AutoExpreso Fines Return in October: $15 for Running a Toll and Just Five Days to Reload

After nearly four and a half years without consequences for crossing a toll with no balance, the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) and the Highways and Transportation Authority (ACT) confirmed that AutoExpreso fines will be reactivated in October 2026. If you drive on PR-22, PR-52, PR-66, or any toll on the island, this hits your wallet directly ¹.

The fine for passing a toll without sufficient funds in your account will be $15 per crossing. The good news is that you will have a five-day window to reload the corresponding balance and avoid the penalty. If you reload within that period, no fine is imposed; if you let the five days pass, the $15 charge is added to what you already owed on the toll ¹².

Where this change comes from

AutoExpreso fines had been suspended since April 2022, when a cyberattack against the system's operator disabled the reload options and online account access. The government chose not to penalize drivers while the system was down, and that pause stretched for more than four years ²³.

Now the ACT says the system has been stabilized. DTOP Secretary Edwin González Montalvo stated that "today we have a stable and functional system that allows us to resume enforcing the provisions in effect" ¹. The reactivation also comes at the urging of the Fiscal Control Board (JCF), which in May expressed concern over the ACT's structural revenue limitations and its dependence on non-recurring funding ².

The numbers that matter

The ACT estimates it could collect close to $30 million a year through these fines ¹². For the average driver, the key numbers are simpler: $15 per violation, five days of grace to reload, and reactivation in October 2026. The starter AutoExpreso kit runs about $20 (the tag plus a starting balance), and the system sends notifications when your balance drops to critical levels so you can reload before hitting zero ⁴.

You can reload through the AutoExpreso Móvil app, at autoexpreso.com, at reload lanes, at Driver Service Centers (CESCO), at the AutoExpreso office in Metro Office Park in Guaynabo, by calling 1-888-688-1010, or at more than 370 retail points such as pharmacies, gas stations, and banks ¹.

What it means for you

For four years, many people drove with a zero or negative balance without immediate consequences. That is over. Starting in October, every toll you cross without funds starts a five-day clock. If you are the type who says "I'll reload next week," that habit can now cost you $15 per toll, and if you drive the same stretch daily, the fines add up fast. Most important: the toll debt itself never expires, so ignoring it does not make it go away.

How to do it / Checklist

1. Check your balance today. Download the AutoExpreso Móvil app (free on the App Store and Google Play) or go to autoexpreso.com and see how much you have.
2. Reload before October. Use the app, the website, a reload lane, a CESCO, or any of the 370+ retail points (pharmacies, gas stations, banks).
3. Turn on low-balance notifications in the app so you are alerted before you run out of funds.
4. Confirm your plate is linked to your account at autoexpreso.com or in the app; a plate without an active account generates violations.
5. If you cross a toll with no balance, reload within five days to avoid the $15 charge.
6. Questions or account issues: call 1-888-688-1010 or visit the AutoExpreso office at Metro Office Park, Guaynabo.

What comes next

The official date circulating is October 1, 2026, but the ACT could still adjust implementation details, so it is worth watching for DTOP announcements at dtop.pr.gov. If the 2021 pattern repeats, courtesy notices may arrive by mail before formal fines begin. Even so, the safest way to avoid paying an extra $15 is simple: keep a balance in your account and reload early.