Error on a Highway Toll Sticker: When Can You Correct the License Plate Number and Get a Refund?

The electronic toll sticker system is a prime example of the interplay between legislation, digital technologies, and user responsibility. Although many drivers appreciate the convenience of purchasing a toll sticker online, they also expose themselves to the risk of legal consequences resulting from carelessness or incorrect information. From a legal perspective, it is essential to understand that this is not a consumer relationship, but a public-law institution governed by specific rules.

An electronic toll sticker is not a sales contract

A key aspect of the legal classification of an electronic highway vignette is its public-law nature. It is a time-based fee for the use of selected roads, specifically highways and certain expressways. This fee is regulated by the Road Act. Therefore, although the term “electronic highway vignette” has become commonplace, it is not recognized by law.

Unlike a typical purchase of goods or services, paying for a toll sticker online does not constitute a sales contract under the Civil Code. For this reason, it is not possible to unilaterally withdraw from the “contract,” for example, under Section 1829 of the Civil Code (consumer contracts concluded at a distance). Therefore, there is generally no right to a refund of the fee paid for an unused vignette—with the exceptions listed below.

The time-based fee is tied to the license plate

The time-based fee paid (for the highway vignette) is tied to the specific license plate number of the vehicle, not to its owner or operator. This information is crucial—entering the wrong license plate number may result in a fine during an inspection.

Since January 2021, it has been possible to purchase a highway vignette online at edalnice.cz or through terminals and branches of contracted partners. The system then links the vehicle’s license plate to the validity period of the vignette.

From a legal standpoint, this creates a public-law relationship between the fee payer and the state, whereby the state (through the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure—SFDI) grants authorization to use toll road sections for a specific period of time. The time-based fee can be paid for 1 year, 30 days, 10 days, or 1 day.

Is it possible to correct incorrect information?

If you entered an incorrect license plate number or country of registration when purchasing an electronic toll sticker, you do not automatically have to buy a new one. It depends on when you discover the error and the extent of the mistake.

Before the vignette becomes valid, you can change the license plate number and country of registration once. Even after the vignette becomes valid, however, you can make a one-time correction of up to two characters in the license plate number and the country of registration, provided certain conditions are met. You can make the correction in the Vignette Management section on the official edalnice.gov.cz portal using the authorization code from your payment confirmation. If you purchased the vignette at a retail location with immediate validity, you can also resolve the error within 15 minutes at the same location.

So, if you’re wondering how to correct an error on your highway vignette, first check whether a correction is still possible. You’ll need to purchase a new vignette only if the error cannot be corrected through the permitted procedure.

There is no right to a refund for entering incorrect information

You cannot request a refund for a highway vignette simply because the driver did not use it or changed their mind about the purchase. However, there are specific situations in which you can request a refund of the time-based fee paid.

According to the rules of the official eDalnice system, a request can be submitted, for example, in the case of a duplicate purchase of a vignette for the same vehicle and period, a purchase made for a nonexistent license plate number, an incorrectly specified country of registration, or payment for a vehicle that is exempt from the fee. The possibility of a refund also applies to certain cases of an incorrectly selected rate. However, simply entering the wrong license plate number on the vignette does not automatically guarantee that the request will be granted.

A refund request can be submitted through the official portal edalnice.gov.cz, generally within three years of purchasing the vignette. A processing fee of 75 CZK is charged for handling the request. Therefore, if you need to file a complaint regarding an electronic toll sticker, first verify whether your case falls under one of the recognized grounds for a refund. It is not necessary to automatically rely on the civil law provisions regarding unjust enrichment.

Case law in this area has not yet been established, so we recommend that you always carefully check the information and take advantage of the option to change the details before the time-based fee (for electronic toll stickers) takes effect.

Where to Buy a Toll Sticker

Both government agencies and private entities are involved in the collection of time-based tolls (electronic toll stickers). The law allows for the collection of time-based tolls to be carried out by third parties under a public-law contract.

