Kentucky E-ZPass rates control how much you pay each time you cross the three Ohio River bridges between Louisville, Kentucky, and Southern Indiana. The RiverLink system sets the prices, and your payment method decides the final charge. Drivers who carry an E-ZPass transponder pay the lowest rates, while drivers who skip the transponder pay double through the Pay By Plate camera system. This page covers every rate, fee, discount, and rule you need to know for 2026.
The three tolled bridges in the system are the Abraham Lincoln Bridge, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge, and the Lewis and Clark Bridge. Each crossing costs the same based on your vehicle type and payment choice. Commercial trucks, passenger cars, and out-of-state drivers all follow the same pricing table, but the savings from using EZ-Pass grow as your axle count grows.
Current Kentucky E-ZPass Rates for Passenger Vehicles
Passenger vehicles cover most cars, SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks with two axles. The standard Kentucky E-ZPass rate for these vehicles is $2.68 per crossing when you use a registered transponder and a prepaid account in good standing. This rate applies on all three RiverLink bridges and stays the same 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Drivers who do not carry an EZ Pass transponder pay $5.36 per crossing through the Pay By Plate system. A camera takes a photo of your license plate at highway speed, and RiverLink mails an invoice to the registered vehicle owner. The Pay By Plate rate is exactly double the transponder rate, which means a single round trip costs $10.72 without E-ZPass and $5.36 with E-ZPass.
Frequent User Discount Program
Daily commuters can cut their per-crossing cost to $1.34 after they hit 40 paid crossings in a single calendar month. The frequent user discount works in two steps on EZ Pass accounts:
- First 40 crossings: charged at the standard $2.68 rate, then credited back at 50% to match the discount price.
- Crossings 41 and beyond: charged at the flat $1.34 rate with no further credit needed.
A commuter who crosses 20 round trips in a month saves money on every trip after the 40th crossing. The discount only applies to EZPass accounts, not to Pay By Plate invoices, which makes the transponder the only path to the lowest rate for high-volume drivers.
Commercial Vehicle E-ZPass Rates in Kentucky
Commercial vehicle toll rates in Kentucky scale by axle count, so a three-axle truck pays more than a two-axle car, and a five-axle semi pays more than a three-axle box truck. The base rate for a three-axle commercial vehicle with an E-ZPass transponder starts at $7.86 per crossing as of 2026, and the price climbs by roughly $2 to $3 for each added axle.
Commercial trucks without a transponder pay through Pay By Plate, and the camera rate runs higher than the EZ-Pass rate by a wide margin. A three-axle commercial Pay By Plate crossing can reach $15 or more, which doubles or triples the cost on busy freight routes. Fleet operators save thousands of dollars per year by mounting EZPass transponders on every unit.
Axle-Based Pricing Structure
The RiverLink system reads the axle count through sensors in the road, and the charge updates based on what the sensors count. Drivers cannot self-declare a lower axle class to save money, because the system reads the actual number at the time of crossing. commercial categories include:
- 3 axles: starts at $7.86 with E-ZPass (small box trucks, delivery vans with trailers).
- 4 axles: starts at $10.18 with E-ZPass (medium-duty trucks).
- 5 axles: starts at $12.50 with EZPass (standard semi-trucks).
- 6+ axles: higher rates apply, contact RiverLink for current pricing on heavy haul units.
Commercial accounts receive a monthly statement that lists every crossing by date, time, and vehicle, which simplifies tax records, expense reports, and fuel-tax filings for trucking companies.
E-ZPass vs Pay By Plate: Side-by-Side Cost Comparison
The table below shows the per-crossing cost for each payment method on the three Louisville toll bridges. Numbers reflect 2026 and early 2026 rates, which RiverLink may adjust over time.
| Vehicle Type | EZPass Rate | Pay By Plate Rate | Savings with E-ZPass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-axle passenger (car, SUV, pickup) | $2.68 | $5.36 | $2.68 per crossing (50%) |
| 3-axle commercial | ~$7.86 | ~$15.72 | ~$7.86 per crossing (50%) |
| 4-axle commercial | ~$10.18 | ~$20.36 | ~$10.18 per crossing (50%) |
| 5-axle semi | ~$12.50 | ~$25.00 | ~$12.50 per crossing (50%) |
| Frequent user rate (41+ crossings) | $1.34 | Not eligible | $4.02 per crossing (vs. Pay By Plate) |
The savings column shows how much each crossing costs less with E-ZPass compared to Pay By Plate. A daily commuter who crosses twice a day for 22 workdays saves $117.92 per month by using EZ-Pass instead of the camera billing system.
