Tolls in Kentucky

Kentucky's parkways are toll-free, but three bridges between Louisville and Southern Indiana charge RiverLink tolls. For a container truck with five or more axles, the current charge is $13.84 per crossing with a prepaid account and transponder, or $16.62 by mail or plate. A delivery and empty return that both use tolled crossings therefore need two charges in the shipment budget.

The useful question is which crossings the complete movement actually uses. A Louisville delivery can stay entirely in Kentucky, cross into Indiana once, or involve several cross-river trips. The truck configuration, payment arrangement, and equipment-return location determine the amount to include before booking.

This guide covers Kentucky's toll bridges, current rates, payment options, truck examples, toll-free alternatives, and the billing details that can create an unexpected expense after delivery.

Where tolls apply in Kentucky

RiverLink is the all-electronic toll system for three Louisville–Southern Indiana bridges. Kentucky's former toll parkways and the region's other crossings need to be distinguished from those charged facilities.

The three RiverLink bridges

KYTC's Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority identifies these active toll crossings:

The Lincoln and Kennedy bridges carry opposite directions of the downtown I-65 crossing. A trip north on Lincoln followed by a return south on Kennedy produces two tolls. The Lewis and Clark Bridge is the East End crossing; using it in both directions also produces two tolls.

The RiverLink bridge map helps identify the charged crossings and their toll-free neighbors. The bridges share the same vehicle and payment rate schedule. Moving to the East End crossing does not by itself create a cheaper toll category.

Parkways, turnpike names, and other crossings

Kentucky's parkways were originally financed as toll roads, but KYTC's current parkway description confirms that they are now toll-free. A parkway or turnpike name on an address or older map does not establish a current toll.

That distinction matters for freight locations. A facility on National Turnpike in Louisville does not acquire a road toll because of its street name. Identify the pickup and actual river crossing separately. The Louisville rail-ramp and depot guide helps distinguish the local facilities before calculating the truck movement.

Northern Kentucky's Brent Spence corridor is a different project from RiverLink. Kentucky's March 2026 project announcement reaffirmed that the corridor project is proceeding without tolls. Do not apply Louisville's bridge tariff to an I-71/I-75 crossing near Cincinnati.

Ferries require a separate check. For example, KYTC documents fares on the Dorena–Hickman Ferry. RiverLink rates and transponder rules do not price a ferry journey; confirm current service, vehicle acceptance, and fares with its operator.

Current RiverLink toll rates and vehicle classes

The following amounts come from KYTC's official 2026–2027 toll schedule. They apply July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, for one crossing of a RiverLink bridge.

Account + tag assumes a prepaid account in good standing and a working transponder. Plate account means the vehicle is registered to a funded RiverLink account without a transponder. No account means the standard mail/plate tariff. Paying an ordinary plate bill online does not turn it into the lower prepaid-account category.

Classify the complete vehicle

RiverLink's classification guidance uses vehicle height and total axle count:

• Passenger: two axles and up to 7½ feet in height.
• Medium: two axles and more than 7½ feet in height, or any three- or four-axle vehicle.
• Large: five or more axles.

A three-axle tractor with a two-axle container chassis has five total axles and falls in the large category. A box truck can fall in the medium category even with only two axles because height also matters. A passenger vehicle towing a trailer can move into a higher category when its total axle count changes.

Count the combination traveling through the toll point, rather than just the axles under the container. Our container chassis guide explains standard, triaxle, and other chassis configurations.

For RiverLink, five-, six-, and seven-axle combinations all use the large-vehicle rate. Adding a chassis axle can affect equipment cost and weight distribution without creating another RiverLink price tier. Other toll operators may classify those combinations differently.

An empty container remains on a chassis. If the truck returns with the same axle configuration, removing the cargo does not change its toll category. A tractor traveling without a chassis is a different configuration and should be classified on its own.

