The SunPass transponder is the most popular means of toll payment in Florida. SunPass has a customer base of over 13 million motorists who use it to pay for toll fees on Florida express lanes, toll roads, and bridges.
Florida’s Department of Transportation established this digital toll payment method to improve the payment of tolls on the roads. SunPass is under the Office of Toll Operations in the state’s transport department.
SunPass was introduced in 1999. Since then, it has become a fixture in Florida’s transportation system. The SunPass transponder comes in varieties; the SunPass Mini, the SunPass Pro, and the SunPass Plus. These transponders, after purchase, are installed on the windscreens of vehicles. Once the vehicle goes through a toll booth, the SunPass transponder uses wireless technology to communicate with the toll booth, permitting it to debit the toll fee from the designated prepaid account.
The SunPass transponder’s popularity and usability go beyond the state of Florida. This device is also used to pay toll fees in 18 other states. Being the most popular toll transponder in the state, getting a SunPass in Florida should be a piece of cake. Still, it would help if you had a guide. This is where we come in; let’s show you how.
How to Get a SunPass in Florida?
Well, before you can enjoy the functions of the SunPass transponder, you need first to create a SunPass account. Visit the website and register by filling in your details in the spaces provided. After doing that, the next thing is to purchase a SunPass transponder.
This is the easiest part. The only difficulty you will encounter is sorting your wealth of options. Florida is a big state, and you can purchase the SunPass transponders from thousands of locations.
Generally, you can purchase SunPass via the official website or on renowned e-commerce platforms such as eBay, Amazon, and others. If you prefer to shop for your SunPass transponder physically, you can check for retail outlets selling SunPass transponders near you. Good examples of these outlets include CVS drug store, AAA, Publix, Walgreens, Sedano’s, etc.
Before purchasing a SunPass transponder, you must also consider the type of transponder you want.
How to Get a SunPass Mini in Florida?
This is the most basic model of the SunPass transponder and is the most affordable. Unlike the Pro and Plus models of the SunPass transponders, the SunPass Mini transponder is restricted to three states: Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. The SunPass Mini won’t authorize toll payments at toll booths in any other state. So unless you don’t intend to travel beyond these three states, you can go for this model.
You can purchase the SunPass Mini on the company’s official website, offline stores such as the ones mentioned above, and SunPass service centers, rest areas, welcome centers, and county tax collection offices in Florida. If you’re going for this model, sooner or later, you may have to upgrade to a higher model to cover more states in the U.S.
How to Get a SunPass Pro in Florida?
SunPass Pro is an upgrade from the SunPass Mini. Motorists with the SunPass Pro transponder can cover toll roads in 18 states aside from Florida. That’s a big difference from the coverage you get from SunPass Mini. You can get the SunPass Pro from the same retail outlets as the SunPass Mini.
If your preference is online, you must choose between purchasing the device on the company’s website or e-commerce sites. Otherwise, you must select the nearest retail outlet selling SunPass Pro.
How to Get SunPass Plus in Florida?
Getting the SunPass Plus transponder is the same as getting the Pro or Mini model in terms of where to purchase it. SunPass Plus users enjoy a special perk – they can easily pay for parking spots. Motorists using the SunPass Plus transponder can use a special lane at the toll plaza. It’s very similar to the Pro model.
How to Get a SunPass Online?
As we said earlier, you can purchase the transponder via the website after creating your SunPass account on the official website. The transponder will be shipped to you within seven business days.
However, if you prefer to shop for the SunPass transponder from Amazon or eBay, you can visit those platforms after creating your SunPass account. However, you have to be mindful of the difference in cost.
The SunPass Pro transponder, for instance, is more expensive on Amazon, so buying from the official website may be the best option if you’re on a low budget.
How to Get a SunPass Account?
To get a SunPass account, visit the website and signup for a SunPass account. You ought to know that there are different kinds of SunPass accounts. The private account is meant for non-commercial motorists who drive vehicles that they own, lease, or rent. You’ll need your payment information and vehicle plate number for registration.
The details you’ll need to fill in are as follows:
- Primary contact (first name and last name). There will be an option to add a secondary contact if you won’t be the only one using the SunPass account.
- Mailing address
- State
- City
- Zip code
- Email address
- Phone number
- Preferred language (English and Spanish)
- Options for account statement delivery (summary or detailed statement to email & summary or detailed statement to mailbox)
- Username
- Password
- Security question
- Security Answer
- A 4-digit pin
These details are required on the registration form’s first page. There are four pages in total to fill. It’s a lengthy process.
How to Get a SunPass for a Rental Car?
For SunPass users, the toll charges on their rental vehicle will be charged from their prepaid account. To activate toll charges and payments on your rental vehicle, log on to your SunPass account and input the plate number of your rental car as well as the time window (start and end date) of the rental agreement.
How to Get a Free SunPass Transponder?
Existing SunPass users can get a free replacement of the SunPass transponder as part of the Transponder Replacement Program. There are two ways to get a free SunPass transponder by calling the toll-free tag swap number or visiting the SunPass tag swap website. We’re unsure if the program is still active, but it doesn’t hurt to check.
How to Get a Replacement SunPass?
There are cases where SunPass transponders get lost or stolen. The first step is to visit the website or launch the SunPass App, log on to your account, and change the status of your transponder to lost or stolen. You can also do this through fax or mail or by visiting a walk-in center.
You can also contact the SunPass customer contact center at 1-888-TOLL-FLA (1-888-865-5352). Then the next step will be to request or place an order for a replacement transponder.
Conclusion
After reading through, you can see that getting a SunPass in Florida is a walk in the park. Whether it’s the Plus, Mini, or Pro model you want to use, you can get them at the same location(s). The variety of options open to motorists makes it even easier.
However, there have been cases of some stores having the Pro model but not the Mini model. However, most times, all models are usually available. If you ask us, the best answer to “how to get a SunPass in Florida” is to visit the official website.