For a two-axle car, the Irvine toll road cost depends on when you drive, which direction you're going and how you pay. With FasTrak, the main toll points near Irvine run $2.91 to $3.60 at Irvine Ranch (261), $3.28 to $3.78 at Orange Grove (133) and $4.04 to $4.55 at Tomato Springs (241). If you pay without an account, you're charged the peak rate no matter when you drive.
Three toll roads pass by Irvine: State Routes 133, 241 and 261. All three are run by the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) under the name The Toll Roads, along with the 73 farther south. The rates below are the current schedule, which TCA's Map & Rates page labels "EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026." This guide covers what each Irvine toll point charges, when peak pricing applies and when a FasTrak account is worth having.
How toll pricing works
TCA states the formula plainly: "Toll rates on The Toll Roads, State Routes 73, 133, 241 and 261, are determined by time of day, how far you are traveling and the number of axles on your vehicle." In practice, each mainline toll point charges you separately, and so do some ramps. The total for a trip is the sum of every toll point you pass. A short hop that uses one ramp costs less than a longer drive that crosses two mainline toll points.
TCA also says, on the same Map & Rates page, that "FasTrak accountholders pay the lowest toll rates." The boards of the two agencies behind the roads (San Joaquin Hills and Foothill/Eastern) adopted a toll rate policy in 2019 "to provide predictability to future toll rates and ensure the Agencies meet financial obligations to bondholders."
A note on where the numbers come from: TCA publishes its per-toll-point rates in a PDF rate card. The figures here are taken from whatsthetoll.com's transcription of that July 1, 2026 card (SR-133, SR-241, SR-261). The site says it checked them against TCA's page on Oct. 12, 2026. Wikipedia's articles on SR-133, SR-241 and SR-261 cite the same rate card and give the same non-account maximum at every toll point.
The three toll points Irvine drivers hit most
Rates are for two-axle vehicles at mainline toll points.
| Toll point | FasTrak off-peak | FasTrak shoulder | FasTrak peak | Non-account (any time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Grove (SR-133) | $3.28 | $3.60 | $3.78 | $3.78 |
| Irvine Ranch (SR-261) | $2.91 | $3.42 | $3.60 | $3.60 |
| Tomato Springs (SR-241, south of the 133 interchange) | $4.04 | $4.34 | $4.55 | $4.55 |
Source: TCA's July 1, 2026 rate card as transcribed by whatsthetoll.com. Non-account maximums are corroborated by Wikipedia's route articles.
When peak pricing hits
Peak pricing applies only on weekdays, only in the commute direction, and only for an hour.
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Orange Grove (133) and Irvine Ranch (261): Southbound peak is 7:30 to 8:29 a.m., with shoulder rates from 7:00 to 7:29 a.m. and 8:30 to 8:59 a.m. Northbound peak is 5:00 to 5:59 p.m., with shoulder rates from 4:00 to 4:59 p.m. and 6:00 to 6:59 p.m.
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Tomato Springs (241): The directions are reversed. Northbound peak is 7:30 to 8:29 a.m. and southbound peak is 5:00 to 5:59 p.m. on weekdays, with shoulder rates around those windows.
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Weekends: Off-peak all day, in both directions, at all three toll points.
In short, a Saturday drive on the 261 costs a FasTrak driver $2.91 at Irvine Ranch. A southbound weekday trip through the same toll point at 8 a.m. costs $3.60.
Ramp tolls around Irvine
Some ramps charge their own toll. According to whatsthetoll.com and Wikipedia:
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Irvine Boulevard on the 133: $2.28, a flat rate for any payment type at any time.
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Irvine Boulevard on the 261: $2.91 for the northbound on-ramp, $2.28 for the northbound off-ramp and $2.28 for the southbound on-ramp. The southbound off-ramp is free. These rates are also flat for any payment type and time.
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Portola Parkway on the 261: $2.91, except the northbound off-ramp, which is free.
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Portola Parkway north ramp on the 241: $2.91 with FasTrak, rising to $3.42 northbound from 7:00 to 8:59 a.m. and southbound from 4:00 to 6:59 p.m. on weekdays. The non-account rate is $3.42.