Check the effective period before using a rate

RiverLink adjusts rates each July 1 under its bi-state policy. The annual adjustment is 2.5% unless the specified inflation measure is higher.

Keep the source's effective dates with a calculation, especially when quoting work across a July rate change. A document labeled with a fiscal year may start in the previous calendar year. Use the applicable published schedule rather than estimating the next rate from an inflation percentage.

How to pay Kentucky bridge tolls

RiverLink has no cash booths at the crossings. Its all-electronic system reads a transponder or photographs the license plate while traffic continues through the toll point.

There are three payment arrangements to understand before selecting a price from the table.

A prepaid account with a transponder receives the lowest standard rate. RiverLink offers a local transponder for its bridges and an E-ZPass transponder for use across participating systems. The official transponder guidance explains mounting and account requirements.

A prepaid account without a transponder uses the registered plate to deduct tolls from the account. This is sometimes called a registered-plate account. It costs more than the transponder arrangement but less than unregistered mail/plate billing. See RiverLink's prepaid-plate explanation.

Travel without an account is billed at the highest standard rate. The vehicle can cross, and the owner can pay through RiverLink's official process. Keep the plate and registration address accurate so a valid notice reaches the responsible party.

E-ZPass, I-PASS, and commercial accounts

An existing E-ZPass can be used on RiverLink's bridges. RiverLink confirms that all E-ZPass transponders, including I-PASS, are accepted and receive the lowest standard rates when the account is in good standing. A carrier does not need a second local tag merely to use these bridges.

Commercial RiverLink accounts can contain an unlimited number of vehicles and require an opening minimum balance of $20 per vehicle. That balance funds tolls; it is not the toll for a crossing. Keep each vehicle's registration and account information current and maintain sufficient funds.

Commercial accounts do not qualify for the frequent-user discount. The separate frequent-user program is for qualifying passenger vehicles on personal RiverLink accounts, with its own transponder and monthly crossing conditions. Do not subtract that commuter discount from a truck quote.

For a large truck, the standard transponder saving over mail/plate is $2.78 per crossing. Across 40 crossings, the published rates produce $553.60 with a transponder versus $664.80 by mail/plate, a difference of $111.20 before any separate account-service charges. That saving comes from the payment category, not a commercial volume discount.

How to budget tolls for a Kentucky shipment

A useful toll estimate follows the work the truck must perform. The delivery address alone does not identify every crossing, and a loaded one-way estimate can leave part of the equipment cycle unpriced.

1. List all stops belonging to the service.

For an import, identify the pickup terminal, delivery entrance, authorized empty-container return, and any separate chassis handoff. For an export, identify the empty pickup, shipper, and loaded receiving terminal. A drop followed by a later collection may involve additional trips. Use exact locations when available.

2. Confirm the truck configuration and permitted route.

Establish axle count, height, overall dimensions, loaded weight, and any cargo restrictions. Have the carrier confirm that the route is suitable. A toll calculator's price does not approve a truck to use a road or bridge. For heavy cargo, the overweight shipment guide explains the difference between cargo weight and the complete vehicle's operating limits.

3. Record the charged crossings on each leg.

Write down the bridge, direction, and number of passages for the loaded movement, empty return, and any additional equipment trip. Use the actual selected crossing. A Louisville–Indiana journey is not automatically an I-65 journey, and crossing the state line elsewhere does not automatically trigger RiverLink.

4. Select the payment basis and applicable dates.

Use the carrier's confirmed account arrangement when known. If it remains unknown, state the basis used for the estimate. Do not silently select the cheapest advertised rate. Apply the rate schedule covering the intended movement and retain its link with the calculation.

5. Add the legs and establish how tolls enter the freight price.

Confirm whether the quoted total includes tolls, includes an allowance, or passes actual tolls through separately. Agree how route changes and additional trips are handled. The all-in drayage quote guide explains how to compare the same service scope and avoid adding an included expense twice.

