The plastic E-ZPass windshield transponder you’ve been using for years is about to go away.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is replacing the long-used E-ZPass devices with new sticker-based tags that don’t require batteries. The transition is already underway, with E-ZPass stickers potentially rolling out by the end of 2026.
Here’s what’s changing.
Out With the Old, In With the Stickers
The current plastic E-ZPass transponders have been the standard for upwards of two decades. The velcro-mounted devices are powered by batteries—typically lasting 8-10 years before needing to be replaced.
The new sticker tags ditch the need for batteries entirely. Instead, stickers embedded with digital chips will adhere directly to your windshield—similar to systems already in use in California and Georgia.
The shift is a bit more complex than it sounds on paper. In 2022 alone, the Turnpike Authority spent nearly $8 million replacing almost a million transponders with dead batteries. That’s a massive recurring expense in a state as heavily populated as New Jersey.
What NJ Drivers Need to Know
The change is still in early stages. The Turnpike Authority will first test sticker tags in a pilot program before gradually rolling them out statewide. Existing transponders will continue to work during this period—you won’t need to act immediately.
Instead, when your current transponder dies or needs replacement, they will be replaced with the new stickers.
The new system isn’t just cheaper to maintain. Stickers are harder to remove or misuse, making them more secure than velcro-mounted transponders.
This isn’t anything groundbreaking, but for New Jersey drivers who’ve dealt with dead batteries and endless customer service calls trying to replace them, it’s an upgrade that prioritizes efficiency and reliability.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.