Law changes in Portugal for Car Hire Transponders
If you rent a car in Faro you will now be less likely to face fines for using a toll road
There have been some recent changes to the road toll system in Portugal. In 2023 the law was amended so that now it is mandatory for all rental cars to be provided with a toll transponder already fitted. You will now find it is normal practice for rental companies to provide you with one automatically but do check at the desk to make sure. Previously adding a toll device to your hire would have been optional.
When you book your Portugal car rental through Clarify Car Hire, the quote you are given will give you the option to include the cost of the transponder. These transponders will register when you have used any of the electronic toll roads in Portugal. The transponder is activated once you have paid for your hire and can usually be found behind your rear view mirror.
If you use an electronic toll road, a charge is registered to the device. When you return to the rental desk at the end of your hire, you will need to pay for any toll charges you have collected. It can take up to 14 days for charges to reach the account so, if you have used toll roads towards the end of your trip, some charges may be debited to your payment card after your return home.
Using a transponder or toll device can make driving round Portugal much easier – especially if you are hiring a car from Faro or Porto airport. Many of the major routes across Portugal have tolls and so do the coastal roads leading away from the airports.
It is really quite difficult to avoid the toll roads as you would need to know the smaller roads well and a more circuitous route can add hours to your journey.
With a toll device you are far less likely to be faced with any fines for using a toll road as your transponder will register your use and you will pay the toll fees when you return your car – there are some that still have booths, but these are gradually being phased out. This leaves you free to enjoy your travels around Portugal without having to worry about which roads you are using!
Compare your car rental options with Clarify Car Hire and see how easy we make it to find debit card or low deposit hire cars in Portugal.
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