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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to your questions about eFlow:

What to do if your vehicle was sold?

For vehicles registered before 1/1/93-click here https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/pdf/RF200_en.pdf

If you sell your vehicle to a motor dealer, you have to complete a FormRF105 (pdf) which is available from the motor dealer.

For vehicles registered since 1st January 1993; if you sell your vehicle privately, part B of the Vehicle Licensing Certificate, (Vehicle Registration Certificate for vehicles registered after April 2004) which you would have received when you bought the vehicle, should be completed and returned to the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division (DVCSD). The new details will be registered and the certificate will be sent to the new owner. The Vehicle Registration Certificate, which you also get when you buy a vehicle that was registered before April 2004, should be given to the new owner at the time of the sale. Please ensure that you use the Vehicle Licensing Certificate, which should be sent to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division, Shannon Town Centre, Co. Clare.

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What to do if your address has been changed?

If your address has been changed, the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division (DVCSD) should be notified for the vehicle ownership records to be updated. Once this has updated on their system, ours will update automatically.

Please contact the DVCSD by phone:

1890 20 20 21 or 01 888 2000

If your vehicle is registered in Northern Ireland, please contact the DVLNI (http://www.dvlni.gov.uk/contactUs.htm)

If you are an eFlow registered customer, please also contact eFlow Customer Service to update your address or any other contact details.

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Which part of the M50 is tolled?

The tolled section is between:

  • Junction 6 - the intersection with the N3 national road (also called the Blanchardstown exit) and
  • Junction 7 - the intersection with the N4 national road (also called the Lucan exit)

 As it is barrier-free you do not have to stop.

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How do I pay?

The following options are available for payment of eFlow M50 toll charges:


Registered Customers

Pre-paid account (tag or video):

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Laser
  • Direct Debit from a current account with an Irish bank Note: this only applies to
    Direct Debits for accounts held in banks in the Republic of Ireland

Toll charges are automatically deducted from your account credit each time you make a journey on the tolled section of the M50. You must ensure that there are sufficient funds available from your chosen payment method to allow eFlow to top-up your account when required. We will automatically credit your account with your agreed top-up amount once the account reaches the low balance threshold of €12.00.


Post-paid account (tag or video):

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Laser
  • Direct Debit from a current account with an Irish bank  Note: this only applies to
    Direct Debits for accounts held in banks in the Republic of Ireland


If you choose a post-paid account, the toll charges will accumulate on your account each time you make a journey on the tolled section of the M50. A monthly invoice is issued and your balance due is automatically charged from your payment method.


Unregistered Customers

  • Online at www.eflow.ie (Laser, Visa, Mastercard)
  • Telephone our call centre on the numbers below (Laser, Visa, Mastercard):

Lo-Call (from Ireland): 1890 50 10 50

Local Area 01 4610011

From NI / UK: 0845 30 15 405

International phone numbers:

+800 50105011

00 353 14610122

 

Use our automated payment service (24 hours) or speak to one of our Customer Service Representatives (7am – 11pm Monday-Sunday).

  • Payzone (Cash, Laser, Visa, Mastercard, Payzone Mastercard).
  • Please visit www.payzone.ie to find a list of outlets near you.
  • A pre-payment facility is also available for unregistered customers using one of the above methods.


Payment is due before the cut-off time of 8pm the day after your journey.
Failure to pay before this deadline will result in an additional penalty of €3 being applied to the original toll.

Note: If you miss the 8pm next-day deadline, a penalty notice will be issued to you by post and the reference number of this notice must be used when making the penalty payment. Please take your bar coded letter (with the Standard Toll Request / Unpaid Toll Notice Number) with you to Payzone. The barcode(s) must be scanned when making payment as this allows our system to match payments where applicable and avoids any unnecessary penalties being issued.
Even if you have not yet received the notice by post, payment can be made by contacting us on the numbers above.

 

Does the operation of the eFlow barrier-free tolling system breach my data protection rights?

The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner engaged in extensive interactions with the National Roads Authority in relation to the barrier-free tolling system. The operation of the system involves access by a private entity (BetEire Flow Ltd.) to official vehicle ownership data but an appropriate legislative basis exists for such access (under the provisions of the relevant Roads Acts). BetEire Flow Ltd. is acting under the aegis of the National Roads Authority in the operation of the system and, subject to contracts between the two entities, it would be entitled to access the information in certain limited circumstances.

