FASTag Annual Pass Eligibility National Vs State Highways: Know Where Will It Work

FASTag Annual Pass will come into effect starting today, August 15. The Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) and its promoter, the National Highway Authority of India, are commemorating the 79th Independence Day of India with the implementation of this Annual Pass. Although there was already a monthly pass available for users, now you will be able to save up to Rs. 1,080 by opting for the annual pass instead. Even though the FASTag Annual Pass is only valid for National Highways and Expressways, you can still pass through a toll plaza using the FASTag attached to your vehicle.

FASTag Annual Pass: Who Is National Versus State Highways Validity

The FASTag Annual Pass is now available for select types of vehicles. The annual pass will only be valid while travelling on the National Highways and Expressways. However, your FASTag will operate regularly when passing through a toll plaza on other Expressways and State Highways, charging travellers the regular toll tax.

If you cross a plaza once, it will be counted as one trip. Once you have exhausted your quota of 200 trips, your FASTag will revert back to a regular FASTag. In order to continue enjoying the benefits of the FASTag Annual Pass, you will have to reactivate it.

The list of select vehicles only includes private cars, jeeps, and vans. Owners of these vehicles will be able to buy the FASTag Annual Pass. Once you buy it, the annual pass will be valid for a year or 200 trips, whichever comes earlier. However, if a commercial vehicle or a goods carrier uses the same, its FASTag will be deactivated immediately without notice, according to the FASTag website.

It is important to note that the FASTag Annual Pass will be non-transferable and will only be valid for the vehicle it has been registered against. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has also highlighted that the annual pass will be deactivated if another vehicle is found using the pass. If you want to know how to buy a FASTag Annual Pass, you can read our step-by-step guide on Gadgets 360.

Coming to the cost of the FASTag Annual Pass, car owners will have to shell out Rs. 3,000 once a year to keep it active. The monthly pass currently costs Rs. 340 per month. If you were to buy the monthly pass each month, you would end up spending Rs. 4,080 in a year. However, if you buy the FASTag Annual Pass, you can instantly save Rs. 1,080. Frequent travellers, long-distance commuters, tourists, people who often go on road trips, and individuals, like sales representatives, delivery drivers, and others travelling for business, will stand to benefit the most from the rollout of the Annual Pass.

On top of this, the FASTag Annual Pass will also help you save time, offering greater convenience to travellers as you would have to top up your FASTag only once a year. It would also eliminate the need for you to keep track of the deductions made at every toll plaza. On top of this, you will not have to worry about erroneous deductions being made. For more information regarding the cost and savings, you can read our price breakdown of the FASTag Annual Pass on Gadgets 360, where we talk about this detail.