Portuguese 
The National Traffic Council has authorized the refund of fines imposed on drivers who missed the deadline to pay the toll fee at barrier-free tolls. Over 267,000 fines have been included on this list. So far, only 515 drivers have requested their money back.
That’s 0.2% of the total, or two drivers out of every thousand who were fined. The rest have not claimed anything, with the fine paid and the right to reimbursement sitting idle, waiting for someone to come forward and file a complaint.
The report was published on September 10, 2026, revealing a rare situation: there is authorized money for refunds, the process is open, and almost no one has come to collect it.
The Free Flow System Charges Without a Barrier and Provides a Deadline That Many Are Unaware Exists
In the barrier-free toll system, portals installed along the highway read the vehicle’s license plate as it passes at normal speed.
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There are no toll booths, no lines, and no cabins. Charges occur afterward, and the driver needs to pay the fee within a specified timeframe.
That’s where the problem lies. Those who don’t pay on time receive a fine.
Many drivers only discover the portal when the notification arrives. This is because there is nothing on the road that forces a stop, and the visual warning goes unnoticed at highway speeds.
The Fine for Not Paying the Toll Can Reach R$ 195.23
The amount of each fine in this case can reach R$ 195.23, which falls under the serious offense category in the Brazilian Traffic Code.
This amount is disproportionate compared to the toll fee. A toll pass costs just a few reais, while the penalty for forgetting to pay is nearly two hundred.
It was exactly this disproportion, combined with the driver’s difficulty in knowing they passed through a portal, that brought the issue to the attention of the National Traffic Council (Contran).
The Resolution Was Published in April and Has Retroactive Application
The agency published the resolution in April, with retroactive effect. Therefore, it applies to fines that have already been issued and paid.
In practice, the driver who paid the fine last year can also join the refund queue, as long as they meet the specific criteria.
The criteria are narrow and worth emphasizing: they apply to monetary fines imposed on those who missed the deadline to pay the fee for the free flow system. Nothing beyond that.
More Than 267,000 Fines Were Registered, and Only 515 People Showed Up
The total number exceeds 267,000 fines. That’s enough people to fill the Maracanã Stadium twice.
Out of this total, 515 drivers have requested and received their money back. This is equivalent to one and a half busloads of people.
I must admit that the number surprised me more than the decision itself. Refunds from the government usually draw a crowd.
The Most Likely Explanation is That Almost No One Knew About It
Resolutions from the traffic council don’t reach drivers’ smartphones. They are published in official journals, circulate among agencies, and stop there.
Additionally, the fine from the free flow system typically appears months after the trip, by which time the driver may not even remember the segment they drove.
So, the citizen pays, complains, forgets. And the right to reimbursement stays stagnant.
Those Who Have Already Appealed and Lost May Also Be Included
A little-discussed detail: retroactivity does not differentiate between those who appealed and those who paid directly. Therefore, a driver who filed a defense, had their appeal denied, and ended up paying the fine is still eligible.
What matters is the classification of the fine, not the history of appeals. Thus, it’s worth reviewing old fines before discarding the request.
Six Documents Are Required to Request a Refund
The request requires an official restitution form signed by the driver, proof of payment of the toll fee, and proof of payment of the fine.
Additionally, it includes an official document with a photo, which can be an ID, CPF, or the driving license itself; the vehicle’s CRLV; and the bank account details in the owner’s name.
The requirement for an account in the owner’s name often stalls cases involving sold cars or vehicles registered under a company’s name. It’s worth checking this point before preparing the paperwork.
There’s a second deadline in November that deserves attention
The balance sheet also includes an operational date: outstanding fees must be settled by November 16.
Anyone with an open ticket who does not regularize within this deadline will return to the same cycle that generated the fines in the first place.
In other words, the refund resolves the past. The November calendar addresses the present.
It’s advisable to check both matters at once. However, the processes are different: the fee is paid through the concessionaire’s channel, while the refund is requested from the agency that issued the fine.
The free flow system is spreading across federal highways
The barrier-free model is no longer the exception. It is advancing in both federal and state concessions because it eliminates queues, reduces consumption, and decreases the risk of rear-end collisions at toll plazas.
On the other hand, it places the responsibility of remembering to pay on the driver. And it is precisely here that the problem arises, which led to 267,000 fines.
Those wanting to better understand the workings can also see how the barrier-free toll system has been implemented in the country.
How to know if you are on the list
The way to find out is to check the vehicle’s infractions in the system of the issuing agency and identify if any refer to non-payment of free flow fees.
The Ministry of Transport’s traffic portal gathers the official channels for inquiries and for the procedures for appeals and refunds.
If the fine applies, the request proceeds with the documentation listed above. If it does not apply, no refund is provided for that case.
A right that exists and is not exercised becomes statistics
The issue with free flow highlights a known mechanism: the State corrects an unjust charge, publishes the correction, and fails to notify those charged.
While the information does not circulate, the R$ 195.23 remains in the coffers of the issuer, and the correction merely becomes a number in a report.
Five hundred and fifteen people have found the way. Two hundred sixty-seven thousand have not yet. What do you think of that number?
Have you ever been fined for forgetting to pay a toll without a barrier?