Worked examples for container trucks

These examples use the July 2026–June 2027 schedule, assume a five-axle combination unless stated otherwise, and illustrate toll budgeting. They do not establish the route for a particular shipment.

A downtown crossing and return

Suppose a truck travels from a Louisville pickup to a Jeffersonville receiver using the Lincoln Bridge, then returns with the empty container to an authorized Louisville location using the Kennedy Bridge. Both passages are tolled.

The empty return is included because the same truck-and-chassis combination crosses back. The figures are bridge subtotals, excluding transportation, fuel, chassis rental, and other shipment expenses.

An East End crossing with a different return

Assume the loaded trip uses the Lewis and Clark Bridge into Indiana, but the confirmed return itinerary uses the toll-free Sherman Minton Bridge. The RiverLink component is one large-vehicle crossing: $13.84 with a transponder, $15.21 with a prepaid plate account, or $16.62 by mail/plate.

Doubling the outbound charge would overstate this example. Whether that return is a sensible truck route depends on the actual depot, restrictions, mileage, and operating conditions.

A move that stays on the Kentucky side

If the complete itinerary uses no charged crossing or ferry, the Kentucky bridge-toll component is $0. A Louisville terminal name alone does not justify adding a standard RiverLink allowance. Conversely, an extra equipment trip into Indiana can create a toll even when the loaded delivery remains in Kentucky.

For a longer interstate lane, add other operators' charges only where the actual route encounters them. RiverLink is separate from the Indiana Toll Road, which INDOT identifies as I-80/I-90 across northern Indiana. Driving north from Louisville on I-65 does not automatically incur that road's toll.

Toll-free alternatives and truck restrictions

RiverLink identifies two toll-free Louisville-area road crossings:

• Sherman Minton Bridge, I-64: between the Louisville side and New Albany.
• Clark Memorial Bridge, US 31: the Second Street Bridge between downtown Louisville and Jeffersonville.

A toll-free bridge can be useful when it fits the operating route. For a container truck, check access and total journey cost before treating it as a saving.

Check Second Street's posted weight limits

KYTC imposed reduced, vehicle-specific weight limits on Clark Memorial in December 2024. Its original advisory lists different limits by vehicle configuration; its June 2026 update confirms that those posted limits remained in place.

Do not assume that a truck legal on an interstate is legal on this bridge. The carrier must match the actual combination and gross weight to current restrictions and posted signs. A lighter empty return and a loaded outbound move can require different assessments.

Check GoKY traffic information and the relevant road authority's notices close to dispatch. Construction, incidents, and closures can alter a usable approach. An old route screenshot or a toll-free designation does not establish current truck access.

Compare the saving with the extra operating cost

Consider an illustrative detour that avoids one $13.84 truck toll but adds 12 miles and 20 minutes. Assume diesel costs $4 per gallon, fuel economy is 6 mpg, and driver-and-truck time is valued at $75 per hour.

• Additional fuel: 12 ÷ 6 × $4 = $8.
• Additional time: 20 ÷ 60 × $75 = $25.
• Combined additional cost: $33, before other mileage-related costs.

Under those assumed inputs, the detour costs $19.16 more than the avoided toll. These are planning assumptions, not current fuel prices or a carrier rate quote. Use the actual lane's costs and conditions; do not assume a fixed detour time for every Louisville crossing.

Toll bills, late fees, and unexpected shipment charges

The bridge crossing, toll posting, mailed invoice, and freight customer's invoice can happen on different dates. Keeping the toll expense in the original budget is easier than reconstructing it after delivery.

Pay through the official RiverLink process

RiverLink's visitor guidance says mailed invoices can take several weeks to arrive. They are sent to the registered vehicle owner, which may be the carrier or another equipment owner rather than the shipper arranging the cargo.

You do not have to wait for the letter. Start at RiverLink's official website and use its payment or account service. The current no-account instructions describe Pay by Plate using the plate number and state. Invoice payment uses the details requested by the portal. Follow the current prompts; older help pages may describe different lookup requirements.

