Major changes have been done to the Fastag rule by National Payments Corporation of India(NPCI) and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. The government body is rolling out stricter rules for handling FASTag transactions and chargebacks. The new move is to make toll payments smoother and cut down on disputes. From tomorrow (Feb 17), the new rules will impact those users who delay payments or hose who have been black listed by NPCI.

Transaction Delay Will Invite Penalties

FASTag users could face extra charges if their toll transactions aren’t processed within 15 minutes of passing the toll reader. As per the updated National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) guidelines, if a transaction is delayed and the user’s FASTag account lacks sufficient balance, the toll operator will be held accountable. However, if the amount is deducted, users can challenge the charge—but only after a mandatory 15-day cooling period.

Refund procedure and waiting period

Banks can initiate refunds for incorrect deductions due to blacklisted or low-balance Fastags only after a 15-day waiting period. If a chargeback request is raised before this period is over, it will be automatically declined with a system-generated error code. The implementation date for these changes in the NETC system will be announced later. Users can dispute toll charges only after the cooling period if the deduction occurs due to a delayed transaction.

Alert For Inactive/Blacklisted Tags

A new rule update will impact Fastags that are blacklisted, have low balance, or are hotlisted due to inactivity. If a Fastag remains inactive for more than 60 minutes before a vehicle reaches the toll and stays inactive for up to 10 minutes after crossing, the transaction will be automatically declined. Such payments will be rejected with reason code 176. This rule is set to take effect from February 17, 2025.

Measures To Avoid

• Sufficient balance In The Fastag Wallet
  Proper Track transaction timings to identify any delays in deductions