FASTag is an online facility for the payment of toll tax. It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and enables the automatic deduction of the tax whenever a vehicle crosses a toll plaza.
The Government of India introduced FASTags to reduce the time taken to process a payment at toll booths across the country. The move also aimed at digitising the toll payment process and reducing the reliance on cash transactions for the same. It enables you to make toll payments directly from the account linked to the via FASTag (RFID Tag) fixed on your vehicle’s windscreen without stopping at the toll plaza. For this, it is important that your FASTag account has sufficient balance.
Read further to understand how to check FASTag balance.
FASTags: A quick overview
FASTags are unique for each vehicle. Once a FASTag is fixed to your vehicle, you cannot transfer it to another. You can purchase FASTag from any NETC member bank. Furthermore, you must maintain a sufficient FASTag balance based on your usage. If you fail to maintain an adequate balance, your FASTag will be blacklisted at the toll plaza. If your FASTag is blocked and you travel through the toll plaza, you will have to stop and pay the toll tax in cash.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways also proposed to make FASTag mandatory for vehicle owners buying third-party insurance.
How to check FASTag balance?
There are multiple ways of checking your FASTag balance, including the FASTag portal, mobile app, SMS updates, and customer care helpline. Let’s explore these methods in detail.
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Check the FASTag balance on the website
Currently, there are 13 banks linked to the official website of the NHAI FASTag. You can access FASTag via these 13 different banks, where you can apply for the FASTag, recharge it, and check the balance. Follow the steps below to check the FASTag balance on the website:
- Step 1: Visit the issuer bank’s or agency’s website
- Step 2: ext, log in to the FASTag portal with your FASTag login credentials
- Step 3: Click on the option to check your FASTag balance. You will also be able to see a statement with detailed information about how much toll tax was deducted at which toll plaza.
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Check the FASTag balance on the mobile app
If you want to know how to check FASTag balance through the eToll app, here’s how you can do it:
- Step 1: Download the ‘My FASTag App’ on your mobile phone. The mobile app is compatible with both Android and iOS.
- Step 2: Log in to the eToll mobile app with your credentials
- Step 3: Click on the FASTag account number to check the balance amount that applies to the wallet.
- Step 4: Once the above steps are completed, you can view your FASTag balance.
The mobile application is linked to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Prepaid Wallet.
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SMS updates
Once you have opened the FASTag account, registered, and linked your mobile number with the account, you will receive updates via SMS whenever a deduction has been made from your account. You will receive an SMS, updating you about the toll payments made, FASTag balance, confirmations for recharging the FASTag, and notifications whenever you run low on balance. If you want to check the balance in your FASTag account via SMS, check the last FASTag deduction SMS you received.
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Check the FASTag balance via the customer care helpline
Lastly, you can use the customer support helpline to check your FASTag balance. To do so, you can give a missed call on the toll-free number: +91- 8884333331. However, you must be a prepaid FASTag user and have registered the mobile number you will use to contact the customer support helpline with the prepaid wallet of the NHAI.
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Check the FASTag balance via email notifications
Similar to SMS notifications, you will receive an email notification on your registered email address whenever toll fees are deducted from your FASTag wallet.
- Step 1: Go to your registered email address’s inbox
- Step 2: Look for the recent FASTag deduction email
- Step 3: Check your FASTag balance
Benefits of FASTag
Here are the primary benefits you can avail of with FASTag:
- It offers ease of payment since you don’t have to stop at tolling centers to make cash payments.
- Less stoppage of your vehicle means there’s less wastage of fuel
- With different modes of payment accepted, including online banking, payment wallets, etc., it’s easy to recharge your FASTag.
- It’s easy to track your FASTag balance.
- The Indian Government also allows a cashback incentive on the use of FASTag.
- Lastly, it has a long-term validity of 5 years. Thus, you don’t have to worry about getting it renewed now and then.
Conclusion
FASTag is a quick and easy way to make online toll payments without stopping your vehicle at toll centres. It is hassle-free and brings multiple benefits not only for the user but for the toll operators and the Government too – thanks to the digital collection of taxes. The FASTag system of toll payments also gained momentum with the introduction of payment wallets and the digitization of payments. Over time, FASTag has become more foolproof, with the Government actively promoting the system and resolving issues like faulty scanning or incorrect deductions.
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