Cashless tollways: RFID mandatory by 15 March
Security guard arranges an RFID toll sign while Motorists pass through at the Balintawak RFID toll gate on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Caloocan City on Tuesday, 18 February 2025. Starting 15 March, cashless or contactless toll collection will be enforced on major tollways, including NLEX, as announced by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to improve traffic flow and efficiency. Vehicles with insufficient funds will incur fines of P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 for each subsequent violation. While vehicles with RFID can still enter NLEX, they will be redirected to the nearest customer service center for installation.
Analy Labor
Motorists using toll expressways will soon be required to go fully cashless as the government reimplements the Cashless/ Contactless Transactions Program starting 15 March 2025. Under this program, all vehicles passing through toll roads must have a valid Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) device or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sticker installed on them.
While vehicles without an RFID sticker will still be allowed to enter toll plazas, they will be required to have one installed at designated areas after passing the toll gate. However, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will issue a Temporary Operator’s Permit (TOP) or a Show Cause Order for violating the “No Valid ETC Device, No Entry” policy, as outlined in the Department of Transportation (DOTr), LTO, and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001.
Violators will face penalties ranging from P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second, and P5,000 for every succeeding violation.
The decision to push through with cashless toll transactions comes after months of dry-run implementation and improvements to the RFID system. According to the TRB, cash-paying motorists often cause congestion at toll plazas, affecting traffic flow even in ETC-designated lanes.
“It is expected that a better and more efficient flow of traffic will result once these lanes are strictly used for ETC only,” the TRB said in a statement.
This move aligns with the government’s goal of streamlining toll operations and ensuring faster, safer, and more convenient travel along expressways.
Toll concessionaires Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Tollways expressed their full support for the directive, citing that 97 percent of expressway users already have RFID stickers installed.
For the remaining 3 percent without RFID, the TRB assured that motorists could still enter the expressways, where they will have the device installed for free.
To make the transition seamless, the installation of RFID stickers will remain free, with no required maintaining balance. Motorists can load their accounts as needed through various platforms such as customer service centers, kiosks, banks, e-wallets, and other payment systems.
To support the full implementation of the program, toll expressway concessionaires and RFID service providers will:
Establish more RFID installation sites at toll plazas and major entry points;
Set up mobile caravans and group installations for corporate clients;
Expand reloading options both inside and outside expressways; and
Simplify and streamline RFID application and installation procedures.
With the 15 March deadline fast approaching, the TRB is urging all motorists without RFID stickers to have them installed as soon as possible to avoid inconvenience and penalties.
The shift to full cashless toll transactions is expected to significantly improve traffic efficiency, reduce congestion, and enhance the overall driving experience on the country’s expressways.