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Can I use my tag on other toll roads or can I use my existing tag on the M50?

The eFlow tag is accepted on all toll roads within the Republic of Ireland.

All existing toll tags from approved suppliers are accepted on all toll roads - including the M50. This is called "interoperability".

So if you already have a tag from a supplier approved by the National Roads Authority (NRA), you do not have to register with eFlow. The main suppliers are: eFlow, MiniTag, Easytrip (merger of EazyPass and eTrip), Eirtag, PassDirect and Tolltag.

However, to ensure that your existing tag is detected through the eFlow gantry, make sure that you install your tag correctly on your vehicle's windscreen. Please contact your supplier for instructions.

If your tag is incorrectly positioned, it will not be detected by eFlow, and you will be invoiced as an unregistered customer.

Note: New Tags will work immediately on the M50 toll road; however it can take up to 48 hours to become active on all other toll roads

The eFlow tag is accepted on all toll roads within the Republic of Ireland. These roads are:

  • N8 Rathcormac/ Fermoy Bypass
  • M1 Motorway (Gormanston to Monasterboice)
  • M4 Kilcock – Enfield – Kinnegad Motorway
  • East Link Toll Bridge
  • Dublin Port Tunnel
  • N25 Waterford
  • N6 Galway – Ballinasloe
  • M7/M8 Motorway (Portlaoise Castletown / Cullahill)
  • Limerick Tunnel
  • M3 Motorway (Clonee to North of Kells)

We will give further updates on this website whenever new toll roads are introduced around Ireland.

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What is the best option if I am an infrequent user?

With eFlow you have three options:

  • Register for a tag account
  • Register for a video account
  • Don't register, then pay after each trip

To explain the differences in charges between tag and video accounts and help you decide which option is best for you, here are three examples:

Example 1 - Tag account for a car

This will suit the frequent user. It costs €2 per trip, plus an account management fee of €1.21 per tag per month (the €1.21 management fee will be charged each month even if no trips are made). There is no purchase price charge with the eFlow tag.

Example costs:

  • 1 trip per month x €2/trip = €2 + €1.21 management fee = €3.21
  • 10 trips per month x €2/trip = €20 + €1.21 management fee = €21.21
  • 20 trips per month x €2./trip = €40 + €1.21 management fee = €41.21

Example 2 - Video account for a car

This may suit the infrequent user. It costs €2.50 per trip and there is no account management fee.

Example costs:

  • 1 trip per month x €2.50/trip = €2.50
  • 10 trips per month x €2.50/trip = €25.00
  • 20 trips per month x €2.50/trip = €50.00

Example 3 - Not registering

If you choose not to register for an eFlow account you will be charged €3 per trip for your car, but you must pay before 8pm on the following day, otherwise you are liable to incur further charges. This may also suit infrequent users.

If you use the M50 10 times per year it will cost as follows:

  • 10 trips per year x €3/trip = €30

Unregistered users can pay the toll at a nearby designated Payzone outlet, online at www.eflow.ie or through our Customer Service Centre at 1890 501050.

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Can I switch my tag to another vehicle?

Tags are not transferable from one vehicle to another. Because of the technology used, especially vehicle identification by automated image recognition, each tag is associated with a specific vehicle.

You will require a tag for each vehicle, or you can review your eFlow account type options.

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What are the main differences between tag and video?

eFlow on the M50 works as follows; there are two gantries, northbound and southbound at the toll point, which every vehicle using the motorway passes under.

Each gantry is fitted with equipment to photograph the licence plate (for "video tolling"). It also detects if the vehicle is equipped with an electronic tag (for "tag tolling").

Vehicles without tags are detected by their licence plate number and charged appropriately. Vehicles equipped with tags are also detected and charged accordingly.

With eFlow you have three options:

  • Register for a tag account
  • Register for a video account
  • Don't register, but pay after each trip

The following examples give an idea of the differences in charges between tag and video accounts, in order to help you decide which option suits you best.

Example 1 - Tag account for a car

This will suit the frequent user. It costs €2 per trip plus an account management fee of €1.21 per tag per month. There is no purchase price charge with the eFlow tag.

Example costs:

  • 1 trip per month x €2/trip = €2 + €1.21 management fee = €3.21
  • 10 trips per month x €2/trip = €20 + €1.21 management fee = €21.21
  • 20 trips per month x €2./trip = €40 + €1.21 management fee = €41.21

(The €1.21 management fee will be charged each month even if no trips are made)

Example 2 - Video account for a car

This may suit the less frequent user. It costs €2.50 per trip and there is no account management fee.

