Driver guide · Ford of Peoria · Peoria, IL
Illinois Tollway Pay By Plate and I-PASS: How to Pay Tolls
On the Illinois Tollway, you pay tolls with an I-PASS or E-ZPass transponder or, without one, through Pay By Plate within 14 days of travel. Here is how Pay By Plate works, how it compares with I-PASS, what happens to unpaid tolls, and what to do with your I-PASS when you buy a new vehicle, for drivers heading out from the Peoria area.
The short answer
If you drive the Illinois Tollway without an I-PASS or E-ZPass, set up Pay By Plate at the Illinois Tollway website within 14 days of your first day of travel: enter your plate, your credit card and your travel dates. You pay the cash rate with no added fees. Miss the 14 days and the Tollway mails an invoice with a fee for each unpaid toll.
How Illinois Tollway Pay By Plate works
Pay By Plate lets drivers without an I-PASS or E-ZPass transponder pay Illinois Tollway tolls online. Per the Illinois Tollway:
1. Set it up within 14 days
Enter your license plate, payment information and dates of travel. You have up to 14 days after you travel; if you already traveled, backdate the plate to your first day of travel.
2. Pay the cash rate
The Tollway charges your credit card the cash rate for tolls, and you avoid added fines and fees.
3. Keep the card on file
Tolls can take up to 30 days to post. Pay By Plate searches for tolls and bills matching tolls twice a week, so you may see several separate charges, but never two charges for the same toll.
4. Rental or borrowed car
Pay By Plate also works for a rented, borrowed or temporary vehicle without a transponder, and you can add more than one vehicle.
From the Illinois Tollway, Pay By Plate page and Pay By Plate FAQ, read October 28, 2026.
I-PASS vs. Pay By Plate
How the two ways to pay compare, per the Illinois Tollway:
| I-PASS | Pay By Plate | |
|---|---|---|
| Toll rate | I-PASS and E-ZPass customers get 50% off Illinois Tollway tolls | Cash rate |
| Equipment | Transponder or sticker tag on the windshield | None; tolls are matched to your plate |
| Deadline | Tolls are paid from your prepaid account | Set up within 14 days of travel |
| Where it works | Illinois Tollway and anywhere E-ZPass is accepted, including the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road | Illinois Tollway only; not the Chicago Skyway, the Houbolt Road Extension or other states |
From the Illinois Tollway, About I-PASS, Pay By Plate and Pay By Plate FAQ, read October 28, 2026. The Tollway calls I-PASS and E-ZPass the most cost-effective way to pay tolls.
I-PASS tips, including for a new vehicle
I-PASS sticker tags are free, with no deposit, when ordered online through your account or picked up at an Illinois Tollway Customer Service Center; Jewel-Osco and Road Ranger stores charge a retail service fee. Sticker tags are not transferable: one per vehicle, permanently installed on the windshield. Place it on the inside of a clean, dry windshield in the black-dotted section where the rearview mirror attaches, or behind the mirror if there is no dotted section.
To get the I-PASS rate, the transponder must be properly mounted in the vehicle. If you buy a vehicle, add it to your I-PASS account: if you travel without a transponder in a vehicle that is not listed on your account, the Tollway cannot link it to you and issues an invoice with added fees. Keep your payment card and contact information current, and add short-term rental vehicles to your account when you travel.
From the Illinois Tollway, About I-PASS, read October 28, 2026.
What happens to unpaid Illinois tolls
The Illinois Tollway's unpaid tolls timeline for a passenger vehicle:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Days 1-14 | Pay with I-PASS or Pay By Plate, with no fees |
| Day 30 | First invoice: unpaid tolls plus a $3 fee per toll |
| Day 60 | Second invoice, a courtesy reminder with no added fee |
| Day 90 | Third invoice: an additional $5 fee per toll |
| Day 120 | Notice of Violation: a $20 violation fine per toll; you can dispute or request a hearing |
| Day 150 | Final Order of Liability: all unpaid tolls, fees and fines are owed |
| Day 180 | Sent to collections; possible registration hold and litigation |
From the Illinois Tollway, Violations page (unpaid tolls timeline) and Invoices page (invoicing fees), read October 28, 2026. Commercial vehicles have higher fees.