Farther afield: Windy Ridge and the 91
If you take the 241 north toward the 91, you'll pass the Windy Ridge toll point south of the 91 interchange. Per whatsthetoll.com, FasTrak rates there are $4.21 off-peak, $4.54 shoulder and $4.76 peak. Southbound peak is 7:30 to 8:29 a.m. and northbound peak is 5:00 to 5:59 p.m. on weekdays. Weekends are $4.21, and the non-account rate is $4.76, matching Wikipedia.
That corridor is due for a change. In its July 2026 board meeting highlights, TCA said the 241/91 Express Connector will "provide a new, tolled direct connection between the 241 Toll Road and the 91 Express Lanes." TCA expects construction to start by the end of 2026 and finish in 2029. At the same meeting, the board expanded its bond buyback program to up to $200 million per agency.
FasTrak or pay per trip?
TCA's Ways to Pay Tolls page lists three FasTrak account types:
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Prepaid: "Free: no account fees," with discounted tolls.
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Charge: "Free: no account fees," but "No discounted tolls."
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Invoice: a "$2 monthly invoice fee," with no discounted tolls.
TCA dropped monthly FasTrak maintenance fees in July 2019. A June 27, 2019 press release estimated the savings at $25 a year per account.
What you save. Paying without an account costs the peak rate, so an off-peak FasTrak driver saves at each mainline toll point:
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Orange Grove: 50 cents ($3.28 vs. $3.78)
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Irvine Ranch: 69 cents ($2.91 vs. $3.60)
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Tomato Springs: 51 cents ($4.04 vs. $4.55)
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Windy Ridge: 55 cents ($4.21 vs. $4.76)
During the weekday peak hour, FasTrak and non-account rates are the same.
The frequent driver discount. According to TCA's FAQ, "Drivers who spend $40 in tolls on The Toll Roads (State Routes 73, 133, 241 and 261) during a statement period" get "$1 off every toll accumulated on The Toll Roads the following statement period." Only prepaid accounts with The Toll Roads qualify. Charge and invoice accountholders and FasTrak holders from other agencies are not eligible. The $40 is counted at base toll rates and doesn't include discounts you already earned. With the discount, a $3.60 peak toll at Irvine Ranch comes to $2.60.
Don't get burned: the 5-day rule
Without FasTrak, you can still drive the toll roads, but you have to pay. TCA says "Non-account rates apply to all non-FasTrak payments made 5 days before or after driving The Toll Roads." You can pay online with your license plate number or in The Toll Roads app (App Store and Google Play). The app can also resolve violations and manage accounts. Rental cars have their own payment portal.
You can pay in cash at TCA Customer Service Walk-In Centers, or through PayNearMe at participating retailers, including 7-Eleven, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. PayNearMe adds a convenience fee to each transaction.
Missing the deadline is expensive. TCA's penalty FAQ says a toll left unpaid for five days becomes a violation with a "$57.50 penalty in addition to the toll amount due." If you don't respond to that notice, "a second violation notice will be mailed to you with an additional $42.50 penalty." If you don't respond to the second notice, the DMV may put a hold on the vehicle's registration. TCA offers payment plans.
When paying makes sense: a quick checklist
These are planning suggestions based on the rates above, not advice from TCA:
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You use the 133, 241 or 261 most weekdays: A prepaid FasTrak account gets the lowest rates. If you regularly spend $40 a statement period, the $1-per-toll discount adds up quickly.
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You drive mainly on weekends or outside commute hours: Off-peak is where FasTrak saves the most, roughly 50 to 69 cents per mainline toll point near Irvine.
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You take the occasional trip: Paying once without an account works fine, as long as you pay within 5 days. Set a phone reminder before you get on the road.
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You only drive in the peak hour: The per-toll rate is the same either way. Only the prepaid frequent driver discount lowers the cost.
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You only need one ramp: The Irvine Boulevard ramps charge a flat rate no matter how you pay.
Related reading
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What Is an Irvine Village? A Plain-English Map of Where You Live
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Irvine Neighborhood Parks Walking Guide: How to Find Quiet Parks Without a Car
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The Best Time to Visit Great Park Irvine: Weekday or Weekend?
Sources
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How does the frequent driver discount work? The Toll Roads FAQ
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Is there a penalty for drivers who do not pay their tolls? The Toll Roads FAQ
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Transportation Corridor Agencies July 2026 Board Meeting Highlights
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New Toll Adjustments Effective July 1 on Orange County's Toll Roads (TCA, June 27, 2019)
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SR-241 Toll Road (Orange County) Toll 2026, whatsthetoll.com