used to trap drivers.

Contact HCTRA: hctra.org or call 281-875-3279

NTTA (North Texas Tollway Authority)

NTTA covers the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, including the Dallas North Tollway and the President George Bush Turnpike. Their enforcement escalates clearly in steps.

NTTA enforcement ladder:

To clear a registration block, you must pay in full or set up an approved payment plan. NTTA then provides a registration release receipt. The digital block clears from county records within 7 to 10 business days.

Pay your NTTA bill at ntta.org/pay-your-bill.

CTRMA (Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority)

CTRMA covers Austin-area roads, including 183A Toll and the 290 Toll. Their 2026 policies align with state law, and payment plans are available for anyone in the habitual violator program.

One notable CTRMA rule: vehicle bans stay in place until at least 75% of the outstanding balance is paid. This gives drivers a strong incentive to make meaningful partial payments early.

Find relief options at mobilityauthority.com.

TxTag (Now Managed by HCTRA)

In July 2025, approximately one million TxTag accounts completed migration to the HCTRA back-office system. Your TxTag still works just fine, but account management now happens through HCTRA.

Key things to know after the migration:

• Manage your account at hctra.org or the EZ TAG mobile app
• Existing TxTags still work in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Florida
• New or replacement tags are now issued as EZ TAGs
• Replenishment amounts are fixed: $10 for 1 to 2 vehicles, $20 for 3 to 4 vehicles
• Past-due tolls from before November 2024 remain with TxTag for collection

Check the HCTRA TxTag FAQ page for full migration details.

How to Dispute a Toll Charge You Did Not Owe

Sometimes the charge is just wrong. Cameras misread plates. Accounts get tagged for trips they did not take. Knowing how to fight back matters.

Texas drivers have clear legal grounds to dispute a toll bill. You typically have 25 days from the invoice mailing date to act.

Legitimate reasons for a full waiver:

• Vehicle was sold: Provide a bill of sale or a signed title dated before the toll occurred.
• Stolen vehicle or plates: Provide a police report showing the theft predated the travel.
• Leased or rented vehicle: The lessor can transfer liability to the lessee within 30 days by providing the rental agreement and the lessee’s contact information.
• Administrative error: Wrong plate read or a valid tag that was billed incorrectly.

You can start the dispute process at the CTRMA dispute page or through your specific agency’s customer portal.

What Happens If You Ignore Toll Violations

Ignoring toll violations in Texas is genuinely costly. The consequences stack up fast, and some of them are harder to undo than you would expect.

Here is the realistic progression for someone who does nothing:

1. Administrative fees accumulate up to $48.00 per year under the new cap
2. A $25.00 civil penalty activates after two unpaid invoices
3. Habitual violator status kicks in at 100 or more unpaid tolls in 12 months
4. Registration renewal gets blocked at the county level through the Texas DMV
5. Vehicles can be banned from toll roads under a court order
6. Vehicles can be physically impounded for repeat offenders
7. Debt gets sent to collection agencies, which adds another layer of fees

The registration block is the one that catches most people by surprise. You go in to renew your sticker and find out you cannot. Fixing it at that point takes longer and costs more.

Your Rights When Dealing With Debt Collectors

When toll debt reaches a collection agency, your rights as a Texas consumer still apply. Many drivers do not know this, and collection firms count on that.

Under Texas Finance Code Chapter 392 and the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors cannot:

• Call before 8 AM or after 9 PM
• Use abusive or threatening language
• Misrepresent the amount you owe
• Ignore a written request to stop contact

You also have the right to request debt validation, which forces the agency to prove the debt is legitimate before you pay anything. In Texas, your wages cannot be garnished for consumer debts like toll violations. That is a significant protection.

If something feels off about a collection contact, visit herrinlaw.com’s guide on Texas debt collection laws for a plain-language breakdown of your rights.

The Fastest Way to Stop Toll Problems Before They Start

All of this information is useful, but the simplest advice is also the most effective: get an electronic toll tag and keep your account current.

Three things to do right now:

1. Open an electronic tag account. TxTag, EZ TAG, and TollTag all work across Texas and several neighboring states. You pay lower rates and avoid violation notices entirely.
2. Check your outstanding balance. Log into your agency’s portal or call their customer service line. Many people are surprised to find balances they did not know existed.
3. Request the fee waiver if you have violations. Call HCTRA or your relevant agency and ask specifically about their violation fee waiver policy. One phone call can eliminate fees you did not know you could fight.

For multi-state travel, your Texas tag works in Oklahoma (PikePass system), Kansas (KTAG), Colorado (ExpressToll), and Florida (SunPass). Keep your license plate information current on your account to avoid “orphan” violations showing up from other states.

Stop Waiting for an Amnesty Window That Might Never Open

Here is the honest truth about toll amnesty in Texas: the most powerful relief option does not require you to wait for a special announcement. HCTRA’s permanent fee waiver policy exists right now. The SB 137 fee caps protect you right now. The dispute process is available right now.

Your action checklist:

• Check balances on HCTRA, NTTA, TxTag, and CTRMA portals
• Ask about the one-per-year fee waiver if you have HCTRA violations
• Verify your veteran specialty plate is linked if you qualify under HB 1557
• Dispute any charges that seem incorrect within 25 days of the invoice
• Set up a payment plan if you cannot pay in full; it protects you from further civil penalties

The 89th Legislature genuinely changed the math on what agencies can charge you. A $6.00 fee cap per invoice and a $48.00 annual limit means that, under the new rules, the system cannot trap you the way it once could. Use that to your advantage.

Pavithra Vinoth

Pavithra Vinoth is the founder of nytollsinfo.com, where she simplifies U.S. toll systems through expert insights and custom-built calculators. Her research-driven tools help drivers avoid costly mistakes and make smarter car decisions.