Guide to Florida Toll Roads, Road Rules, Airports & Other Tips
 

Heading to the Sunshine State? Here’s need-to-know information about Florida toll roads, accessibility, road travel, airports and more.
 

Getting Here

·     Major roads in Florida: Interstates: 4, 10, 95, 75, 275, 295

·     Amtrak and Auto Train: Visit Amtrak for an interactive map of Florida stops. The Auto Train will transport you and your car, or other recreational vehicle, nonstop from Lorton, Va. (the Washington, DC area) to Sanford, Fla., just outside of Orlando.
 

Major Airports in Florida

·     Daytona Beach International

·     Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport

·     Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International

·     Jacksonville International

·     Key West International

·     Melbourne International

·     Miami International

·     Northwest Florida Beaches International

·     Orlando International

·     Orlando Sanford International

·     Palm Beach International

·     Pensacola Regional

·     Sarasota Bradenton International

·     Southwest International/ Fort Myers

·     St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport

·     Tallahassee International Airport

·     Tampa International
 

Brightline Trains

·     Brightline, an express, inter-city rail system operated by Virgin Trains USA, connects Miami and Orlando, with stops in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach. (Plans are underway to connect to Tampa as well.)

Road Rules

·     Driver’s licenses: You don’t need an international driving permit to drive in Florida; you just need a valid driver license, issued in your name, from your state or country of residence

·     Car rental: To rent a car you must have your driving license, passport and a credit card. The minimum age for car rental is 21, but some agencies will charge more for drivers under 25 years of age. Major companies will allow you to pick up a car in one location and drop it off in another for an extra charge. You can generally make reservations before you leave your country, either by phone or online.

·     Speed limits: Legal speed limits are posted on the right side of the road, and are as follows: Interstates: 70 mph; four-lane highways: 65 mph; other state highways: 60 mph; business/residential districts: 30 mph; school zones: 10-20 mph.

·     Right on red: You may turn right at a red light after coming to a complete stop, unless a sign indicating “no right on red” is posted at the intersection.

·     Headlights: Headlights must be on from dusk to dawn, as well as in fog or rain. Turn off windshield wipers when stopping at toll booths

·     Move over act: When law enforcement vehicles are in one of the “break-down” lanes, either assisting a motorist or pulling over a speeding vehicle, you must move to the far lane away from the police, or slow down to 20 miles per hour below the speed limit. If the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, you must slow down to five miles per hour.

·     Child car seats: Every driver in Florida must provide for the protection of any child five years of age or younger by using a crash-tested, federally approved car seat. For children up to three years old, the restraint must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children four to five years old, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a booster seat may be used. These are usually available from your car rental company.

·     Seat belts: You must wear a seat belt in an operating vehicle if you’re the driver of the vehicle, a front seat passenger of any age, or under 18 years old.

·     Cell phones and texting: It’s illegal to text while driving, regardless of age. There are no talking bans on talking on cell phones while driving.

·     Drinking and driving: Driving while drinking alcohol or while under its influence is illegal. Appoint a “designated driver” in your group who’ll drink only non-alcoholic beverages and drive home safely.

·     Getting real-time traffic information: For detailed traffic information, including traffic incidents and construction, traffic cameras, message boards, and estimated travel times for roadways across of Florida, visit FL511.com. For traffic information on the go, dial 511 on your phone.

·     Calling for help: Drivers may dial *FHP on Florida interstates and highways in an emergency to reach the Florida Highway Patrol (state police).
 

The Turnpike and Other Florida Tolls

·     About the Turnpike: The Florida Turnpike, known as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, encompasses 483 miles of toll roads that make traveling more efficient because of fewer exits and less traffic. It’s operated by Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, part of the Florida Department of Transportation, and is largely paid for by drivers who use it. Toll revenue goes to operate, maintain and expand the Turnpike system. See a map here.

·     Toll Roads in Florida: Some interstate highways have tolls. Besides the Florida Turnpike (Ocala to Homestead), Alligator Alley (1-75 between Miami and Naples) and the Bee Line Expressway (Orlando to Cape Canaveral) also charge tolls. In addition, some coastal islands have bridges at which a fare is charged.

·     How much Florida Tolls Cost: They depend on the section of which toll road you’re driving and how far you're going, but are priced by mile and by the number of vehicle axles. See a toll calculator for the Florida Turnpike here.

·     How to pay tolls: Signs will let you know what kind of toll booth is coming up and the toll amount. Most of Florida's toll roads are all-electronic. Here's a map of what kind of payment is accepted on roads all around the state.

·     Paying with cash: At cash booths on Florida toll roads, you pay the toll and can get change; at unmanned cash booths, you’ll need exact change in coin.

·     Paying with SunPass: If you have a SunPass, it’s scanned by an electronic reader and tolls are deducted from your prepaid account. It discounts tolls about 25 percent and saves substantial time at toll booths. Uni, a product of Florida’s E-PASS, lets you travel nonstop through 18 states with just one toll account. It works on all toll roads and most bridges in these states: Florida, Maryland, Rhode Island, Indiana, Georgia, Delaware, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maine, West Virginia, New York, Ohio. For more information, visit the Uni site.

·     Paying by Toll-By-Plate: Where all-electronic tolling is in effect, you can pay by this method. A camera takes a picture of your license plate, and you’re mailed a bill for tolls plus a $2.50 service charge.

