Austin toll bill: find the balance, fight wrong fees

Short answer

Austin-area tolls belong to TxDOT/TxTag or the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority depending on the road. Pay a Mobility Authority bill at paymobilitybill.com or 512-410-0562 and a TxDOT/TxTag bill through HCTRA at hctra.org or 281-875-3279. A pay-by-mail bill left alone picks up fees with each notice and can end in collections or a registration block. Confirm which authority bills you, pay the tolls, and dispute fees through that authority's process.

Who this is for

Anyone with a Central Texas toll bill, a collections letter for tolls, or a registration hold tied to unpaid tolls.

The steps, in order

1. Identify the road: MoPac express, 183A, 290 Toll, 71 Toll, 45 Toll, and 183S are Mobility Authority; most state toll roads are TxDOT/TxTag, billed by HCTRA.
2. Pull the balance from the right authority: paymobilitybill.com for the Mobility Authority, hctra.org for the TxDOT/TxTag EZ Invoice, using your plate number and the notice number.
3. Pay the base tolls first; fees are the part worth disputing.
4. Dispute wrong fees in writing and keep the confirmation.
5. If a registration hold is in place, ask for the release steps once the tolls are paid.

Have this ready

• Your license plate number
• The bill or collections letter
• The roads and dates if you know them

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying a collections letter before checking the authority's own balance.
• Ignoring the first bill; fees stack monthly, not once.

Common questions

Which authority bills for MoPac express lane?

The MoPac express lanes and roads like 183A are billed by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. Most other Central Texas toll roads bill through TxDOT/TxTag's servicer, HCTRA.

Can unpaid tolls block my registration?

Yes. A habitual violator finding can put a hold on vehicle registration. Paying the tolls with the authority is what starts the release.

How fast do the fees grow?

Fees stack with each billing notice, not once. A bill ignored for a few cycles can move to a collections firm, and repeated nonpayment can lead to a habitual violator finding. Paying the base tolls early is the cheap exit; the fees are the part worth disputing.

I got a text saying I owe tolls. Is it real?

Treat it as a scam. The Mobility Authority warns it never asks for personal information by text or email. Do not click links in toll texts; check your real balance only at paymobilitybill.com or hctra.org, or by calling the number printed on a mailed bill.

Official sources

• Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority pay a bill
• HCTRA (TxDOT/TxTag billing)

Last reviewed August 26, 2026 against the official source.

Related

• Choose an Austin toll pass: one tag for every toll road