HOUSTON – The Harris County Toll Road Authority has paused the toll violation invoice process.

The authority will send courtesy letters to drivers requesting payment for unpaid tolls before regular toll violation invoicing begins.

When will the letters be sent?

The courtesy letters will be mailed between Sept. 25 and Oct. 6 to both EZ TAG customers and non-account holders. The authority said it is important to act quickly to remedy unpaid tolls and update their accounts, where applicable, to prevent violation fees from accruing.

How long will I have to resolve my unpaid tolls?

Customers will have 10 business days from the mailing date to resolve unpaid tolls.

Will I receive a letter if I am an EZ TAG customer?

For EZ TAG customers, receiving the courtesy letter indicates that action is needed on their account, and gives them an opportunity to make the needed updates before a toll violation invoice is mailed. The most common reason EZ TAG customers receive toll violations is because of a failed payment method -- for example, due to an expired credit card or bank draft rejection.

What can I do to keep my EZ TAG in good standing?

Check your toll usage. If you’ve been using the toll road this summer, and you haven’t been charged, your EZ TAG account most likely needs attention.

New credit card? Customers often forget to update their EZ TAG account with the new info when their credit card company sends them a new card (because of expiration, fraud, etc.).

New car or new license plate? A common reason customers get bills for unpaid tolls is because the customer’s new license plate number was not added to their EZ TAG account.

How can I pay my unpaid tolls?

If an EZ TAG customer forgot to add a vehicle to their account they can go online and pay for missed tolls for that vehicle, and proceed to add the license plate to their account. This is also an opportunity for anyone who accidentally got on the road to pay their missed toll before it becomes an invoice. This option is available at hctra.org/MissedAToll for both account holders and non-account holders alike.

For new Houston drivers, HCTRA offers various products that allow customers to choose the kind of account that meets their needs -- EZ TAG, EZ TAG Express and even a cash-reloadable, pay-as-you-go EZ TAG powered by BancPass. Customers can compare account types at hctra.org/EZTAGAccountTypes.

When invoicing resumes, HCTRA’s Fee Reduction Program will be in place for drivers eligible for a fee reduction.

Customers who may have questions about their account can email questions to eztagstore@hctra.org.

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