Do you owe toll money? Florida’s Turnpike plans to use collection agency to recover $160 million

Turnpike motorists with delinquent accounts had better beware.

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) will soon utilize a collection agency to help it recover nearly $160 million owed to it by motorists. The agency has released a customer service announcement saying that it plans to resume collection activity that was suspended in June 2018 after technical problems surfaced with SunPass’ computer system. Those problems have been addressed, and FTE says customers must “bring their accounts current.”

In the customer service message, FTE Executive Director Nicola Liquori said anyone who has received two invoices seeking payment should log onto their account and pay what is owed. The grace period, she noted, ended in June 2019.

FTE expects to refer delinquent accounts to a collection agency within 30 to 60 days. Once an account is sent to a collection agency, the motorist will not be eligible for a reduced rate on the outstanding balance, according to Liquori.

“Remember: Toll roads are not free.” Liquori said. “Your tolls provide for highway maintenance, convenient service plazas, improvement projects and new roads that offer drivers more options.”

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Motorists with delinquent accounts can discuss their situations with FTE officials at 888-865-8352.

FTE spokeswoman Angela Starke noted customers referred to a collection agency have received multiple notices and have had ample time to pay the tolls due. “We are giving a little more time to address the delinquency before we assign the accounts to collection agencies,” she said.

Some of the delinquencies involve the Toll-By-Plate system that works by taking a picture of a vehicle's license plate as it passes under a tolling station. The vehicle's owner is invoiced for tolls every 30 days, plus a $2.50 administrative charge. Customers with a Toll-by-Plate balance who switch to a new SunPass account will be eligible to receive a credit and a reduced SunPass toll rate.

Failure to pay an FTE invoice can result in a registration hold being placed on a license plate.