FASTag Annual Pass Might Not Be For Every Fast Road Or Users

Starting August 15, 2025, individual car owners are eligible to purchase a fresh FASTag yearly subscription of Rs 3,000. The new pass, introduced by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), allows one to avail a maximum of 200 free toll rides on national highways and expressways for a year. 

Not for All Roads or Users

The annual pass covers national highways and expressways under the control of NHAI. However, not all of the nation's key expressways are under NHAI's control, which could be confusing for users.

For example, Mumbai-Pune Expressway is run by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and not NHAI. Therefore, even if a vehicle has the annual pass, toll has to be paid on this road separately. The same goes for the Samruddhi Mahamarg connecting Nagpur and Mumbai, which is a state government road and not covered under the FASTag pass.

The other significant corridor, the Yamuna Expressway connecting Greater Noida with Agra, is operated by the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA). This expressway too is not operated by NHAI. So, the FASTag annual pass will not be accepted here as well, and customers will have to pay toll fees as they normally do.

This limitation necessitates it for vehicle owners to confirm the jurisdiction of the highways they commonly travel on. Possessing the FASTag annual pass does not suffice to qualify one to travel toll-free on all the expressways in the country.

Who is Eligible for this Annual Pass

The pass is for only non-commercial private cars, jeeps, and vans. The pass is not transferable and will be linked to one FASTag account and one registered vehicle number. Temporary registration (chassis numbers) or blacklisted tags shall not be eligible for it.

If the owner of a vehicle tries to buy the pass with an invalid and improperly installed FASTag, the transaction will fail. Also, if the FASTag goes out of date or the vehicle is sold, unmade journeys will not be transferred or reimbursed.

Limited Validity and no Refunds

Once purchased, the pass has a validity for either 200 rides or a year, whichever is shorter. Unused rides in a year are forfeited if a rider does not use them. The Rs 3,000 fare is non-refundable, and there is no carry-over of unused benefits or part refund.

This makes it worth it for car drivers to consider how often they actually use national roads. Occasional motorists or those who use national roads fewer than 15–20 times a year might not get much value from this offer.

Where to Buy the Annual Pass

The year-long pass can be bought online through the website of NHAI or Rajmargyatra app. Once bought, it will get credited to the user's existing FASTag account. As it is, only one such pass can be linked with a vehicle.

To use, users must ensure that their FASTag is active, linked with the correct vehicle number, and not blacklisted. There needs to be a valid KYC-compliant account first.

What to Look Out for

Before buying the FASTag annual pass, car owners should:

• Verify if their routine routes are under the jurisdiction of NHAI

• Not assume the pass is for all toll roads; there are many famous expressways that are state highways 

• Confirm if their vehicle is eligible and that the FASTag is in force and properly placed

Although the FASTag annual pass offers a toll saving to regular users of national highways, it does come with a fixed format and some omissions. Regular users of state expressways like the Mumbai-Pune or Samruddhi Expressway, or those using roads run by other agencies, will still need to pay tolls.

It's necessary to carefully go through the terms and conditions, check road eligibility, and look at your travel pattern before deciding to invest in the Rs 3,000 pass.