How to get a SANRAL eTag before Easter this year

Easter is right around the corner. Good Friday falls on 3 April and Family Day on 6 April, giving you a glorious four-day weekend, and if you're crafty with a few leave days, you could stretch that into a nine-day break. Not bad at all.

So if you’re planning a roadtrip there's one small device that can save you a surprising amount of time (and stress) at every toll plaza along the way: a SANRAL eTag linked to a Mobility Account.

If you’re like many South Africans, feeling frustrated, struggling to actually find an eTag - fret not. We took the time to go look for one ourselves and here are a few things we found:

• Even though Sanral says we can find them at “most retail stores”, we would advise against it. They are not consistent enough with their stock, so much so that in our team’s respective suburbs, across different retailers, we couldn’t find any.

• As much as you hate phone calls, this was probably the most efficient way to find what we were looking for. We phoned Sanral’s support line and they mentioned that they are more readily available at (Some) fuel stations Sanral Customer Service Centres at the Toll Plazas (this is our suggestion). You find the closest service centre to you, below.

• The final option is to order it online, and we promise it works. You just need to be patient with their website (and allow for delivery time). We also added a step-by-step for this in our guide.

We hope you find this guide useful, and it saves you some time and stress before your holiday!

What is an eTag?

An eTag is a small electronic device that sticks to the inside of your windscreen. It's linked to your vehicle's licence plate number and your SANRAL Mobility Account. When you approach a toll plaza, the tag is read electronically, the boom lifts, and you drive through without stopping to fumble for cash or cards.

South Africa is actually one of the first countries in the world to introduce automated toll payment lanes on its national roads. The system works across most major toll routes, including those managed by SANRAL, N3TC, Bakwena, and TRAC.

Why bother getting one before Easter?

During Easter 2025, the N3 toll road between Johannesburg and Durban saw traffic peak at nearly 1,500 vehicles per hour entering KwaZulu-Natal. The Pumlani Toll Plaza on the N1 recorded surges of up to 3,000 vehicles per hour on the return Monday. That's a lot of cars, a lot of brake lights, and a lot of time spent waiting in queues.

Imagine steering toward the eTag express lanes, typically on the far left of the plaza. You slow down to under 40 km/h, the tag beeps, two green arrows flash, and you're through. No stopping. No digging through the cubbyhole for coins. No watching the car in the next lane get waved through while you're still counting change.

During peak holiday traffic, that small advantage can add up to significant time savings across multiple toll plazas on a single trip. On the N3 alone, there are several toll stops between Joburg and Durban. Every minute you save at each one is a minute closer to the beach.

How to get an eTag (it's not complicated)

Note: Sanral mentions that Gauteng e-road users can get an ICASA-approved eTag at Checkers, Pick 'n Pay and Shoprite (R49.95), however, after further research, this method seems rather difficult as not all stores participate and thus we advise against it.

Option A: Order online (allow a few days for delivery)

Best if Easter is still more than a week away.

• Step 1: Go to mobilityaccount.sanral.co.za and register for a Mobility Account. You'll need your ID, vehicle licence plate number, and a payment method.
• Step 2: During registration, choose to have your tag delivered to your door. Delivery costs R60, which is debited from your SANRAL account, and the tag itself costs R50, which is credited back to your account once registration is complete. So effectively, you're only out of pocket for the delivery fee.
• Step 3: Once your tag arrives, log back into your account at mobilityaccount.sanral.co.za (or call 0800 726 725) and confirm receipt. You need to acknowledge that you've received the tag on your Mobility Account, once you do, the tag becomes active.
• Step 4: Mount the tag on the inside of your windscreen following the instructions in the pack, top up your account with enough funds for your trip, and you're ready.

Option B: Pick one up at a toll plaza (quickest if Easter is close)

This option is ideal if you plan to travel within the next few days and have limited time to wait for delivery.

• Step 1: Head to one of the selected mainline toll plazas that have tags available, see the table in this article for plazas by route. Some plazas also have self-service terminals (SSTs) where you can register on the spot.
• Step 2: Register your Mobility Account at the plaza. Bring your ID and vehicle licence plate details.
• Step 3: Confirm receipt of your tag (as above), mount it on your windscreen, and top up your account before you travel.

How to top up? Use the SANRAL app (if you already have an account)

If you already have a SANRAL account, you don't need to register again, just log in with your existing credentials.

• Step 1: Download the SANRAL Mobile App (available on Android, iOS, and Huawei AppGallery).
• Step 2: Log in with your existing account details, manage your tags, top up your balance, and check your transaction history, all from your phone.

What can you expect at the toll plaza once you have your tag?

Pull into the lane marked SHESHA or eTag Express, usually on the far left. Slow down to under 40 km/h. Your tag will beep, the reader will authenticate your account, and the boom will lift automatically. No stopping, no cash, no queuing behind someone digging through their cubbyhole for R17.50 in coins.

Tags cost R50, but this amount is credited to your account on registration, so there's really no reason not to get one before you hit the Easter road.

Once you have your tag: three things to do before you leave

1. Make sure your account has enough funds. Your tag will not open the boom at a toll plaza if you don't have sufficient funds in your mobility account. Top up before you go, don't count on doing it at the plaza.
2. Set up auto top-up so you never run low. You can link a credit card or debit order so your account tops itself up automatically when your balance drops below a threshold you set. This is the no-stress option for regular travellers.
3. Mount the tag correctly. Stick it to the inside of your windscreen as per the instructions in the pack. The tag is linked to your specific vehicle's licence plate, each tag is assigned to a single vehicle and cannot be used in a different car.

Easter road safety

We're all about helping you save time and money, but we'd be remiss not to mention this: Easter is historically one of the most dangerous times to be on South African roads. The good news from 2025 was that road crashes dropped by 32.5% compared to the previous year, and fatalities fell by 45.6%.

But the AARTO demerit system is rolling out nationally later in 2026, and authorities are taking road safety more seriously than ever. So before you hit the road this Easter, make sure your car is roadworthy; plan your departure to avoid peak traffic (Thursday afternoons and Monday evenings are historically the worst); and keep your following distance, especially around heavy trucks. A fully loaded truck can take the length of two rugby fields to stop after emergency braking. