A woman posted a video about what she thought was a clever way to avoid extra toll fees when renting a car. But many people who tried the same trick warned that it often goes wrong and causes more problems. TikTok user Saraida Cecilia shared how her husband handled tolls during their car rental.
According to Motor1, her husband found the toll tag that was already in the rental car. He then registered that tag to his own personal toll account. Cecilia said she would have never thought of doing this and would have just waited for the expensive bill to come in the mail weeks later.
Her husband believed that by linking the rental car’s tag to his account, all toll charges would go directly to him. He hoped this would help them skip the high extra fees that rental companies charge. It makes sense why people try to find ways around the system. The extra fees that rental companies add for tolls are very expensive. These fees add up fast and can sometimes double or triple the total cost of your rental.
Rental companies charge extremely high toll fees
These charges usually don’t appear until three weeks after your trip ends, which means you get hit with a surprise bill. Hertz charges a daily fee for using toll roads, even if you only use one toll road one time during your rental. That fee then applies every single day for the rest of your rental period.
Other rental companies work the same way. Enterprise charges users a daily toll fee between $3.95 and $4.95, and that’s on top of the actual toll cost. If you rent from an airport location, expect to pay even more. Avis offers two options: a direct bill plan that adds an extra $6.95 fee each day you go through a toll, or an unlimited plan where you pay a flat daily rate.
The rental car companies make a lot of money from these administrative fees. This is why many renters look for ways to avoid paying them. Just like how some parents split childcare costs during custody time, people want to find fair solutions to unexpected expenses. But trying to work around the system can backfire badly.
Many people commented on Cecilia’s TikTok video to warn that this method is risky and usually doesn’t work. One person commented: “Thats not how thats works. i use rentals all the time cause i travel. they dont link to my tag they link to the rental company. Then they 1 of 2. ready pre billed you with fees or send you another bill. i have had both this happen.”
Another person warned the couple to remember to undo the registration when they return the car. If you forget to remove the license plate from your personal toll account, you could keep getting charged for tolls even after you’ve returned the vehicle. Trust between partners about finances matters, much like one woman’s discovery about her husband after decades of marriage.
However, some people said it might work depending on where you’re driving. One user said that in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, the toll will charge your account as long as you have money in it. Another person said they added a rental car to their North Carolina Quick Pass without any problems, as long as they entered the correct dates and plate number.
