Toll Roads in the Dominican Republic: How to Pay and What You Need to Know

Nearly all of the country's major highways are equipped with toll booths (Spanish: Peajes). If you're planning a self-drive trip around the Dominican Republic, check before you set off whether your route passes through one of these toll sections.

Important: toll payments are not included in the cost of car rental. There's no way to avoid tolls entirely, but free alternative routes almost always exist. That said, given the road quality and the extra distance involved, we wouldn't recommend using them — the time and hassle of a detour usually isn't worth the small amount you'd save.

How toll booths work

A Peaje is a checkpoint along the route that you pay at in both directions. There are exceptions, though: in the capital, Santo Domingo, entering the city from the Punta Cana side is free, but exiting is not.

Payment methods

Tolls are paid exclusively in cash and only in local currency — US dollars are not accepted. The amount due is displayed on a screen as you approach the booth.

If you don't have cash on hand, or you'd rather skip the process of paying at the booth, you can get a transponder — a special sticker that attaches to the inside of your windshield and is read automatically as you drive through.

One key detail: if all lanes are equipped with automatic readers, cash is only accepted in the right-hand lane — look for a blue sign reading "Pago Efectivo."

How to get and top up a transponder

• You can buy one at an office (usually located to the right of the toll booth itself) or at many gas stations.
• The sticker itself is free, but the minimum top-up amount is 500 pesos (about $9 USD).
• Any remaining balance cannot be cashed out.
• When you get one, you'll have access to an online account where you can check your balance — top-ups can be made either at the office or online with a bank card.

Motorcycles ride free

Motorcycles, regardless of engine size, pass through free of charge in the designated right-hand lane.

How much does it cost

Toll fees for passenger cars range from 60 to 585 pesos. For trucks, the fee can go up to 2,194 pesos (about $40 USD).

It's worth noting that the price has nothing to do with proximity to resort areas, as many people assume. What actually drives the cost is the complexity of the road and its capacity. That's why paying 585 pesos for a 15 km stretch through the El Catey toll booth — a mountain highway along the coast with a stunning view — is well justified. If you're in the area, be sure to stop at the Mirador Carretera Las Terrenas viewpoint.

Key tip

Keep some cash in local currency on hand and decide how you'll pay before you reach the toll booth, so you don't hold up traffic. If paying in cash, stay in the right-hand lane.