How to Pay Tolls in the U.S. and Canada: A Guide for World Cup 2026 Visitors

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to North America, and millions of fans from around the world are about to discover something every road-tripper on this continent already knows: these countries run on toll roads.

From the express lanes snaking through Los Angeles to the highways threading into Dallas, Houston, Miami, and New York, toll roads sit between you and the stadium. The same is true in Toronto, where Highway 407 ETR is one of the busiest fully electronic toll roads in Canada. Unlike the simple cash booths of the past, most toll roads in the U.S. and Canada today are fully electronic. No coins, no cash, no attendant.

If you’re driving to a World Cup match (or road-tripping between host cities), here’s everything you need to know about paying tolls in the U.S. and Canada, without the headaches.

How Do Toll Roads Work in the U.S. and Canada?

Toll roads in both the U.S. and Canada charge drivers a fee to use a specific road, bridge, tunnel, or express lane. What makes them different from toll systems in many other countries is that most are now entirely cashless. There are no booths to stop at and no change to fumble with.

Instead, when you drive through a toll point, one of two things happens:

• A sensor reads a transponder (a small electronic device) mounted on your windshield and automatically deducts the toll from a linked account.
• A camera photographs your license plate, and a bill is mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner, or, if you’re in a rental car, passed on to the rental company.

The key thing to understand is that ignoring a toll is not a free option. Unpaid tolls become violations, which can lead to fines. Rental car companies are not shy about billing those back to you, plus their own processing fee on top.

Your 5 Options for Paying Tolls in the U.S. and Canada

Not all toll payment methods are created equal, especially for short-term visitors. Here is a breakdown of every option available to you, and what each one actually costs.

1. A License-Plate Toll Payment App (Best for Visitors)

Apps like NextPass let you pay tolls using your license plate number, with no physical transponder, no prepayment, and no monthly subscription required. You simply download the app, register your vehicle’s license plate, and pay as you go. NextPass covers 20+ U.S. states plus Highway 407 ETR in Toronto, Canada, making it one of the only toll apps that covers both sides of the border. That means a single app handles your tolls whether you’re driving to AT&T Stadium in Dallas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, or BMO Field in Toronto.

This is the simplest option for visitors, rental car drivers, and anyone who doesn’t want to deal with transponders or mail-in bills. You get the convenience of automatic toll handling without paying daily fees to a rental company.

2. A Rental Car Company Toll Package

Most major rental companies (Enterprise, Hertz, Avis, Budget, and others) offer a toll transponder add-on at the counter. This is convenient, but it comes at a cost: you’ll typically pay a daily fee of $5 to $15 on top of the actual toll charges.

For a two-week World Cup trip, that can add $70 to $210 in fees alone, before a single toll is paid. If you’re only occasionally driving toll roads, a per-toll app is almost always the better deal. It’s also worth checking whether the rental company’s transponder covers Canadian toll roads if you’re planning to cross the border.

3. Pay By Plate (Mail or Online)

If you drive through a toll without any payment method registered, most toll agencies will photograph your plate and send a bill to the vehicle’s registered address. For rental cars, that means the bill goes to the rental company, who then passes it on to you, usually with an admin fee of $10 to $25 per transaction tacked on.

You can also proactively pay tolls online through each toll agency’s website within a few days of driving. This works, but it requires knowing which agencies to pay, tracking down the right websites, and managing multiple accounts across different states and provinces.

4. A Regional Transponder (E-ZPass, FasTrak, TxTag, 407 Transponder)

The U.S. does not have a single national toll pass. Different regions use different systems: E-ZPass covers 17 eastern states, FasTrak covers California, and TxTag covers Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. In Canada, Highway 407 ETR has its own transponder. Transponders typically offer slightly discounted toll rates compared to plate billing.

The downside for World Cup visitors: if you’re attending matches in multiple cities across different regions, you may need more than one transponder. Setup requires creating an account, loading a prepaid balance, and waiting for the device to arrive. That’s not ideal for a short-term trip, and none of the U.S. regional transponders work on Highway 407 ETR in Toronto.

5. Cash (Increasingly Rare)

A handful of older toll facilities still accept cash, but the trend across the U.S. is firmly toward cashless tolling. The Massachusetts Turnpike, the Bay Area bridges in California, and most of New York’s toll system are now fully electronic. Highway 407 ETR in Toronto does not accept cash at all. Don’t count on being able to pay cash at World Cup host city toll roads, in either country.

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison:

City-by-City Toll Road Guide for World Cup Host Cities

Each World Cup host city has its own toll road setup. Here’s what to expect in the cities with the highest driving demand.

Dallas / Arlington: AT&T Stadium

Dallas has no direct public transit to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, making driving the primary option for most fans. Key toll roads include the TEXpress managed lanes on I-30 and the President George Bush Turnpike. These are dynamic toll roads, meaning prices increase during congestion. On match days, rates can be significantly higher than normal. Expect to pay tolls both getting to and from the stadium.

