Before junking your car in New Jersey, take the E-ZPass tag out of the car, remove the car’s license plate from your E-ZPass account, and then either move the tag to another vehicle or return it to close your account. Skipping these steps can lead to toll charges, monthly fees, and unreturned tag fees after the car is gone.
Most people focus on the title, the plates, and the cash offer when they sell a junk car. The small plastic tag on the windshield is easy to forget. But handling your E-ZPass before junking your car in New Jersey is one of the simplest ways to protect your money once the car leaves your driveway. This guide walks you through each step in plain language, based on the official New Jersey E-ZPass terms and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) rules.
Why Your E-ZPass Matters When You Junk a Car
Your E-ZPass account is linked to two things. The first is the tag itself. The second is the list of license plates on your account. When a toll reader can’t read your tag, New Jersey E-ZPass can use the plate number to find your account and charge the toll there. That works well while you own the car. It causes trouble once you don’t.
A junk car almost always leaves on a tow truck. If the tag is still inside, it can be read at toll plazas along the way. New Jersey E-ZPass rules say tags must be removed from any vehicle under tow. If they are not, your account can be charged for every toll on that trip.
Your account also stays open, with fees, until you close it the right way. Junking the car does not notify E-ZPass of anything. So a car you no longer own can keep costing you money for months. The fix takes only a few minutes online or by phone.
Step 1: Take the E-ZPass Tag Out of the Car
Do this first, ideally on the day you accept an offer. Remove the tag from the windshield and bring it inside. Keep it somewhere safe until you decide whether to reuse it or send it back.
Also check the glovebox, sun visors, and center console. Many drivers keep a spare tag or an old tag from a previous car in there. Every tag linked to your account should come out of the car before pickup.
What If the Tag Is Mounted on the Outside?
Some vehicles use an exterior tag mounted near the front license plate instead of a windshield tag. These are usually held on with screws or a bracket, so you may need a screwdriver. Remove it carefully. A damaged tag can lead to a fee, which we cover below.
Read More: What Should You Do With License Plates After Selling a Junk Car in NJ?
Step 2: Remove the Car’s License Plate From Your E-ZPass Account
Taking out the tag is only half the job. Your account still lists the junk car’s plate number. If that plate passes a toll reader and no tag is read, the toll can still post to your account.
Log in at ezpassnj.com, open your vehicle list, and delete the car you are junking. You can also call the New Jersey E-ZPass Customer Service Center at 1-888-AUTO-TOLL (1-888-288-6865). The E-ZPass terms require account holders to keep plate information correct and to report any change in vehicle information.
Save a screenshot or write down the confirmation. If a surprise charge shows up later, that record makes it much easier to dispute.
Step 3: Decide Whether to Keep or Close Your Account
If You Have Another Car or Plan to Buy One
You can keep your account open. Add the new car’s plate to your account, then place the tag in the new car. Just make sure the tag type matches the vehicle class. A standard passenger car tag belongs in a passenger car, not a large truck. Using a tag in the wrong type of vehicle can bring a misuse fee.
If You Are Closing the Account
If the junk car was your only vehicle and you don’t plan to use toll roads, closing the account makes sense. You can ask to close it online, by phone, by email, or in writing.
To fully close it, you must return every tag and pay anything you owe. Until that happens, the account stays active and the monthly service fee keeps being charged. Once everything is settled, your leftover prepaid balance is refunded to you. If you paid by cash or check, you also get your tag deposit back when the tags come back in good condition.
How to Return Your E-ZPass Tag in New Jersey
You have two options. You can drop the tag off in person at a New Jersey E-ZPass Customer Service Center, or you can mail it to the official tag return address.
NJ E-ZPass Customer Service Center
P.O. Box 52003
Newark, NJ 07101-8203
When mailing, include a short signed note with your name, account number, and tag number. Say clearly whether you want the tag removed or the whole account closed. Wrap the tag in its original packaging or in aluminum foil so toll readers can’t pick it up while it travels. Use a trackable mailing service and keep the receipt.
After a couple of weeks, log in and confirm the tag shows as returned. If it doesn’t, call customer service with your tracking number ready.
What Fees Can You Face If You Skip These Steps?
