Rental Car Tolls

Question

We have booked a UK Virgin Holidays car hire package landing at SF in September 25. The car is via Hertz and we spend 2 days in SF and then head off down south via the PCH to LA and then inland returning to SF from the north. Our hotel is the Columbus Inn.

We will be crossing the Golden Gate Bridge from the north at the end of our 17 day trip which i understand attracts a toll.

I`m loathed to purchase the rental companies toll pass and was planning to register the licence plate when in the US for the 1 time journey across the bridge via the bayareafastrak website.I will check to see if any other toll roads on our journey but don`t think there are. Can someone please advise if this is the cheapest or best way of managing the above? Many thanks

Answer

Your plan to avoid the rental company’s toll program is absolutely reasonable and very common for visitors. Since your only unavoidable toll is the southbound crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge, you can safely and cheaply pay it yourself without using Hertz’s toll service.

In California, the Golden Gate Bridge uses all-electronic tolling, meaning no cash booths. For rental cars, you have a couple of cost-effective options, but one stands out as the easiest and cheapest.

Below is a clear breakdown of what to expect, how to pay, and what to avoid so you don’t get hit with unnecessary fees.

Use the Golden Gate Bridge “One-Time Payment” system: You simply wait until you have the rental car and know the license plate. Then you go to the official toll payment page and make a single payment for your southbound crossing.
This avoids Hertz’s toll program fees entirely: Hertz typically charges a daily convenience fee whether you use tolls that day or not. For a single $9–$10 toll, their program ends up far more expensive.
No need to pre-register a FasTrak account: A one-time payment is enough for a single crossing, and you do not need a transponder or long-term account.

Here is what to expect when paying the Golden Gate Bridge toll yourself.

Cost: The toll for standard vehicles (southbound only) is usually around $9–$10 depending on the current year’s rate. You’ll pay this directly, with no additional fees.
Timing: You can pay anytime from 30 days before the crossing up to 48 hours afterward. Many travelers do it the evening before or right after picking up the car.
What you need: Just the rental car’s license plate and your credit card.
What happens if you forget? The toll agency will send the bill to Hertz, and Hertz will then charge you the toll plus their administrative fee (which is what you want to avoid), so paying it yourself is the best approach.

Good news: There are no tolls on the route from San Francisco down the Pacific Coast Highway to Los Angeles, nor on typical inland highways returning north. The Bay Area’s main toll roads are bridges you are not planning to use.

You might consider these additional tips while planning:

Exiting SF northbound over the Golden Gate Bridge is free: Only southbound trips incur a toll.
Other bridges (Bay Bridge, Richmond–San Rafael, San Mateo–Hayward, etc.) all charge tolls, but they are avoidable given your itinerary.
If you accidentally use any other toll bridge: You can still pay online using the one-time payment system.

Overall, your strategy—skipping Hertz’s toll program and paying the Golden Gate Bridge toll manually—is the cheapest and simplest method. As long as you pay before or within 48 hours after the crossing, you will not incur any penalties.

Enjoy your drive along Highway 1—it's one of the most beautiful road trips in the world!