How to Get Your Kentucky E-ZPass Transponder
Signing up for an E-ZPassKY account takes about 10 minutes and can be done online, by phone, or at a walk-in customer service center. The process starts with creating a personal or business account, adding your name, address, and contact details, and listing each vehicle by license plate, make, and model.
After the account is open, you choose a transponder type, set an opening balance, and pick a payment method for auto-replenishment. Most accounts open with a $20 starting balance, and auto-replenishment tops up the balance whenever it drops below a set threshold, usually $10.
Local vs E-ZPass Transponder Options
Two transponder types work on the Louisville bridges. The RiverLink local transponder is a free sticker tag that mounts on the inside of your windshield and works only on the three Ohio River bridges between Kentucky and Indiana. The E-ZPass transponder is a hard-case device that works on the three local bridges and across the 19-state EZ-Pass network.
Drivers who cross only in Louisville save money with the free sticker, but drivers who travel to other toll states benefit from the EZ-Pass device, because the same account covers tolls in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and other member states. Out-of-state EZPass accounts from those states also work on the Louisville bridges, so a New York EZ Pass holder pays the $2.68 Kentucky E-ZPass rate without any extra setup.
Step-by-Step Sign-Up
The sign-up flow follows the same order on the official e-zpassky.com portal:
- Open a personal or commercial account on the website.
- Enter vehicle details (license plate, state, make, model, axle count for commercial).
- Fund the account with a credit card, debit card, or bank transfer (minimum $20).
- Request the local sticker or EZPass hard-case transponder.
- Mount the transponder behind the rearview mirror once it arrives.
- Set auto-replenishment so the balance never drops low enough to trigger Pay By Plate.
The transponder ships by mail in five to seven business days, but the $2.68 rate starts on the day your vehicle is registered to the account, even before the physical device arrives. License plate recognition locks in the transponder rate for any car already on file.
Out-of-State Drivers and E-ZPass Interoperability
Kentucky joined the E-ZPass network in 2026, which means every EZ Pass account from any of the 19 member states now works on the Louisville bridges at the $2.68 passenger rate. Drivers from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, Florida, Minnesota, and Kentucky can cross without opening a new account.
This change solved a long-standing problem for travelers who crossed the Ohio River without a local sticker. Before interoperability, an out-of-state EZPass holder paid the Pay By Plate rate, which doubled the cost of crossing. Now the same transponder that opens toll gates in New Jersey opens the toll gantries in Louisville.
How Out-of-State Billing Works
When an out-of-state E-ZPass transponder crosses a RiverLink bridge, the system reads the device ID, sends the charge to the home EZ Pass agency, and bills the driver’s home account. The driver sees the charge on their home statement, and the rate matches the local Kentucky EZPass rate of $2.68 for passenger vehicles. No paperwork, no extra fees, no Pay By Plate invoice.
Drivers who hold no EZPass account at all still get charged through Pay By Plate at $5.36 per crossing, and the invoice goes to the address on file with the DMV in the vehicle’s home state. Keeping the DMV address current is the single best way to avoid missed invoices and violation fees.
Avoiding Toll Violations and Extra Fees in Kentucky
A toll violation happens when a driver crosses a RiverLink bridge with no E-ZPass account, no Pay By Plate payment, and no response to the mailed invoice. The first missed payment triggers a Notice of Toll Violation, which adds a $30 to $50 administrative fee per crossing on top of the original toll amount.
Unpaid violations escalate through a second notice, a final notice, and then a registration hold at the state DMV. A registration hold blocks the renewal of license plates and tags until the full balance clears, and unpaid balances can be sent to a third-party collections agency. Commercial carriers face the same penalty structure, and a single unpaid invoice can hold up a fleet of trucks at the DMV.
Pay By Plate Invoice Details
Pay By Plate invoices arrive by mail within 14 to 30 days of the crossing. The invoice lists the date, time, bridge, license plate, and amount due, and it includes a payment deadline printed on the front page. Drivers can pay online, by phone, by mail, or at a customer service center. The fastest way to pay is through the EZPassKY website at e-zpassky.com/pay-tolls.
Missing the payment deadline by even one day converts the invoice into a Notice of Toll Violation, which carries the extra fees listed above. Drivers who know they missed a payment should call EZ Pass Kentucky customer service right away to ask about fee forgiveness or a one-time waiver. The agency sometimes waives fees for first-time violators who pay the original toll promptly.
