FASTag Made Simple: Apply and Recharge Online in Minutes

By
Abhishree Sharma
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An image showing a person holding a FASTag card with the text "FASTag made simple: Apply and Recharge online in minutes" highlighting easy online toll services.

The long queue at the toll plazas is no more in the present-day busy world. India has a much more convenient way to travel around the roads, owing to the introduction of a seamless and cashless way of paying the toll by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) via the FASTag. So whether you are an experienced driver or a first-time owner of a vehicle, and you are unfamiliar with these details, learning how to apply for and recharge your FASTag online can take your time, energy and even money.

And this blog is going to take you through all you ought to know, including the meaning of FASTag, how to get it, and also the various alternatives for recharging the same through the Internet.

What is FASTag?

FASTag is an electronic toll collection system that reloads itself run by the NHAI. It applies the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems that allow payments of tolls out of a prepaid or linked account, when the vehicle passes the toll booths. The FASTag is fitted on the windscreen of your car and automatically doubles as the payment of the toll charge, and thus the need for cash payment is ignored, and the wastage of time spent in a toll plaza is also avoided.

It is also mandatory that all vehicles using the national highways of India use FASTag from February 15, 2021.

Why Use FASTag?

The following are the key advantages of FASTag:

  • Cashless Transactions: There is no need to carry cash and change or pause to go and get change.
  • Saves Time: Say goodbye to waiting in long queues at the toll booths; enjoy a ride through FASTag lanes.
  • SMS Alerts: Receive toll deduction updates and balance instantly.
  • Online Recharge: On the go, anytime, anywhere.
  • Environment-Friendly: Eco-friendly because it saves fuel and emissions on the road due to less idling.
  • Valid for 5 Years: After activation, the FASTag has a 5-year validity.

How to Apply for FASTag Online

Online FASTag application is simple and can be accomplished with a few steps. You may apply using official bank websites, digital wallets such as Paytm and PhonePe, or using the portal that is approved by NHAI.

1. Through Banks (HDFC, ICICI, SBI, Axis, etc.)

FASTag services are available in most of the major banks in India. This is the way you can apply:

Steps:

  • Go to the official page of the bank you would like to visit.
  • The easiest place to find it is the section called FASTag (it is typically located in the cards or vehicle services section).
  • Press the button with the notice saying Apply Now.
  • Provide the necessary information, which includes:
    • Vehicle Registration Number
    • Owner’s Name
    • Mobile Number
    • Address
  • Upload soft copies of the documents needed:
    • RC (Registration Certificate)
    • Passport-size photo
    • KYC documents (Aadhaar, PAN, etc.)
  • Pay the money (Approximately 100 rs is the payment of the tag, there is a security deposit and a minimum balance).
  • As soon as this is verified, the FASTag will be posted to you.

2. Through Digital Wallets (Paytm, PhonePe, Amazon Pay, etc.)

These browsers have made it even more easy.

Steps:

  • Launch the corresponding application (Paytm, PhonePe, and so on).
  • In the recharge or transport section, search for the FASTag service.
  • Click Buy FASTag.
  • Fill out the information of your vehicle and attach the required documents.
  • Pay.
  • Your address will receive FASTag in a couple of days.

3. NHAI’s MyFASTag App

There is also an option to do it by using MyFASTag app, which is developed by NHAI.

Steps:

  • Get the app, MyFASTag on Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
  • Click on Buy FASTag in the menu.
  • Select your issuing bank.
  • Fill in the application/payment procedure.
  • Tag will be sent or connected to your account to be picked up.

Documents Required to Apply

  • Vehicle’s Registration Certificate (RC)
  • KYC documents (Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID, etc.)
  • Passport-size photograph (digital format)
  • Valid mobile number

How to Recharge FASTag Online

It is as easy as recharging your phone. You may apply through multiple platforms like a cell phone purse, a financial institution’s site or a UPI application or even the MyFASTag application.

1. Using Mobile Wallets (Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay)

Steps:

  1. Launch the application and go to the FASTag card.
  2. Put in your vehicle number or tag ID.
  3. Select the recharging amount.
  4. Pay with your wallet balance, UPI or bank account.
  5. It is immediately added to your FASTag account.

2. Using Bank Portals

Other banks such as ICICI, HDFC, SBI and Axis offer the option of FASTag recharge on their websites and mobile banking apps.

Steps:

  1. Visit the app or the site of your bank.
  2. Click on the FASTag recharge link.
  3. Tag ID or vehicle number.
  4. Select type and fee of payment.
  5. The transaction is closed.

3. Through UPI (Unified Payments Interface)

In case you have a FASTag that is connected to UPI, the recharge is unusually blistering.

Steps:

  1. Launch your UPI app (BHIM / Google Play, and so on).
  2. Enter your FASTag UPI ID (in format: [vehicle number]@bank).
  3. Put the amount that you wish to recharge.
  4. Authorize the charge.
  5. You can instantly recharge your FASTag.

4. MyFASTag App

Steps:

  1. Tap on MyFASTag.
  2. Use a vehicle number as a login.
  3. Click on Wallet recharge.
  4. Fill in the amount you want to pay and pay through UPI or net banking.

How to Check FASTag Balance

It is easy to know your FASTag balance through:

  • Text message reminders following every payment
  • FASTag portal or Bank app
  • MyFASTag smartphone
  • Customer care help line
  • Missed call service (this service is offered by some banks)

Common Issues and Solutions

  1. FASTag Not Scanning at Toll Plaza:
     Ensure that the tag is well-placed on the inside of the windshield and therefore not at all.
  2. Low Balance Despite Recharge:
     It may take some time to reflect, balance, check the payment status, and get back after a few minutes.
  3. Tag Blocked or Blacklisted:
     It may occur in case your KYC is not full or the account you used is idle. Call the customer care or go to your issuing bank.

Final Thoughts

FASTag has changed the way tolls are paid throughout India, and travelling by road is much easier, quicker and convenient. When the process of application is not that complicated, and when there are several convenient ways to recharge FASTag online, why not admit that it has become one of those things that every vehicle owner has to use?

So, whether you are a first-time applicant or you simply want to recharge the FASTag that you have already received, the digital application can make this process take you only a few minutes all without filling in a paper form, standing in a long line and experiencing the stress that it is almost guaranteed to bring.

Thus, even without generalizing, it is high time to switch to FASTag, in case you have not yet switched to it!

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