RiverLink also accepts invoice payments by phone, mail, and at its customer service centers. The first invoice includes tolls only. Pay by the stated due date and retain the confirmation.

An account holder who receives a separate invoice should check the vehicle's plate details, account balance, payment method, and transponder operation. The existence of an account does not establish that every crossing was successfully deducted from it.

Understand the escalation before fees accumulate

The 2026–2027 official schedule lists this escalation for unpaid tolls:

The schedule lists 30 days to pay at each stage. Follow the notice's actual deadline; do not start counting from the container's delivery date. The final column is cumulative; do not add its amounts together.

RiverLink's April 2026 collections notice announced collections beginning May 1 for customers with four unpaid monthly bills for the same crossings. Unresolved amounts can also carry registration consequences under the applicable process. A normal shipment toll allowance should remain separate from late-payment penalties or account-service fees.

Unexpected payment messages deserve independent verification. Open RiverLink's site yourself or call the published customer service number, 855-748-5465, rather than following an unfamiliar payment link. RiverLink warns about impersonation scams, while its collections announcement also says the named collection agency may contact customers by text, email, or mail. The communication channel alone does not establish authenticity.

Reconcile a later freight charge and dispute an error

A valid toll transaction and a valid additional customer charge are separate questions. Before paying a late-arriving freight adjustment, check:

• Movement: Do the travel date, crossing, and direction match the shipment leg?
• Vehicle: Do the plate, axle category, and equipment configuration match?
• Payment: Was the toll charged at the transponder, prepaid-plate, or mail rate?
• Quote terms: Was the same expense already included in the agreed total or paid elsewhere?
• Amount: Is the adjustment the toll itself, an operator penalty, or a separate carrier administration fee?
• Evidence: Is there an operator transaction or notice supporting the charge?

The accessorial tracking guide explains how to review supporting records alongside the quote and shipment invoice.

For an apparent RiverLink error, use its toll dispute process. Disputes must be submitted within 60 days of the first invoice date or the date the toll posted to a RiverLink account. One form can cover multiple charges. Preserve transaction details and supporting evidence, and contact RiverLink promptly rather than waiting for the freight billing discussion to finish.

Future I-69 tolling and other Kentucky road costs

The planned Evansville–Henderson crossing and Kentucky's motor-carrier taxes answer different questions from today's Louisville bridge charges. Keep them separate when researching a lane.

The new I-69 Ohio River bridge is a future toll facility. The official project FAQ says the bridge is expected to open in 2031 and tolling is expected to start by January 1, 2032. Its announced initial tolls are planning figures for that future crossing. They are not current RiverLink prices or a present charge for existing Henderson–Evansville travel. Check project updates before using the future facility in an itinerary.

KYU is a weight-distance tax, not a bridge toll. Kentucky's motor-carrier guidance describes a separate tax license for qualifying heavy vehicles traveling on Kentucky roadways. A route with no RiverLink crossing can still involve motor-carrier tax obligations. Toll payment does not satisfy those obligations.

Permits and escorts are separate expenses. Kentucky's oversize and overweight resources address operating permissions and requirements. Select equipment and a permitted route first, then price the applicable tolls and other services. The absence of an extra RiverLink axle tier does not establish permission to operate a heavier vehicle.

Get the estimated tolls in your quote

Portmate calculates estimated tolls automatically for the selected drayage route and equipment, combining the loaded and empty legs into the quote's toll amount. That saves you from tracing each leg through separate government sources and toll schedules, and helps surface the expected expense before booking instead of discovering an omitted cost after delivery.

Provide the terminal, delivery address, container and cargo details, and known empty-return location, then review the itinerary and Tolls line alongside the total. The toll-calculation walkthrough shows where to find it. Read the estimate with the route assumptions and agreed treatment of later changes.