·     Areas that don’t accept cash: The Miami section of the Turnpike and the following locations are all electronic and don’t accept cash . SunPass or Toll-By-Plate are the only payment options. (See previous two items for details.).

o  Mid-Bay Connector (Destin)

o  Veterans Expressway (Tampa)

o  Selman Expressway (Tampa)

o  Sawgrass Expressway (Fort Lauderdale).

o  Exit 49/Hollywood Boulevard (Broward County) 

o  Exit 53/Griffin Road (Broward County) 

o  Exit 62/Commercial Blvd (Broward County) 

o  Milepost 63/Cypress Creek Mainline Toll Plaza (Broward County) 

o  Exit 67/Coconut Creek Parkway (Broward County) 

o  Exit 69/Sample Road (Broward County) 

·     Paying with a rental car: Most major rental companies have programs allowing customers to utilize the Toll-By-Plate electronic collection system where tolls and service fees are automatically charged to the credit card used to rent the vehicle. For details, including pricing options at participating car agencies, visit sunpass.com/rentalcar. If you’re flying into Orlando, they have a free SunPass loaner program. Check it out here: https://visitortollpass.com/

·     Paying with your own SunPass transponder in a rental car: Just let SunPass know the rental car’s license number. Remember to remove the transponder when you return the vehicle!

·     Upcoming changes: Others areas are slated to convert to all-electronic/no cash systems.  

·     Areas that accept cash only: The Hammock Dunes Toll Bridge in Palm Coast, Fla, does not accept SunPass,or E-Pass. It accepts only cash, credit cards, and cards obtained through its own prepaid discount program. 
 

More About SunPass

·     What it is: SunPass is the prepaid Florida tolls program. To use it, you buy a SunPass device called a “transponder” that attaches to the inside of your windshield. When you drive through a SunPass toll plaza, the toll is deducted from your prepaid account.

·     How much it costs: There are two kinds of SunPass transponders. The SunPass Pro is $14.95 plus tax and attaches to your windshield with suction cups. It is removable and can be used on any vehicle with a windshield, including motorcycles. The SunPass Mini sticker is $4.99 plus tax, and permanently attaches to windshields. It can’t be used on motorcycles. Both require a $10 minimum balance to activate.

·     Where to buy one: You can buy a SunPass online or at over 3,100 retail locations throughout Florida. Retailers include Publix Super Markets, CVS Pharmacy stores, Walgreens, Amscot Financial branches  and  AAA South offices in Florida. They can also be purchased at Navarro Pharmacies and Sedano's Supermarkets in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Transponders are available at all Turnpike service plazas, Turnpike gas stations and SunPass Service Centers.

·     How to activate it: To activate your SunPass, you need to put a minimum of $10 in your prepaid account. You can activate online, at 1-888-TOLL-FLA (1-888-865-5352), at a SunPass Payment Center or a SunPass Service Center.

·     Why you should have one: You’re not obligated to buy a SunPass, but it will save you money and time. You’ll save about 25 percent on tolls and you won’t have to stop at cash lanes.

·     Where SunPass works: SunPass can be used on all Florida toll roads and nearly all bridges. If you sign up for Easy Pay and link a credit or debit card to your SunPass, you can use it to pay parking fees at the Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Orlando and Palm Beach airports. The SunPass Mini, aside from tolls, is also good for SunPass Plus parking. It works in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. The Sunpass Pro transponder is also good for SunPass Plus parking and works in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, and other states wherever E-Z Pass is accepted.

·     Using other state transponders in Florida: Georgia's Peach Pass and North Carolina's NC Quick Pass are accepted.However, you'll need to utilize the clearly marked, SunPass-only lanes. 

·     Going through a SunPass lane by mistake: If you do this, a picture of your license plate will be taken, and you’ll receive a notice about the unpaid toll.

• Passes for multiple states: Uni, a product of Florida’s E-PASS, lets you travel nonstop through 18 states with just one toll account. It works on all toll roads and most bridges in these states: Florida, Maryland, Rhode Island, Indiana, Georgia, Delaware, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maine, West Virginia, New York, Ohio. For more information, visit the Uni site.

More about Toll-By-Plate

·     What it is: Toll-By-Plate is a tolling system that works by taking a picture of a vehicle’s license plate as it passes under a tolling station. The vehicle’s owner is invoiced for tolls every 30 days, plus a $2.50 administrative charge.

·     Where you can use it: It's available on the Turnpike system roads where all-electronic tolling is in effect: Florida's Turnpike in Miami, The Sawgrass Expressway west of Fort Lauderdale and the Veterans Expressway in Tampa.

·     How to get it: To open a prepaid Toll-By-Plate account, visit www.tollbyplate.com or call 1-888-TAG-TOLL (888-824-8655). Or just drive; you’ll receive an invoice in the mail.
 

Accessibility Regulations, Resources and Rentals

·     Disabled Parking Permits: If you are a visitor to Florida and from another country or state, Florida law, Section 316.1958, states we will honor any special license plate or parking permit issued to a disabled person by any other state or district subject to the laws of the United States, or by a foreign country that issues disabled parking permits that display the international symbol of accessibility.
If your permit doesn't have the international symbol of accessibility, you should obtain a temporary Florida permit at any Florida County Tax Collector's Office. To get a Florida permit, bring along a copy of the current parking permit issued by your own country and proof of ID, such as a valid passport or comparable identification, to verify your ownership of the out-of-country parking permit.  The temporary parking permit may be issued for up to six months and costs $15. 

·     Diabetic Assistance: The American Diabetes Association offers information on traveling with diabetes, as well as a list of hospitals that offer services to diabetic travelers.

·     Dialysis Centers: The Dialysis Finder lists center locations and maps by ZIP code.

·     Scooters/Wheelchair Rental: CARE Medical Equipment offers wheelchair and scooter rental, oxygen and other medical equipment. Scootarounds are also available in many Florida cities.

·     Beach Wheels: Look through our visitor information listings within each region for destinations that offer Florida beach wheelchairs and other services or information for the physically disabled. Unlike regular wheelchairs, these “beach wheels” have special tires that don’t get stuck in sand. Beach chairs are often provided at no charge and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.