New Jersey E-ZPass lists its fees in its official terms and conditions. These are the ones that matter most when you junk a car.
- Monthly service fee of $1.00, charged until the account is properly closed
- Lost, damaged, or unreturned tag fee of $9.00 for an interior tag and $15.00 for an exterior tag
- Tag deposit of $10.00 per tag, which you lose if the tag is not returned (this applies to accounts without automatic card or bank payments)
- Violation administrative fee of up to $50.00 per occurrence
- Tag misuse fee of up to $50.00 per occurrence
None of these is large alone. The problem is how they stack up. A forgotten account with a tag riding on a tow truck can bring tolls, admin fees, and months of service fees before you notice. Fees can change, so check the current terms at ezpassnj.com before you act.
Don’t Forget Your License Plates and Insurance
E-ZPass is only one part of the paperwork. The New Jersey MVC says that if your vehicle is sold, junked, or destroyed and you don’t plan to buy another, you must turn in the license plates for cancellation. You can surrender plates at any MVC agency or by mail. Always keep the plate receipt.
The order of these steps matters. Surrender your plates first, then cancel your car insurance. New Jersey law requires the registered owner to carry liability insurance. If you cancel coverage while the car is still registered to you, the MVC can flag the gap and send a suspension notice.
If you get one of those notices, the MVC accepts a copy of your plate receipt or a junk receipt on company letterhead as proof of what happened to the car. That is why you should always get written paperwork from your buyer. Ask for a receipt that shows the sale date, the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the company name.
What If You Lost the E-ZPass Tag?
Report it lost right away, either online or by calling 1-888-AUTO-TOLL. If you report it within 60 days of losing it, you are not responsible for unauthorized charges over $49.99 made before you reported it. A lost tag fee may still apply.
If you think the tag is still in the junk car and the car is already gone, mark the tag as lost and remove the plate from your account the same day. Then call your buyer and ask if they can look for it before the car is processed.
Can You Leave the E-ZPass in the Car for the Buyer?
No. The tag is the property of New Jersey E-ZPass, not you. It is linked to your account and your payment method, and it only works on vehicles listed on your account. A scrap yard or tow driver has no use for it, and any toll it records lands on your bill.
The same rule applies if you sell a running car to a private buyer. They need to open their own account and get their own tag.
Also Read: Secrets to Getting Maximum Value for Your Old Vehicle
Quick Checklist Before the Tow Truck Arrives
Run through this list the day before pickup.
- Remove every E-ZPass tag from the windshield, glovebox, and visors
- Delete the car’s plate from your E-ZPass account and save the confirmation
- Move the tag to another car or mail it back to close the account
- Take the license plates off the car
- Clear out personal items, garage door openers, and parking permits
- Have your title and photo ID ready
- Surrender the plates to the MVC, then cancel insurance
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to return my E-ZPass if I junk my car?
Only if you are closing your account. If you are keeping it for another car, update the plate and move the tag. If you are closing it, every tag must be returned or you may pay an unreturned tag fee.
Can I get a refund on my E-ZPass balance?
Yes. Once you close the account, return all tags, and pay anything you owe, the remaining prepaid balance is refunded to you.
Does junking a car automatically cancel my E-ZPass?
No. New Jersey E-ZPass is not told when a car is junked. Your account stays active, with monthly fees, until you update or close it yourself.
How long do I have to dispute a toll charged after my car was junked?
You must dispute a charge within 120 days of the transaction date. You can call customer service, send an inquiry through your online account, or write to the Customer Service Center in Trenton.
Do I need E-ZPass paperwork to junk my car?
No. A junk car buyer needs your title and ID, not your E-ZPass records. Handling your E-ZPass before junking your car in New Jersey is about protecting you after the sale, not about completing it.
Sell Your Junk Car Without Loose Ends
Getting paid for a junk car should be the end of the story, not the start of a stack of surprise bills. Pull the tag, update your account, return or reuse the tag, and surrender your plates before you cancel insurance. Those few steps close every loose end tied to the old car.
When you’re ready to sell, Cash for Junk Cars New Jersey buys old, damaged, and non-running vehicles across the state. Get your offer, run through the checklist above, and let the car go knowing it won’t follow you home on your next statement.
