Alert for Michigan Drivers: Neighboring States Charge Monthly EZ Pass Fees – How to Avoid Them

Michigan famously does not have any toll roads that cross the state. With the exception of the Mackinac Bridge, international crossings in Detroit, Port Huron and Sault Ste. Marie and the very controversial private toll bridges in Bay City, there's no barrier to driving anywhere in Michigan's peninsulas.

However with toll roads across Indiana and Ohio, part of the nation's longest span of tolled roads, drivers who venture out of Michigan can encounter a toll road quickly. Add to that the proposed expansion of toll roads in both Indiana and Ohio, Michigan drivers may start to think about needed an E-ZPass.

The toll road transponder syncs to a credit card and allows quicker and easier passage through toll barriers. Importantly, it's accepted by every state that touches Michigan and virtually every toll facility along the east coast.

However not all E-ZPasses are equal. Depending on the state you obtained yours from, you may be paying a monthly fee. Many drivers don't realize this sneaky charge.

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And it's more keen for drivers in Michigan as the two neighboring states, Indiana and Ohio do charge these fees.

Michigan's Neighboring States' E-ZPass Fees

The Indiana Toll Road charges a monthly $1.50 fee for the use of the transponder. The fee is applied whether you use it in a month or not. That's $18 each year.

The Ohio Turnpike similarly charges a fee of 75 cents each month, or $9 annually.

While Michigan drivers may be tempted to get an E-ZPass from these two neighboring states, know that other toll roads like the Illinois Tollway around Chicago and New York State Thruway do not charge any maintenance fees for transponders.

A full list fees by state are here.

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Since a E-ZPass is accepted everywhere no matter which agency issued the transponder to you, it makes sense to shop around. And it makes sense for you to have one even if you travel toll roads every very rarely as vehicles with E-ZPasses are almost always granted lower toll rates than cars without them.

Other than the toll bridges in Bay City, there are no E-ZPass issuing agencies in Michigan and the state's Department of Transportation has maintained a fairly adamant stance on not joining in to the E-ZPass collective.