How TollRo payment is checked and what penalties apply

Under the TollRo system, payment is not checked only when a vehicle is stopped in traffic.

The new road charging mechanism is electronic, and proper TollRo payment can be checked both automatically, through video camera systems and technical equipment integrated into the electronic road charging system, and through query terminals after the vehicle has been stopped.

If non-payment is identified, the legislation first establishes how the TollRo amount due is determined and recovered. In certain situations, if the payment obligation is not fulfilled under the conditions provided by law, an administrative fine may also be imposed.

How is TollRo payment checked?

TollRo payment can be checked both automatically and after a vehicle has been stopped.

Automatic checks

Within Romania’s SETRE domain, video camera systems and automated equipment forming part of STRR – Romania’s Electronic Road Charging System are used.

Automatic checks are carried out by CNAIR personnel designated for this purpose.

These systems can correlate the information required to verify use of the road network and whether TollRo has been paid correctly.

Checks after stopping the vehicle

Checks may also be carried out after the vehicle has been stopped, using query terminals.

According to the law, this type of check may be carried out by:

• CNAIR personnel at border crossing points;
• inspectors of the State Inspectorate for Road Transport Control – ISCTR;
• traffic police officers;
• border police officers at border crossing points.

Is a tachograph mandatory for TollRo payment?

The tachograph and TollRo have different functions.

The tachograph is not the device used to calculate or check TollRo payment.

The obligation to use a tachograph is regulated separately and concerns the vehicle categories and transport operations for which European and national legislation requires such equipment.

Under the TollRo system, depending on the payment method selected, the following may be used:

• OBE – on-board equipment associated with the road charging service;
• the mobile application provided for by the system;
• the route ticket, for journeys made using this method.

For enforcement purposes, STRR video cameras and automated equipment are used separately, together with the query terminals operated by the competent authorities.

What does “non-payment of TollRo” mean?

When a check establishes that TollRo has not been paid correctly, the user is required to pay CNAIR the TollRo amount due.

The amount depends on whether the system can determine the distance travelled.

If the distance travelled can be determined

The TollRo amount due is calculated according to the distance travelled within Romania’s SETRE domain and the rate applicable to the vehicle.

In other words, the system determines the road charge that should have been paid for that journey.

If the distance travelled cannot be determined

This amount applies only once within a 12-hour period.

The RON 2,000 represents the TollRo amount due, not the amount of the fine.

Does non-payment detected automatically result in an immediate fine?

Not in every situation.

When non-payment is detected through automated checks for a vehicle registered in a European Union Member State, CNAIR notifies the holder through an information letter.

The letter may include, among other things:

• the vehicle for which non-payment was identified;
• its category and configuration;
• the location, date and time of the event;
• the amounts due;
• the legal basis;
• the consequences of non-payment;
• payment methods;
• information on the right of appeal.

You have 72 hours to pay the amounts communicated

After receiving the information letter, the amounts due must be paid within 72 hours of receiving the notification.

Payment is considered to have been made when CNAIR’s account is credited with the amount due.

Therefore, when non-payment is identified through automated checks and the conditions provided by law are met, the situation can be remedied before a penalty is imposed.

When does TollRo non-payment become an administrative offence?

If the TollRo amount due and the amounts communicated through the information letter are not paid within the 72-hour deadline, the non-payment constitutes an administrative offence.

The law expressly states that, in the case of TollRo, the offence is not continuous.

This rule is important for how non-payment events are identified and sanctioned.

What is the fine if the distance travelled can be determined?

When the system can determine the distance travelled within Romania’s SETRE domain, the fine is calculated in relation to the TollRo amount due.

Example

If the TollRo amount due for a journey is RON 100, the fine limits are:

• minimum: RON 1,000;
• maximum: RON 2,000.

If the TollRo amount due is RON 250, the fine may range from RON 2,500 to RON 5,000.

The amount of the penalty may therefore vary according to the amount of unpaid TollRo.

What fine applies if the distance cannot be determined?

It is important to distinguish between the two amounts: RON 2,000 represents the TollRo amount due, while RON 5,000 represents the administrative fine.

What happens if non-payment is identified after the truck is stopped?

The procedure is different when the vehicle is stopped and checked by authorised personnel.

If TollRo non-payment is identified, the driver is identified and receives a payment notice.

The document includes information such as:

• registration number;
• vehicle category;
• emission standard;
• location, date and time of detection;
• the TollRo amount due;
• the account into which payment must be made;
• the legal basis and consequences of non-payment.

In this situation, the TollRo amount due must be paid immediately, by electronic means, into the account indicated in the payment notice.

What happens if the driver refuses to pay?

If the driver refuses to pay the TollRo amount due, the enforcement officer:

• records the refusal in the payment notice;
• establishes the administrative offence;
• determines the fine;
• draws up the official report establishing the administrative offence on the spot in the driver’s name.

The fine is determined according to the same rules: 10–20 × the TollRo amount due if the distance can be determined, or RON 5,000 if it cannot be determined.

What information may be recorded when non-payment is identified?

The model information letter approved for TollRo shows that a non-payment event may be documented in detail.

• registration number;
• vehicle configuration;
• location of detection;
• date and time;
• detection system;
• amount due;
• administrative costs generated by the notification.

The document also has a unique notification code, and the approved model includes a verification QR code that can be used to check the authenticity of the letter on an official page administered by CNAIR.

TollRo enforcement should therefore be understood as part of an electronic identification and verification system, rather than solely as a physical roadside check.

What role does OBE play in avoiding non-payment situations?

For transport operators using OBE – On-Board Equipment, the correct operation and configuration of the equipment are important.

The user has obligations relating to:

• proper use of the OBE;
• accuracy of the data declared;
• the procedure applicable in the event of a malfunction;
• notifying the provider in the event of theft, loss or destruction;
• reporting errors identified in the declared data.

If the OBE malfunctions or is damaged in a way that prevents it from operating correctly during a journey, the law establishes specific obligations for the user and in relation to the SETRo provider.

For transport operators, preventing non-payment does not simply mean having equipment installed in the vehicle, but also using it correctly and following the applicable procedures.

What should be checked before departure?

Depending on the TollRo payment method used, it is useful to check:

• the declared registration number;
• the vehicle’s TollRo category;
• MTMA;
• EURO class;
• whether the OBE is functioning correctly, if used;
• the data configured in the equipment;
• the validity and route of the route ticket, if this method is used;
• whether the application and geolocation are functioning correctly, if payment is made through the mobile application.

For companies operating multiple vehicles, these checks can be incorporated into a standard pre-departure procedure.

TollRo non-payment at a glance

Penalties provided by law

What should you remember?

Under the TollRo system, enforcement is built around electronic identification of road network use and verification of payment.

STRR video cameras and automated equipment allow checks to be carried out without stopping the vehicle, while query terminals are used when checks take place after the vehicle has been stopped.

For transport operators, prevention remains the most important measure: correct vehicle data, a properly configured payment method, and verification of the necessary equipment or documents before the journey.

If a non-payment notification is received, the deadline and procedure indicated in the document should not be ignored.

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Official sources

• Law No. 226/2023 on the application of road charges on Romania’s national road network – updated version
• Order No. 590/2026 on the TollRo information letter and payment notice
• Law No. 103/2026 amending and supplementing Law No. 226/2023

The information is provided for informational purposes and reflects the legislative framework available as of 31 August 2026. This article will be updated if relevant legislative or operational changes occur.