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Coming Soon!
The Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority is transitioning to all-electronic tolling (AET) to enhance efficiency, safety, and convenience for drivers.
What is All-Electronic Tolling?
All-electronic tolling (AET) eliminates the need for toll booths and cash payments by using E-ZPass transponders and license plate recognition technology to collect tolls seamlessly. AET provides a faster, safer, and more efficient driving experience.
AET reduces congestion, minimizes environmental impacts, and improves traffic flow by allowing vehicles to travel without stopping.
Vehicles maintain highway speeds through gantries.
License plate recognition technology identifies vehicles without E-ZPass transponders.
Where Is AET Happening?
AET will begin on the Powhite Parkway. The Powhite Parkway covers 3.4 miles between Chippenham Parkway and the Cary Street ramps and includes a 0.4-mile-long bridge crossing the James River.
The Powhite Parkway Toll Plaza currently has a total of 20 lanes – 14 physical lanes and six Open Road Tolling lanes (three in each direction). The Forest Hill interchange has a total of eight lanes to its on- and off-ramps to Powhite Parkway, and the Douglasdale ramps north of the river have two unmanned lanes connected to the parkway.
When AET is implemented on the Powhite Parkway, cash will no longer be accepted. Drivers will pay tolls without stopping at toll points, and all tolls will be collected electronically via E-ZPass or Pay-By-Plate.
When Is AET Happening?
The transition to all-electronic tolling is scheduled to begin in early 2026 on the Powhite Parkway, the Boulevard Bridge and all ramps.
As part of a phased approach, cash will be accepted at the Downtown Expressway from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; outside of those hours, Pay-By-Plate will apply for motorists who do not have E-ZPass transponders. The Downtown Expressway is expected to transition completely to no cash in 2027.
How is Payment Collected Without Toll Booths?
Drivers pay tolls electronically with E-ZPass or Pay-By-Plate. If you don’t have an E-ZPass, a camera will take an image of your license plate, and you will receive a statement in the mail.
E-ZPass is an electronic toll payment system that lets you pay tolls without stopping. When you open an account online or pick up an E-ZPass On-the-Go Transponder from a local retailer, you will receive a small electronic transponder that attaches to your vehicle’s windshield. Your initial payment funds your account to pay tolls.
With Pay-By-Plate, each time you travel through an RMTA roadway, a camera will take an image of your license plate, and you will receive a statement in the mail.
Frequently Asked Questions
About RMTA
The Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority is an independent authority and political subdivision that was created by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1966.
RMTA owns and operates three roadways in the Richmond region – the Powhite Parkway, Downtown Expressway and Boulevard Bridge. The Expressway System contains over 50 lane miles of roads and 36 bridges in the City of Richmond.
RMTA Revenues
RMTA receives no federal or state tax dollars. The Authority is a self-supporting entity, depending solely on the revenues derived from operations and proceeds from the issuance of revenue bonds to fund the Expressway System.
Revenues from tolls go toward maintenance and capital improvement projects to better serve RMTA’s customers.
All-Electronic Tolling
All-electronic tolling is a modern toll collection system that eliminates the need for toll booths, cash payments and manual transactions by using E-ZPass transponders and license plate recognition technology, known as Pay-By-Plate, to collect tolls seamlessly.
RMTA is transitioning to all-electronic tolling on the Powhite Parkway, Boulevard Bridge and all ramps. As part of a phased approach, cash will be accepted at the Downtown Expressway from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; outside of those hours, Pay-By-Plate will apply for motorists who do not have E-ZPass transponders.
In early 2026, RMTA will transition to all-electronic tolling (AET) on the Powhite Parkway, Boulevard Bridge and all ramps. Cash will be accepted at the Downtown Expressway from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; outside of those hours, Pay-By-Plate will apply for motorists who do not have E-ZPass transponders. The Downtown Expressway is expected to transition completely to no cash at toll plazas in 2027.
With all-electronic tolling, an overhead structure – known as a gantry – identifies vehicles and processes tolls electronically.
Drivers pay tolls electronically with E-ZPass. If drivers do not have E-ZPass transponders, a camera will take images of their license plates, known as Pay-By-Plate, and they will receive statements in the mail.
Methods of Payment and Toll Rates
E-ZPass
Drivers can pay tolls electronically with E-ZPass transponders. E-ZPass is the most convenient way to pay tolls and provides a lower cost trip. Drivers can sign up for E-ZPass at www.ezpassva.com.
Pay-By-Plate
If drivers do not have E-ZPass transponders, a camera will take images of their license plates, known as Pay-By-Plate, and registered owners of the vehicles will receive statements in the mail.
Drivers will also have the ability to pay their statements online beginning in early 2026. If they choose to, at that time, they may also set up registered Pay-By-Plate accounts –
called GoRMTA accounts – to make managing statement payments easier.
Cash
Cash will only be accepted at the Downtown Expressway from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; outside of those hours, Pay-By-Plate will apply for motorists who do not have E-ZPass transponders.
The Downtown Expressway is expected to transition completely to no cash at toll plazas in 2027.
A GoRMTA account will be a registered Pay-By-Plate account administered by the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority that allows you to view transactions, prepay for travel and more.
In early 2026, RMTA will share how to set up registered Pay-By-Plate accounts which are called GoRMTA accounts.