In practice, this means that drivers can purchase a toll sticker online, at a Czech Post branch, or, for example, at a ČEPRO gas station. However, even in these cases, this constitutes the collection of a public-law fee, not a commercial relationship between the customer and the operator of the respective location.

What data does the system record?

The time-based toll system (electronic toll stickers) records the following data:

• License plate number and country of registration
• fuel type (e.g., natural gas, biomethane—for exemption purposes)
• date and time of payment
• Start and end of validity period
• contact email or phone number (if provided)

From a legal standpoint, it is important that this information is limited to the purpose of administrative oversight and must not be used or disclosed to third parties without cause. The system may also send you a notification regarding the approaching expiration of your sticker, but only if you provided contact information at the time of purchase.

What if I don’t pay?

Failure to pay the toll is an administrative offense punishable by a fine of up to 20,000 CZK. Inspections are conducted by the Czech Police and the Customs Administration, both through random checks and via a camera system linked to a central database.

If a driver uses a toll section of the highway without a valid electronic toll sticker and the vehicle is not exempt from the toll, the driver may be committing an offense under the Road Traffic Act. The fine for an invalid toll sticker can reach up to 20,000 CZK in administrative proceedings. If the legal conditions are met, the offense may also be handled via an on-the-spot citation. The driver, not automatically the vehicle operator, is responsible for driving without having paid the time-based toll. Separate obligations and potential liability on the part of the operator may arise, for example, in connection with an incorrect declaration of exemption.

Who Must Have a Toll Sticker and When?

Motor vehicles with at least four wheels and a maximum authorized weight not exceeding 3.5 metric tons must have an electronic toll sticker when traveling on toll sections of highways, unless they are exempt from the toll. The weight of the vehicle itself, as stated in its documentation, is what matters—not the current load or the weight of the entire vehicle combination. Therefore, if a passenger car is towing a trailer and the combined weight exceeds 3.5 metric tons, a toll sticker is still required for the towing vehicle. The trailer does not require a separate vignette. Motorcycles are not subject to the obligation to pay a time-based toll.

The vignette requirement does not apply to all highways, but only to those sections that are explicitly marked as toll roads. These sections are usually marked with a traffic sign reading “Highway – Toll Section.”

Who is exempt from paying?

The law provides for several exceptions under which a vehicle is exempt from paying the time-based toll for using highways. Exempt vehicles include, in particular:

• vehicles powered exclusively by electricity or hydrogen,
• historic vehicles with a special license plate and a historic vehicle permit,
• vehicles transporting holders of a ZTP or ZTP/P card issued in the Czech Republic, provided that the vehicle is operated by the person with a disability or a close relative,
• vehicles transporting dependent children undergoing treatment for selected serious illnesses.

For some vehicles, the exemption applies automatically; for others, prior notification is required. For example, for electric vehicles registered abroad, the exemption must be reported. Vehicles powered by natural gas (CNG or LNG) or biomethane are not exempt from the fee but are eligible for a discounted price on the highway toll sticker. Simply registering a vehicle as a sports vehicle does not qualify it for an exemption.

Summary

The electronic toll sticker is a public-law time-based fee for using selected highways. If you enter an incorrect license plate number when purchasing it, you can correct it under certain conditions even after the sticker becomes valid, but only for up to two characters. Refunds for toll stickers are possible in specific cases, such as duplicate purchases, entering a nonexistent license plate number, or payment for an exempt vehicle. Drivers face a fine of up to 20,000 CZK for driving without a valid toll sticker. The obligation to pay the time-based fee applies to motor vehicles with at least four wheels and a maximum authorized weight of up to 3.5 metric tons, unless they are exempt. The weight of the vehicle itself is decisive, not that of the entire combination with a trailer. Exemptions apply, for example, to vehicles powered exclusively by electricity or hydrogen, or—under specified conditions—to vehicles transporting holders of a ZTP or ZTP/P card.