Poland is switching to a new electronic road toll payment system from 1 October 2021. The new system, called e-TOLL, will replace the existing viaTOLL system, and technical support for viaTOLL will be discontinued after 30 September.
What is the e-TOLL system for paying Road Taxes Poland
e-TOLL is an advanced solution developed and implemented by the Polish authorities to collect tolls for vehicles driven on toll road sections in Poland.
This new solution for Online Poland Vignette payment is based on the global satellite navigation system to locate the carrier’s position.
Each user of a vehicle with a maximum authorized weight exceeding 3.5 tons can choose the most convenient method of transmitting location data to the system: through a free application installed on the mobile device; through an external location system, factory-fitted to their vehicle (ELS); or using on-board units (OBUs) that you can purchase directly from us (SEE the devices HERE).
Types of vehicles for which road tax is charged in Poland
-TOLL is mandatory for all motor vehicles and trains of vehicles with a maximum authorized mass greater than >3.5 tonnes and for buses (irrespective of their maximum authorized mass).
In accordance with the Act of 6 May 2020 amending the Public Roads Act and certain other legal acts, electronic toll collection is applied in Poland on selected highways and national roads.
e-TOLL is mandatory for drivers of the following vehicles:
About GPS devices
To activate electronic toll collection in the e-TOLL system for payment vignette Poland, you have several options:
- The e-TOLL PL mobile application
It can be downloaded for free from Google Play or AppStore.
The application enables the payment of toll road fees, top-up and account balance monitoring, as well as the fulfillment of the obligations of transporters of sensitive goods in the SENT-GEO system.
But this Poland vignette payment solution has several disadvantages. It requires drivers to maintain a permanent connection to the e-TOLL system, meaning constant battery and data consumption. If the signal is broken, drivers may receive fines from the Polish tax authority.
- ELS (External Locating System)
Vehicles can also connect to e-TOLL through an ELS that has been installed in their vehicles. These solutions must be purchased and installed through third-party companies and typically require a subscription fee for their services.
- OBU (On Board Unit)
An on-board unit (OBU) approved by the Polish toll authorities can also connect to the e-TOLL system. This solution is also the most cost-effective, as it comes with the lowest expenses for transport companies. This Poland vignette solution also has the advantage of not requiring a mobile phone, which drivers could either forget to charge or accidentally turn off, resulting in fines.
Control and non-payment penalties Vignette Poland
Electronic toll payments on e-TOLL are controlled under the Public Roads Act of 21 March 1985. The General Inspector of Road Transport is authorized to check the validity of electronic payment of road tolls in Poland, in particular to control a mobile device, a location external GNSS data transfer system or on-board unit used in a vehicle to impose and collect fines.
If any violation of the electronic tolling provisions of the Public Roads Law is discovered through verification / control, the general inspector of road transport imposes an administrative fine on the owner, holder or user of the vehicle or another road user who is not the owner, holder or user of the vehicle. Such a fine for non-payment of road taxes in Poland can also be imposed on the driver of the vehicle in case of wrong entry of the vehicle category in the OBU.
The violation that is the subject of an administrative sanction together with the article of the Law on Public Roads of March 21, 1985 is sanctioned with fines between 500 – 1500 zlotys (approximately between 460 – 1600 lei).
Transit POLAND with the new e-TOLL service from CargoTrack
Transit Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria with one toll only through CargoTrack services