No. E-ZPass provides a lower-cost trip. Pay-By-Plate and cash (where accepted) will cost more. See toll rate chart below:
Toll Rates
Note: The discount (based on the cash rate) applies only to two-axle vehicles.
For four and five axles, please visit the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority toll page.
| Method of Payment
(two and three-axle vehicles) |
Powhite Parkway | Downtown Expressway | Boulevard Bridge | All Ramps |
| Cash | N/A | Two Axles
$1.00 (from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. only)
Three Axles $1.10 |
N/A | N/A |
| Virginia
E-ZPass |
Two Axles
$0.90
Three Axles $1.10 |
Two Axles
$0.90
Three Axles $1.10 |
Two Axles
$0.45
Three Axles $1.00 |
Two Axles
$0.45
Three Axles $1.00 |
| Out-of-State
E-ZPass |
Two Axles
$1.00
Three Axles $1.10 |
Two Axles
$1.00
Three Axles $1.10 |
Two Axles
$0.50
Three Axles $1.00 |
Two Axles
$0.50
Three Axles $1.00 |
| Pay-By-Plate | Two Axles
$2.00
Three Axles $2.20 |
Two Axles
$2.00
Three Axles $2.20 |
Two Axles
$1.00
Three Axles $2.00 |
Two Axles
$1.00
Three Axles $2.00 |
In early 2026, cash will only be accepted at the Downtown Expressway from 6:30 a.m. to
9 p.m.; outside of those hours, and for drivers without E-ZPass transponders, Pay-By-Plate will apply.
Note: The Downtown Expressway is expected to transition completely to no cash at the toll plazas in 2027.
With Pay-By-Plate, the registered owner of the vehicle will receive a statement in the mail for toll(s) incurred over a 30-day period with a small convenience fee depending on how payment is made. Fee details will be posted in early 2026.
Failure to pay tolls by the due date on the statement will result in fines. Please see toll escalation process below:
E-ZPass
E-ZPass is an electronic toll collection system. Motorists open prepaid accounts and attach a small electronic device called a transponder to their windshields or license plates. As they travel through the toll facilities, tolls are automatically deducted from their pre-paid E-ZPass accounts. This convenient way to pay enables safer, faster and lower cost trips.
The Virginia Department of Transportation administers the E-ZPass program in Virginia.
E-ZPass transponders can be obtained several ways, including online, in person and by mail. For more information, visit www.ezpassva.com.
If you don’t have an E-ZPass, a camera will take an image of your license plate, known as Pay-By-Plate, and you will receive a statement in the mail.
Note: E-ZPass is the most convenient way to pay tolls and provides a lower cost trip. You can sign up for E-ZPass at www.ezpassva.com.
There are a few common reasons your transponder may not be working properly, including:
- Your account is out of funds.
- Your transponder’s battery is running low.
- Your transponder is improperly mounted.
- Your transponder has not yet been activated at the lane.
- A recent payment has not yet been received by the lane.
- It can take up to 24 hours for new accounts, payments, and new transponders to be activated and detected at Virginia toll plazas, and up to 48 hours in out-of-state lanes.
Please contact E-ZPass Virginia for help troubleshooting.
The Virginia Department of Transportation administers the E-ZPass program in Virginia. For guidance, please view the Maintaining your E-ZPass Account section on the E-ZPass About page or visit the E-ZPass FAQ page.
The Virginia Department of Transportation administers the E-ZPass program in Virginia. Please visit the E-ZPass About page or E-ZPass FAQ page for additional help or information.
More details on Pay-By-Plate and GoRMTA accounts
What is Pay-By-Plate?
Pay-By-Plate is a toll payment option for customers traveling on the RMTA Expressway system without E-ZPass transponders. When you travel on the RMTA Expressway System without an E-ZPass, a camera will take an image of your license plate, known as Pay-By-Plate, and you will receive a statement in the mail.
In early 2026, drivers will have the option to create registered Pay-By-Play accounts –
called GoRMTA accounts – to make managing payments easier. With GoRMTA accounts, drivers may:
- Prepay for travel
- Manage rental car travel
- View transactions
RMTA will share how to set up GoRMTA accounts in early 2026.
Note: Statements are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle for toll(s) incurred over a 30-day period.
See toll rate chart below.
| Method of Payment
(two-axle vehicles) |
Powhite Parkway | Downtown Expressway | Boulevard Bridge | All Ramps |
| Pay-By-Plate | Two Axles
$2.00
Three Axles $2.20 |
Two Axles
$2.00
Three Axles $2.20
|
Two Axles
$1.00
Three Axles $2.00 |
Two Axles
$1.00
Three Axles $2.00 |
More details on tolls
Yes, you will have the ability to dispute tolls by entering your license plate number and statement ID online to access your transactions. From there, you can select any toll on the statement and file a dispute.
You will also have the option to complete the Dispute Form included with your statement and mail it to the provided address or call the RMTA Customer Service Center at the number shown on your statement.
RMTA finances its expressway system through bonds and toll revenues, which also support ongoing maintenance. The Authority will continue to collect tolls for the three roadways we own and operate in the Richmond region – the Powhite Parkway over the James River Bridge and beyond to the north, the Downtown Expressway and the Boulevard Bridge.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) operates the Powhite Parkway Extension, located a little pass the Chippenham Parkway exit on the south side of the James River Bridge. Please direct questions regarding the Extension to VDOT.