Example costs:

  • 1 trip per month x €2.50/trip = €2.50
  • 10 trips per month x €2.50/trip = €25.00
  • 20 trips per month x €2.50/trip = €50.00

Irrespective of the option you choose (i.e. register for a tag account, register for a video account or remain unregistered and pay after each trip), all vehicles that use the M50 Toll Road are photographed/video recorded. These photographs/images are retained for the purposes of enforcement and to address and resolve any disputes that may arise in relation to a vehicle or an account.

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What vehicles are exempt?

The following vehicles and road users are exempt:

  • Motor cycles
  • Specially adapted vehicles for disabled persons
  • Ambulances, fire brigade vehicles and Garda vehicles
  • South Dublin and Fingal County Council goods vehicles used for council work

If you have a vehicle that is exempted from paying tolls (for example, if you drive a vehicle modified for disabled use), and the vehicle is registered by the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division (DVCSD) as such, then you will be exempt from paying tolls and you will not need to register for an eFlow account.

As you drive under the eFlow gantry on the M50, the photographic equipment will detect your vehicle, but you will not be charged.

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Are there any hidden charges?

There are no hidden charges with eFlow. All charges are displayed in our terms and conditions.

With eFlow you have three options for paying a toll:

  • Registering for a tag account: costs €2 per trip (car) plus an account management fee of €1.21 per month per tag. There is no purchase price charge with the eFlow tag. Defective tags will be replaced, but there is a replacement charge of €24.20 for lost, damaged or stolen tags. Please note that the €1.21 management fee will be charged each month even if no trips are made.
  • Registering for a video account: costs €2.50 per trip (car) and there is no account management fee.
  • Not registering, and paying after each trip: the charge is €3 per trip (car), but you must remember to pay before 8pm on the following day. Find out more about the penalties for late payment.

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Pre-paid / post paid - what's the difference?

The following three options are available with eFlow:

Option 1 - Pre-payment (for registered users):

Toll charges are automatically deducted from your account each time you make a trip on the tolled section of the M50.

Pre-paid account holders must ensure that there are sufficient funds available from their chosen payment means to allow eFlow to top up the account when required. eFlow's system will automatically credit the account with the agreed top-up amount once the account reaches the agreed low balance threshold.

Option 2 - Post-payment (for registered users):

If you choose a post-pay account, the toll charges will be incurred on the account every time you make a trip. A monthly invoice is issued and you are automatically charged by the payment means specified.

Option 3 - Post-payment - pay as you go (for unregistered users):

Unregistered users have until 8pm on the day after a trip to pay the toll.

You can do this in several ways:

  • Visit the eFlow website at www.eflow.ie
  • Drop in to a Payzone retailer displaying an eFlow logo
  • Call our Customer Services Centre to pay by phone

If you have a pre-paid account, you can view your statements on our website www.eflow.ie. Statements are also provided through your chosen channel (post or email).

If you have a post-paid account, an invoice will be issued at the end of each month through your chosen channel (post, email etc).

If you prepay the toll and then do not use the M50, there is no expiry date on the credit. If you want your money back you will need to close your eFlow account. If you have a tag account you will receive your refund when you return your eFlow tag to us.

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What is the €40 start-up fee for?

Customers who choose to register for a pre-paid eFlow tag account or video account will need to pay this account start-up balance of €40.

This is not a purchase fee, but is an initial pre-payment credit amount against which toll charges are set. eFlow's systems will automatically credit your pre-paid account with the agreed top-up amount once your account reaches the agreed low balance threshold, which is currently €12.

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How do you manage foreign vehicles?

Foreign-registered vehicles using the M50 are subject to the same rules as Irish-registered vehicles.

For all motorists using the M50, whether registered or unregistered, national or foreign, the non-payment of tolls is an offence under the legislation. The National Roads Authority has therefore established a rigorous enforcement policy implemented through a trans-European enforcement agency to assist in the recovery of unpaid toll charges and fines and the prosecution of all toll evaders of Irish or foreign registered vehicles.

The onus is also on foreign motorists arriving in any country to be aware of bye-laws and rules of the road. Information is also available through motoring organisations, car hire companies and tourist bodies here and abroad.

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