From Security Amount To Minimum Balance, All You Need To Know About FASTag Charges
A FASTag, which is a radio frequency identification (RFID)-based prepaid tag facility now mandatory for driving vehicles on highways, can be availed from authorised point-of-sale locations (at toll plazas), Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), common service centres, transport hubs and petrol pumps. Although an issuance fee of Rs 100 has been waived by the authorities till February 29, one still has to deposit a security fee of Rs 200-400 and ensure a minimum balance of Rs 100-300 for getting a FASTag. Once it is issued for a vehicle, one can choose from a range of channels to recharge the FASTag account. State Bank of India (SBI), for example, provides one such facility to enable users to add value in their FASTag accounts.
Here's everything you need to know about charges applicable to a FASTag buyer:
FASTag Charges
One has to pay certain charges to get a FASTag for a vehicle. These charges include a security deposit ranging from Rs 200- 400, according to SBI's FASTag website - fastag.onlinesbi.com. A FASTag holder is also required to maintain a minimum balance of Rs 100-300 in the FASTag account.
State Bank of India has listed seven categories of vehicles and mentioned the respective security deposit charges as well as applicable minimum balance on its website:
| Vehicle Class No. | Particulars | Security Amount | Minimum Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Car / Jeep / Van/ Tata Ace and similar mini light commercial vehicle | 200 | 100 |
| 5 | Light Commercial Vehicle | 300 | 140 |
| 6 | Three Axle Commercial Vehicles | 400 | 300 |
| 7 | Bus/Truck | 400 | 300 |
| 12 | 4 to 6 axle | 400 | 300 |
| 15 | 7 or More Axle | 400 | 300 |
| 16 | Heavy Construction Machinery (HCM)/Earth Moving Equipment (EME) | 400 | 300 |
| (Source: onlinesbi.com) | |||
The security amount - determined on the basis of vehicle type - is refundable at the time of cancellation of the RFID tag (FASTag), according to SBI. All types of top-up transactions attract applicable taxes and a convenience fee is applicable to all transactions.
One a vehicle with an active FASTag crosses a toll plaza, the respective toll is deducted from the FASTag account.
No Need To Pay Rs 100 Issuance Fee For Getting A FASTag
The government has till February 29 removed the issuance charge of Rs 100 applicable to FASTag, which means that in the next few days, one is not required to pay a sum of Rs 100 while availing the tag. However, applicable security charges need to be paid, and the mandatory minimum balance (payable at the time of activation of an RFID tag) has to be maintained.