Paying or disputing an Illinois Tollway invoice
Invoices can be paid online with the invoice number, through the Illinois Tollway app or with a check or money order by mail. Cash is accepted for invoices at Illinois Tollway Customer Service Centers and at CheckFreePay retail locations, but those retail locations do not accept Pay By Plate, payment plan, Notice of Violation or Final Order of Liability payments. A payment plan request form and the income-based I-PASS Assist program are also available.
If an image of your plate was misread, you can dispute it after entering your invoice number, and you can dispute an unpaid toll with a sworn Affidavit of Non-Liability. Not knowing you were on a toll road, not intending to miss the payment, and not being the driver are not grounds for a dispute. The Illinois Tollway also cannot take payment for tolls on other roads, such as the Chicago Skyway, the Indiana Toll Road or E-ZPass systems.
From the Illinois Tollway, Invoices, Violations and Cash Payments pages, read October 28, 2026. This page is a summary, not legal advice.
Road trip coming up? Service at Ford of Peoria
The Works® at Ford of Peoria includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check. Book it before a long drive.
Schedule service online and see our service specials first. Ford of Peoria is at 2211 W. Pioneer Pkwy. in Peoria. Get directions.
Ford of Peoria service hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri | 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
| Sat | 8 a.m.-noon |
| Sun | closed |
From Ford of Peoria's website, October 28, 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
Illinois Tollway Pay By Plate and I-PASS FAQ
How long do I have to pay a missed toll in Illinois?
14 days to pay without fees. The Illinois Tollway says you have 14 days from your initial date of travel to set up Pay By Plate (or pay through I-PASS) to avoid fines and fees. If you already traveled, backdate your plate information to your first day of travel.
How much does Pay By Plate charge?
Pay By Plate charges your credit card the cash rate for tolls, with no added fees when you set it up within 14 days. I-PASS and E-ZPass customers get 50% off Illinois Tollway tolls, the Tollway says.
Why have my tolls not shown up on Pay By Plate yet?
It can take up to 30 days for tolls to show on Pay By Plate and be charged, and Pay By Plate searches for tolls and bills your card twice a week. Keep a valid card and the correct plate on file until all your tolls are processed, or you may get an invoice by mail.
Can I use Pay By Plate on the Chicago Skyway or in other states?
No. The Tollway says Pay By Plate works only on the Illinois Tollway. It is not usable on the Chicago Skyway or the Houbolt Road Extension, or in other states. An I-PASS works anywhere E-ZPass is accepted, including the Chicago Skyway and the Indiana Toll Road.
What happens if I do not pay an Illinois toll?
Tolls not paid within 14 days of travel are invoiced by mail with a fee for each unpaid toll ($3 per toll for a passenger vehicle on the first invoice). Unpaid invoices escalate to a Notice of Violation with a $20 fine per toll, then a Final Order of Liability and collections, which can bring a registration hold.
I just bought a new car. What do I need to do for I-PASS?
Add the vehicle and its license plate to your I-PASS account. The Tollway says that if you travel without a transponder in a vehicle that is not listed on your account, it has no way to link the vehicle to you and will issue an invoice with added fees.
What does The Works at Ford of Peoria include?
The Works® at Ford of Peoria includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Book a checkup before your trip
Book The Works, which includes a tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection and battery test, at Ford of Peoria.
Sources
Toll payment rules, fees and timelines are from the Illinois Tollway website, read October 28, 2026. Rules and fees change; this page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Service details, address and hours are from Ford of Peoria's own website, checked the same day. Photo is illustrative.
- Pay By Plate (14-day window, cash rate, FAQ), Illinois Tollway, read October 28, 2026
- About I-PASS (discount, sticker tags, vehicle list), Illinois Tollway, read October 28, 2026
- Invoices (invoicing fees, disputes), Illinois Tollway, read October 28, 2026
- Violations (unpaid tolls timeline), Illinois Tollway, read October 28, 2026
- Cash Payments, Illinois Tollway, read October 28, 2026
- General service: The Works, Ford of Peoria, October 28, 2026
- Address and service hours (structured data), Ford of Peoria, October 28, 2026