SunPass, tolls and toll-by-plate: what Florida renters actually pay
Toll fees are where rental bills quietly balloon. Here is how Florida tolls work, what the chains charge, and how to keep your total low.
Ask any Miami local about tolls and you will hear the same thing: they are everywhere, they are small, and they add up. The Dolphin Expressway, the Turnpike, the Rickenbacker Causeway and the express lanes on I-95 all charge tolls, and almost none of them accept cash anymore. For visitors in rental cars, how those tolls get billed can matter more than the tolls themselves.
How Florida tolls work now
Most toll roads in South Florida are fully electronic. Overhead gantries read either a transponder, such as SunPass or E-PASS, or the license plate. Transponder customers pay the lowest rate. Toll-by-plate customers pay a higher rate plus an administrative charge, and the bill goes to the vehicle owner, which for a rental car is the rental company.
What rental companies typically charge
Many rental brands pass toll-by-plate charges back to you with a convenience fee. The most common structures are:
- A daily fee of $5.95 to $10.99 for every day of the rental, even days you do not use a toll road
- A cap of $30 to $60 per rental, plus the tolls themselves
- A per-toll administrative fee of $3 to $5 when you decline the daily program
On a seven day rental with just a few toll roads, that can mean $40 to $75 in fees on top of perhaps $12 in actual tolls.
How Getaway handles tolls
Every car in our fleet has a SunPass transponder mounted behind the mirror. You pay the tolls you actually use at the SunPass rate, and nothing else. There is no daily fee, no cap to hit and no administrative charge. Your toll activity appears on your final receipt, usually within 48 hours of return.
A typical week in Miami costs our guests between $6 and $18 in tolls. That is the whole number.
Common toll roads you will use
Dolphin Expressway (SR 836)
The main route between the airport and Downtown or Miami Beach. Expect a toll of around $1 to $2 each way depending on distance.
Florida Turnpike
The fastest way north to Fort Lauderdale or south toward the Keys. Tolls vary by exit, generally $1 to $4 for local trips.
Rickenbacker Causeway
The bridge to Key Biscayne charges a small toll heading east. Beach days at Crandon Park or Bill Baggs are well worth it.
I-95 Express Lanes
These dynamic lanes change price based on traffic, from under $1 to over $10 at rush hour. They are optional, so stay in the general lanes if you are not in a hurry.
Tips to keep your toll total low
- Use Google Maps or Waze with the avoid tolls option for short, non-urgent trips
- Skip the I-95 Express Lanes between 4 pm and 7 pm unless you are racing a flight
- Take the MacArthur Causeway to Miami Beach, which has no toll
- Plan Keys trips on US-1 instead of Card Sound Road
Bring your own transponder?
If you own a SunPass PRO or E-ZPass that works in Florida, you can add our rental plate to your account and bring your transponder. Tell our crew at pickup and we will wrap the car's transponder in its shielded pouch, so you are not billed twice.
