FASTag – Benefits, Charges & Documents Required

Technology of FASTag Used in Toll Plazas of Indian Highways

FASTag uses the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology which, in turn, utilises radio frequency waves to transfer data. Inventory and assets can be tracked and identified automatically when items are tagged with RFID tags which in this case is the FASTag. 

FASTag has been launched by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Electronic Toll Collection program.

Why FASTag is Important in India

With the use of FASTag, the magnitude of digital transactions in India will be augmented. It will also aid in the reduction of paper money handling. There will no longer be long queues and time wastage while waiting to make cash payments at the toll plazas.

Shorter waiting times and queues will, consequently, lead to the reduction of air pollution. FASTag will also help the government in easy identification of vehicles.

In India, FASTag has been made mandatory for all vehicles from February 2021 onwards.. If there is no FASTag on your vehicle but you get into the FASTag lane, you will have to pay double the toll amount.

Benefits of using FASTag

Perhaps, one of the greatest benefits that FASTag offers is that you do not have to wait long at the toll plazas to make your toll payments. The other benefits that FASTag offers have been listed below:

✓ Saves Time and Fuel: Since you do not have to make cash payments or wait in long queues at the toll plaza, a lot of time and fuel will be saved. Almost non-stop movement of vehicles results in lowered fuel costs.

✓ Ease of Recharging: Recharging your FASTag account is easy and can be done online through Netbanking, Debit Card/ Credit Card, and RTGS/NEFT.

✓ Get Notifications of Transactions: Each time you carry out a transaction using the FASTag, you will receive regular SMS alerts on your registered mobile number. You will also be notified when your FASTag account has a low balance.

✓ Environmental and Social Benefits: FASTag leads to reduced paper usage and air pollution thereby helping in environmental protection. The social benefits of FASTag are the reduced hassles in toll payments and better highway management through the use of analytics.

Documents Required to Apply for FASTag

You need to submit the below-given documents for obtaining a FASTag:

1. Vehicle's Registration Certificate (RC)
2. Know-Your-Customer (KYC) documents according to whether the vehicle owner is an individual or corporate
3. Passport size photo of the vehicle owner

Individuals can submit any of the following documents as ID and address proof:

1. Driving Licence
2. Passport
3. Aadhar Card
4. Voter ID
5. PAN Card

Corporates will need to visit the website of the issuer agency or participating bank for the list of documents to be submitted for FASTag.

FASTag Joining Fee and Charges

To get a FASTag, you will need to pay a joining fee and a refundable one-time deposit which will vary with the vehicle class. Once you get the FASTag, corresponding charges will apply while reloading the FASTag wallet. In instances where your FASTag is lost or damaged, re-issuance charges will apply on the second FASTag.

*Please note that according to your vehicle class, you will have to maintain a minimum threshold which is the minimum recharge amount that you must do during tag activation.

Depending on the bank the FASTag charges may vary.

The FASTag Charges that are levied by some banks have been listed below:

ICICI Bank FASTag

Axis Bank FASTag

HDFC Bank FASTag

Procedure to Buy FASTag Online in India

1. Visit the official website of the bank or issuer agency.

1. Enter personal and vehicle details (name, address, vehicle number, etc.).

1. Upload ID proof and vehicle RC.

1. Make the required payment online.

1. FASTag will be delivered to your address.

Note: You can also get your FASTag account created at any Point of Sale (POS) locations at the toll plazas or issuer agency.

How to Login to FASTag Account?

Logging onto the Fastag account is quite simple. You can log in using either the user ID or the wallet ID received in the welcome mailer along with the password.

Listed below is the process on how you can log in to your FASTag account. 

1. On the FASTag portal, individuals need to click on 'Retail Login' to login while corporate users need to log in using 'Corporate Login'. 
2. In the User ID field, you need to enter the user ID or the wallet ID received in the welcome mailer. 
3. Enter the password. 
4. Click on the 'Login' button and access your FASTag account.

How to Recharge Your FASTag Account?

You can recharge your FASTag account by following the steps mentioned on the website of the respective FASTag issuing agency. For instance, to recharge your FASTag account online through the Axis Bank website, you can follow the below-given process:

1. Visit the website - https://etc.axisbank.co.in/ETC/ 
2. On the right-hand side of the page, select 'Retail Road Users' from the drop-down and then click on the 'Login' button. 
3. Click on the 'Recharge' button under the 'Payment and Top Up' tab which you will find under the 'Road User Center' button.

The payment for recharging your FASTag account can be done through cheque or Netbanking or Debit/Credit Card/RTGS/NEFT. The maximum amount for which you can recharge your FASTag account is Rs.1 lakh.

How to Check Your FASTag Balance?

You can check the balance on your FASTag account by visiting the website of the FASTag issuing bank/agency. Besides this, you will always get an SMS alert on your registered mobile number for every toll transaction.

List of All the Banks That Will Issue a FASTag

Below we have provided a list of banks that will issue a FASTag, along with their helpline numbers:

Key Points to Remember

1. You will need to pay a one-time tag joining fee of Rs.200 that will be levied by the FASTag issuer.
2. You will also have to pay a refundable deposit. This will be based on the type of vehicle you have at the time of the FASTag being issued.
3. The deposit amount will be refunded when you close your FASTag account.
4. You cannot use the same FASTag for two or more vehicles, and have to buy two separate FASTags.
5. The IHMCL website has stated that if you stay within a range of 10 km from a toll plaza, you will get a concession on your toll amount if you pay via FASTag.
6. The maximum balance for a fully KYC account is Rs.1 lakh while for limited KYC accounts is Rs.20,000.