How to Pay the Colorado 470 Toll Road
What the 470 toll is and who has to pay it
The E-470 Public Road Authority operates a 47-mile toll highway that forms a northeastern arc around the Denver metro area. If you drive on E-470, you owe a toll — there is no free parallel route for the same stretch. The toll amount depends on the time of day, your vehicle type, and whether you have a transponder account.
You are charged automatically when you pass under a gantry (overhead sensor structure). If you do not have a prepaid account, the road authority photographs your license plate and mails you an invoice. Most drivers find it cheaper and faster to set up an account in advance.
Key Takeaways
- E-470 charges tolls automatically by license plate or transponder; you cannot avoid the toll by paying cash at a booth.
- Setting up a prepaid account costs nothing to open and usually saves money compared to pay-by-plate invoices.
- You can pay online at e-470.com, by phone at 303-537-3470, or by mail with a check.
- If you receive an invoice for a toll you believe you should not have paid, you have 30 days to dispute it through the E-470 website.
- Unpaid tolls accrue late fees and can eventually prevent vehicle registration renewal in Colorado.
Setting up a prepaid account online
Go to e-470.com and select "Open an Account" or "Create Account". You will need your vehicle's license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), and a valid email address. The account itself is free — you only pay when you use the road.
Once your account is open, you can add money to it (called "prepaid balance") or set it to "pay-as-you-go" mode, where tolls are charged to a credit or debit card after you drive. Most drivers choose pay-as-you-go because there is no minimum balance and no expiration date on the account.
If you want a physical transponder (a small device that mounts on your windshield), you can request one during account setup. The transponder costs $25 and sometimes qualifies for a small discount on tolls, though the savings are modest. Many drivers skip the transponder and rely on license plate recognition instead.
Paying tolls without an account: pay-by-plate invoices
If you drive E-470 without an account, the road authority reads your license plate and sends you an invoice by mail within two weeks. The invoice includes the toll amount plus a pay-by-plate processing fee (currently $2.50 per transaction). You can pay the invoice online at e-470.com, by phone, or by mailing a check.
Pay-by-plate is more expensive than a prepaid account because of the processing fee on every toll. If you use E-470 regularly, opening an account saves money immediately. If you use it once or twice a year, pay-by-plate is simpler but costs more per trip.
How to pay an E-470 invoice or account balance
You have three ways to pay:
- Online: Log into your account at e-470.com, select "Pay Now", and enter a credit or debit card. Payment posts within one business day.
- By phone: Call 303-537-3470 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain Time. Have your account number or invoice number ready. Credit and debit cards only.
- By mail: Write a check payable to "E-470 Public Road Authority" and mail it with your invoice to the address printed on the invoice. Allow 10 business days for processing.
Online and phone payments are fastest. If you mail a check, do not send cash — it cannot be traced if lost.
What happens if you do not pay
If a toll invoice goes unpaid for 60 days, E-470 adds a late fee (typically $25 to $50, depending on the number of unpaid tolls). The debt does not disappear — it stays on your account and grows with additional fees.
After 120 days of non-payment, E-470 can report the debt to a collection agency, which will contact you by phone and mail. A collection account damages your credit score and can make it harder to borrow money or rent housing.
In Colorado, unpaid E-470 tolls can also prevent you from renewing your vehicle registration. When you try to renew your registration online or at the DMV, the system will flag the unpaid toll debt and block renewal until you pay. This is a hard stop — you cannot drive legally until the toll is settled.
Disputing a toll charge
If you believe you were charged in error — for example, you were not driving that vehicle on that date, or you already paid — you can dispute the charge. Log into your account at e-470.com, find the transaction, and select "Dispute This Toll". Describe what happened and submit any supporting evidence (photos, receipts, proof you were elsewhere).
E-470 will review your dispute within 10 business days. If they find in your favor, the charge is removed and any fees are refunded. If they deny the dispute, you can appeal by phone at 303-537-3470, but you must do so within 30 days of the original charge date. After 30 days, the dispute window closes.
Transponders and discounts
A transponder is optional. It costs $25 upfront and mounts on your windshield. The main benefit is that some tolls are slightly cheaper with a transponder than with license plate recognition — the difference is usually 10 to 25 cents per trip. If you drive E-470 multiple times per week, the transponder pays for itself in a few months. If you use it rarely, the $25 cost is not worth the small savings.
You do not need a transponder to use E-470. License plate recognition works just as well and is free. If you already have a transponder from another toll road (like the Northwest Parkway), it will not work on E-470 — each road uses its own system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I overpaid my E-470 account?
Yes. If your prepaid balance is positive (you have money left over), you can request a refund by calling 303-537-3470 or logging into your account online. Refunds are mailed as a check within two weeks. Some drivers keep a small balance ($10 to $20) in their account instead of requesting a refund, since the account never expires.
What if I do not know my E-470 account number?
Go to e-470.com and select "Forgot Account Number". Enter your license plate number and email address, and the system will send your account number to your email. If you do not remember the email you used to open the account, call 303-537-3470 and a representative can look it up.
Do I have to pay E-470 tolls if I have a disability placard?
No. Colorado law exempts vehicles with a disability license plate or placard from E-470 tolls. When you open your account, upload a photo of your disability placard or plate, and tolls will not be charged. If you already have an account without the exemption, call 303-537-3470 to add it.
Will unpaid E-470 tolls show up on my credit report?
Not immediately. Unpaid tolls stay between you and E-470 until the debt is sent to a collection agency, which usually happens after 120 days. Once a collection agency is involved, the debt can appear on your credit report and affect your credit score. Paying before that point keeps it off your credit history.
Can I use E-470 with a rental car?
Yes, but you will receive a pay-by-plate invoice. The rental company's name will appear on the registration, so E-470 will mail the invoice to the rental company's address. The rental company will then bill you for the toll plus a processing fee (usually $15 to $25). To avoid this markup, ask the rental company if they have a corporate E-470 account you can use, or open your own account and add the rental car's plate number temporarily.