Los Angeles: SoFi Stadium

Getting to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood from central LA, the San Fernando Valley, or the South Bay almost inevitably means time on the I-405 or I-110. Both have express lanes that operate on a free-flow, toll-by-plate system. FasTrak is the local transponder, but any license-plate-based app will also work on these roads.

Houston: NRG Stadium

Houston’s Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) loops the city and is one of the most-used toll roads in Texas. If you’re driving to NRG Stadium from outside the METRORail corridor, or arriving from the airport by car, you’ll almost certainly cross it. The Hardy Toll Road is also a direct route into downtown from Bush Intercontinental Airport.

New York / New Jersey: MetLife Stadium (World Cup Final)

The New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway are two of the busiest toll roads in the U.S. Fans driving from New York City, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania will use one or both. The Lincoln Tunnel and George Washington Bridge also carry tolls. E-ZPass covers this entire region, and most license-plate toll apps work here as well.

Miami: Hard Rock Stadium

Hard Rock Stadium sits in Miami Gardens, north of the city. Florida’s Turnpike is the primary access route from downtown Miami and from Fort Lauderdale. The I-95 Express Lanes and Dolphin Expressway are also tolled. Florida uses the SunPass system, but license-plate billing is available on all toll roads in the state.

Toronto: BMO Field (Highway 407 ETR)

Toronto is the only Canadian host city and getting around the Greater Toronto Area means encountering Highway 407 ETR, one of North America’s most advanced fully electronic toll roads. The 407 runs east to west across the top of the city and is a key route for fans driving in from the west (Hamilton, Mississauga) or from further afield (Buffalo, NY via the QEW).

Highway 407 ETR does not accept cash and has no toll booths. It bills exclusively by transponder or license plate. U.S. transponders such as E-ZPass do not work on the 407. If you’re driving a rental car in Toronto, a license-plate-based app like NextPass is the simplest way to ensure your 407 tolls are handled automatically, without having to set up a separate Canadian toll account.

Tips for Driving Toll Roads at the World Cup

• Register your plate before you drive. Whether you use an app or set up a toll account, doing it in advance means you’re covered from the moment you pick up your rental car.
• Don’t assume cash is accepted. At most World Cup host city toll roads in both the U.S. and Canada, it won’t be. Always have a digital payment method set up.
• Avoid the rental company’s daily toll fee if you’ll only drive toll roads occasionally. A per-toll app will almost always work out cheaper.
• If road-tripping between cities, check which states and provinces you’ll be passing through. NextPass covers 20+ U.S. states and Highway 407 ETR in Canada, making cross-border trips straightforward with a single app.
• If you’re driving from a U.S. city to Toronto, remember that your U.S. toll transponder won’t work on Canadian roads. Make sure your payment method covers both sides of the border before you leave.
• Allow extra time on match days. Toll roads near stadiums will be congested, and dynamic pricing on managed lanes in the U.S. can rise sharply. Plan to leave earlier than you normally would.
• Keep a record of your tolls. If you’re using a plate-billing app, you’ll have a clear log of every transaction, which is useful if you need to dispute a charge from a rental company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a transponder to drive on toll roads in the U.S. and Canada?

No. Most toll roads in the U.S. and Canada now support license-plate billing, which means cameras photograph your plate and a bill is generated automatically. You can also use a license-plate-based mobile app like NextPass, which handles the billing for you in 20+ U.S. states and on Highway 407 ETR in Toronto, without requiring any physical device.

What happens if I drive through a toll without paying?

The toll agency will photograph your license plate and send a bill to the vehicle’s registered owner. For rental cars, this means the rental company receives the bill and passes the cost on to you, usually with an additional admin fee of $10 to $25 per toll. If left unpaid, tolls become violations and can lead to larger fines. This applies in both the U.S. and Canada.

Can I use E-ZPass across all World Cup host cities?

E-ZPass covers the eastern U.S., including New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, and Atlanta. However, it does not work in California, Texas, or Canada. For Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, and Houston, you’ll need FasTrak (California), TxTag (Texas), or a license-plate-based app like NextPass. For Toronto’s Highway 407 ETR, you’ll need either a 407 transponder or a toll app that covers Canadian roads.

Does my U.S. toll transponder work in Canada?

No. U.S. transponders including E-ZPass, FasTrak, and TxTag do not work on Canadian toll roads. Highway 407 ETR in Toronto operates its own transponder system, which is not compatible with any U.S. pass. If you’re driving in Toronto, you’ll need either a 407 ETR transponder or a license-plate-based app like NextPass that covers the 407.

Is it worth paying for the rental car company’s toll package?

It depends on how often you’ll use toll roads. If you’re driving through toll roads every day, the convenience may be worth the daily fee. But if you’re only occasionally using toll roads, a pay-as-you-go app will likely cost significantly less, since you only pay for what you actually use. Be sure to check whether the rental company’s package covers Canadian toll roads if your trip includes Toronto.

Do toll roads accept cash in the U.S. and Canada?

Increasingly, no. Most toll roads in major U.S. and Canadian cities have transitioned to cashless, all-electronic systems. Highway 407 ETR in Toronto has never accepted cash. Always assume a toll road will be cashless, and have a digital payment method ready before you drive.