Recent Toll Rate Changes and 2026 Updates
RiverLink rates have stayed flat since 2026, but the agency reviews pricing every two years as part of its bond repayment plan. The last review kept the $2.68 transponder rate and the $5.36 Pay By Plate rate in place for 2026 and 2026. Any future rate change will be posted on the official website and announced through news outlets at least 30 days before taking effect.
Kentucky also launched its EZ Pass interoperability in 2026, which was the biggest change to the system in over a decade. Before 2026, only the local RiverLink sticker transponder earned the $2.68 rate. After 2026, every EZPass device in the 19-state network earns the same rate on the Louisville bridges, which made the system friendlier to commercial truckers, tourists, and cross-state commuters.
Kentucky E-ZPass Customer Service and Contact Details
Drivers can reach EZ Pass Kentucky customer service by phone, online chat, email, or in person at a walk-in center. The phone line handles account setup, balance inquiries, transponder replacement, and violation disputes. Most questions are answered in a single call during business hours.
Customer service hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and the walk-in centers stay open on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The main customer service phone number is (502) 638-6600, and the toll-free out-of-state number is 1-800-647-0605. The mailing address for correspondence is P.O. Box 71011, Louisville, KY 40271.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kentucky E-ZPass Rates
These questions come from real drivers searching for Kentucky toll prices, transponder setup, and discount rules. Each answer gives the facts without filler, so you can make a quick decision before your next bridge crossing.
How much does Kentucky E-ZPass cost per month?
Kentucky E-ZPass has no monthly fee. You pay only the tolls you cross, plus a $20 opening balance on the account. Auto-replenishment adds money to the account only when your balance drops below the threshold, and the agency does not charge a per-month service charge for personal accounts. Commercial accounts follow the same no-fee structure, with no minimum crossings required to keep the account open.
What is the difference between K-Tag and E-ZPass in Kentucky?
K-Tag was the original name for the local RiverLink transponder, and EZPass is the same sticker transponder rebranded after Kentucky joined the national network in 2026. Both work on the three Louisville bridges at the $2.68 rate. Old K-Tag sticker tags still work on the bridges, and new accounts open under the EZPassKY name. Drivers can keep using their old sticker without re-registering, but new transponder requests ship under the EZPassKY brand.
Can I use my out-of-state E-ZPass on the Louisville bridges?
Yes. Every EZ-Pass account from the 19 member states works on the three Ohio River bridges at the $2.68 passenger rate. The transponder reads your device ID, charges your home agency, and your home statement shows the crossing. Drivers from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and other member states no longer pay the higher Pay By Plate rate when they cross into Kentucky. Out-of-state drivers without any EZPass still get the camera-based $5.36 invoice.
How do I pay a RiverLink toll violation in Kentucky?
Pay a RiverLink toll violation online at e-zpassky.com, by phone at (502) 638-6600, or by mail with a check or money order. The violation amount includes the original toll plus a $30 to $50 administrative fee per crossing. Paying within 30 days of the notice prevents a registration hold at the DMV, and paying within 14 days gives you the best chance of a fee waiver for first-time violators. Contact customer service before paying if you want to request a waiver.
Are there discounts for low-income drivers or senior citizens?
RiverLink does not offer a special low-income or senior discount program at this time. The frequent user discount, which drops the rate to $1.34 after 40 monthly crossings, is the main savings program available to all account holders. The free local sticker transponder removes the device cost for budget-conscious drivers, and the no-monthly-fee structure keeps the account open at no charge. Drivers who cannot afford the $20 opening balance should call customer service to ask about hardship waivers.
What happens if my E-ZPass transponder stops working?
Drive through the toll lane as normal, and the system will switch to a camera read of your license plate. The system matches the plate to your account, and you pay the $2.68 transponder rate, not the higher Pay By Plate rate, as long as your account is in good standing. Replace the broken transponder by calling customer service or visiting a walk-in center, and the agency ships a replacement at no cost for defective units. A dead battery or cracked case qualifies for free replacement within the warranty period.
Do E-ZPass rates change during rush hour in Kentucky?
No. RiverLink charges a flat rate 24 hours a day, with no peak or off-peak pricing, no weekend surcharges, and no holiday rates. The $2.68 transponder rate and the $5.36 Pay By Plate rate stay the same whether you cross at 7:00 a.m. on a Tuesday or 11:00 p.m. on a Sunday. The frequent user discount also applies to all crossings, not just off-peak hours, so high-volume commuters save the same amount no matter when they drive.