That familiar plastic E-ZPass mounted on your windshield may soon be a thing of the past.
Massachusetts state transportation officials have confirmed they are transitioning away from traditional hard-case E-ZPass transponders and replacing them with low-cost windshield sticker tags — a move expected to save millions of dollars annually.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has begun issuing RFID (Radio Frequency ID) sticker tags to new customers and for replacements starting March 2026. The sticker attaches directly to the inside of a vehicle's windshield, functioning like the plastic device for toll reading.
MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver told WBUR the stickers cost about 55 cents each, compared to roughly $6 to $7 per traditional plastic transponder — a significant cost difference that could generate substantial long-term savings for the state.
What Massachusetts drivers should know
- Existing plastic E-ZPass transponders will continue working.
- New accounts and replacement devices will receive sticker tags.
- The technology still works with the state’s all-electronic tolling system.
Is this a nationwide change?
E-ZPass operates as a multi-state consortium across 19 states, but each state transportation agency manages its own transponder procurement and rollout decisions. While some states, such as New Jersey, are considering or piloting similar sticker programs to reduce costs, it is not a nationwide initiative.
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