Q&A for How to Get an Illinois I Pass

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  • Question
    How do I buy an I Pass quickly?
    Community Answer
    Go to a Jewel Osco, or an I Pass customer service counter at some selected Oases. Do not order online, as you'll have to wait for a full month for it to arrive.
  • Question
    Can I buy an I pass and use it on a rental car?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Add the rental car to your account before your trip. Remove it after the tolls appear on your account.
  • Question
    Is an EZ pass the same as an Ipass?
    Community Answer
    They are similar. You can pay for tolls with your I-Pass wherever the E-ZPass is accepted. You can't pay for other E-ZPass charges, like parking, with your I-Pass.
  • Question
    Is there an expiration date on the I-pass?
    Community Answer
    They may send you a new transponder after maybe ten years since they do age. There was no cost the last time this happened for us. The old one was sent back in and included prepaid postage packaging.
  • Question
    Does the I-PASS work in Michigan and Wisconsin?
    Community Answer
    Michigan and Wisconsin do not have toll roads as of 2016. You don't need I-PASS there.
  • Question
    How much would a pass cost for a year?
    Community Answer
    After the refundable deposit, it's the cost of each toll.
  • Question
    Can I use the I Pass without my transponder in the car?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you just have to log onto the website and add your license plate number.
  • Question
    Will this transponder work for other states besides Illinois?
    Community Answer
    Yes, in the following states that us E-ZPass: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
  • Question
    Where do I get extra sticky tape that holds the I pass on the window?
    Community Answer
    Try AutoZone. They should carry something that will hold the I pass to the window.
  • Question
    Does the I-pass work on route 355?
    Community Answer
    Yes. I spent 4 years commuting between Hoffman Estates and Naperville on 355 and my I-Pass worked just fine.
  • Question
    Can I get an I Pass if my license is from Florida?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can get an I Pass even with an out-of-state license.
  • Question
    Do I have to have a license to get it?
    Community Answer
    If you don't have a license, you shouldn't be driving; therefore, you don't have to worry about tolls.
  • Question
    Can one transponder be occasionally transferred back and forth from one vehicle to a second vehicle?
    Community Answer
    Yes. This is possible, as the roads merely read whatever IR signal they get from any transponder they see.
  • Question
    If I leave my I-Pass in vehicle #1, will I still be okay if vehicle #2 is registered?
    Community Answer
    Beginning January 2018, no. The iPass authority has decided to require a physical transponder in EACH registered vehicle on your account to apply the "normal" toll rate.
  • Question
    How do I get rid of my I-Pass?
    Community Answer
    You can close your account in person at a Customer Service Center or by certified mail. If mailing, send your transponder, wrapped in foil, with a letter requesting that the I-PASS account be closed. The letter also should include your return address. Your balance and deposit will be refunded within 45 days of receipt of the request, provided the transponder is returned in good condition. If a transponder has been painted, designed or tampered with, the deposit will be forfeited. You can go to Visit.illinoistollway.com for more details.
  • Question
    How do I get a pass for a commercial vehicle?
    Community Answer
    You can get commercial vehicle transponders at a Road Ranger location.
  • Question
    Will a pass work if I store it in my glove compartment?
    Community Answer
    It has for me, but that doesn't mean it would work in all cars or situations. The tolls lanes record your license plate if you don't pay, and the license plate number is compared to any license plates on file, connected, and then paid out of that fund.
  • Question
    I moved from New York and kept my EZ Pass. Can I use my EZ Pass in Illinois?
    Community Answer
    Yes. EZ-Pass and I-Pass are interchangeable with the exception of the parking payment feature EZ-Pass provides.
  • Question
    I am driving a rental car through Illinois, and as we are from overseas, we will not use it again. What are my options?
    Community Answer
    You can still pay cash at the toll booths. I do not think that it would be wise to purchase an I Pass for one trip.
  • Question
    Can I buy a gift card for an iPass?
    Community Answer
    Yes, they accept gift cards for replenishment of the iPass!
  • Question
    How do I order an Illinois I Pass from another state?
    Community Answer
    You may order it online or over the phone (iPass Customer Service) using your state's license plate and driver's license details if your car is not registered in Illinois.
  • Question
    Can I use my I Pass on multiple vehicles? Can I use it if I'm towing another vehicle?
    Community Answer
    Yes. You can add vehicles on your iPass account. Just take iPass transponder with you in the car you are using.
  • Question
    Can I buy one in Wisconsin on a walk up basis?
    Community Answer
    No, Wisconsin doesn't have tolls so they are not sold there. You can order one online or pick one up in IL before you get to the first toll.
  • Question
    How do I replenish my I Pass with a different card from the one I originally used?
    Community Answer
    You can replenish your iPass with a different card by creating an account online or logging into your online account and changing your credit card on file.
  • Question
    Is there a monthly fee for a transponder?
    Community Answer
    There are no monthly fees. The only costs will be just the costs of tolls you accumulate as you pass through a tollway.
  • Question
    Can I use iPass right after purchasing it? Is there a waiting period?
    Community Answer
    You can use I-Pass once it is registered, and a form of payment submitted. (In other words it needs to be activated.) Then yes, you can use it after that.
  • Question
    Is there a monthly fee for an i-pass transponder?
    Community Answer
    No monthly fee. You pay for the tolls as you go through them.
  • Question
    Can I buy an Ipass for someone as a gift?
    Community Answer
    It is very difficult to purchase as a gift. If you are out of state without a Jewel Osco nearby, it is almost impossible to purchase as a gift without the person knowing about it. If you go on-line you may have to use your account to add a transponder or set up an account for the person you are buying it for. Again this is near impossible because your payment info will be used on that account. The best way is to get the transponder at a Jewel Osco and have the person you are buying it for set it up.
  • Question
    Once I get the transponder from a retail store and it's "activated," can I use it right away?
    Ali Garbacz
    Community Answer
    You'll need to wait at least 24 hours for your I-PASS to start working within Illinois. You'll have to wait 48 hours for the transponder to begin working in other states.
  • Question
    I'm traveling to Florida. Will the I-PASS work in all of the states I'll be driving through?
    Ali Garbacz
    Community Answer
    As of March 2023, the Illinois I-PASS works in the following states: Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
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