Veterans in Texas do not pay tolls on most Texas toll roads if they have a qualifying service-connected disability, drive a Texas-registered vehicle displaying an eligible specialty license plate, and enroll with each toll authority whose roads they use. The exemption is required by state law but is not automatic, and a handful of privately operated toll lanes fall outside it entirely.1Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT Veterans Discount Program
Who Qualifies
Texas Transportation Code Section 372.053 requires every toll authority in the state to run a veteran discount program. You qualify if the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has certified a service-connected disability rating of at least 50 percent, or a 40 percent rating due to amputation of a lower extremity.1Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT Veterans Discount Program
The exemption is tied to the license plate, not to the driver personally. If your qualifying plate is on the vehicle, the toll is waived regardless of who is behind the wheel. Drive a different vehicle without the right plate and you pay the standard toll, disability status notwithstanding.
Which License Plates Trigger the Exemption
Section 372.053 references specific specialty plates through Sections 504.202 and 504.315(f) and (g) of the Transportation Code.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code Section 372.053 – Veteran Discount Program The vehicle must be registered in Texas and display one of the following:
- Disabled Veteran plate (for veterans meeting the disability thresholds above)
- Purple Heart plate
- Legion of Valor plate, issued to recipients of the Medal of Honor, Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, or Navy Cross
A Disabled Veteran specialty plate costs $3 per year. Registration and local fees are waived on one vehicle. DV plates can be placed on additional vehicles at no extra plate cost, though those vehicles still owe standard registration and local fees.3Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Texas Supports Disabled Veterans
Which Toll Roads Are Covered
Texas has several independent toll authorities. Each one runs its own veteran program under the state mandate, so coverage is broad but not universal.
TxDOT Toll Roads and Managed Lanes
TxDOT’s veteran discount program covers its own toll roads and managed lanes. In the Houston area, that includes the SH 288 Managed Lanes. In Dallas-Fort Worth, it covers TxDOT-managed TEXpress Lanes on SH 183, Loop 12, SH 114, I-635E, I-30, and I-35E.1Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT Veterans Discount Program
Three sets of DFW TEXpress lanes are not covered, because they are managed by private concessionaires rather than TxDOT: the LBJ TEXpress lanes, the North Tarrant Express (NTE) TEXpress lanes, and the NTE 35W TEXpress lanes. Veterans are charged standard tolls on those lanes regardless of plate type.1Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT Veterans Discount Program The lanes look identical to the covered ones and share the TEXpress branding, which is how the exclusion catches people off guard.
HCTRA in the Houston Area
The Harris County Toll Road Authority waives tolls entirely for disabled veterans with qualifying plates under its Disabled Veteran Discount Toll Program. HCTRA identifies eligible plates by matching toll users against a database of DV plate patterns supplied by TxDMV.4Harris County Toll Road Authority. HCTRA Salutes Our Veterans
CTRMA in the Austin Area
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority runs a Qualified Service Member Program on its Austin-area toll roads. Enrollment is not automatic. You confirm you have a qualifying plate and an electronic tag with no outstanding charges, then submit a registration form with your vehicle information, plate number, and full tag ID.5Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. Qualified Service Member Program
How to Enroll
Step one is getting the specialty plate. TxDMV handles issuance, and you will need to provide proof of your VA disability certification.
Step two is making sure each toll system knows about the plate. This is where veterans most often run into trouble. HCTRA matches plates against a TxDMV database automatically. CTRMA requires an application and a tag account. Do not assume the exemption is active just because the right plate is on your car.5Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. Qualified Service Member Program
If you drive toll roads run by more than one authority, confirm your status with each of them separately. A veteran enrolled with HCTRA in Houston who occasionally drives CTRMA roads in Austin can still be billed for the Austin trips if they never registered with CTRMA.
The HCTRA Takeover of TxTag
As of November 9, 2024, HCTRA took over toll billing and customer service for TxDOT toll roads in the Austin and Houston regions. Existing TxTag accounts were migrated to EZ TAG accounts managed through HCTRA.org rather than TxTag.org. TxDOT still owns and maintains the physical roads, and the Texas Transportation Commission still sets toll rates, but HCTRA handles the billing.6Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT Teams Up With HCTRA to Enhance Toll Operations
If your veteran exemption was previously registered through a TxTag account, verify that it carried over cleanly. Veterans who receive an unexpected toll bill for travel on these roads should contact HCTRA at 281-875-3279 or email eztagstore@hctra.org.4Harris County Toll Road Authority. HCTRA Salutes Our Veterans
If You Get Billed Anyway
Billing errors happen, especially right after you get new plates, switch vehicles, or during account migrations like the HCTRA transition. If the system does not recognize the exemption, you are billed like any other driver, and unpaid invoices accumulate administrative fees quickly. CTRMA, for example, escalates unpaid invoices to more than $500 in fees within 120 days.
Contact the relevant authority as soon as an unexpected charge shows up. For HCTRA-managed roads, call 281-875-3279. For CTRMA, use the contact details on their site. Have your plate number and any electronic tag ID ready. The exemption covers the toll itself, but administrative fees already assessed may not be reversed automatically if the exemption was not properly registered at the time of travel.
Out-of-State Veteran Plates Don’t Work
The exemption applies only to vehicles registered in Texas with a qualifying Texas specialty plate.1Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT Veterans Discount Program A disabled veteran plate issued by another state will not trigger the Texas exemption. If you have relocated or regularly drive Texas toll roads, get Texas plates through TxDMV.
If Your Disability Rating Is Below 50 Percent
The state toll exemption has a firm 50 percent floor (or 40 percent with a qualifying amputation). Veterans below that threshold do not qualify, but the VA’s Beneficiary Travel program reimburses toll costs when you’re traveling to VA medical appointments or VA-approved community care, provided at least one of the following applies:7Veterans Affairs. File and Manage Travel Reimbursement Claims
- You have a 30 percent or higher disability rating
- You are traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition, even with a rating below 30 percent
- You receive a VA pension
- Your income is below the maximum VA pension rate
- You cannot afford travel costs under VA guidelines
- You are traveling for a C&P exam, service dog care, or VA-approved transplant care
Travel pay covers mileage, parking, and tolls. Claims must be filed within 30 days of the appointment, and late claims are usually denied.7Veterans Affairs. File and Manage Travel Reimbursement Claims Veterans who already qualify for the Texas toll exemption have no toll charges to reimburse. Veterans between 30 and 49 percent can still recover toll costs this way when the trip is for medical care.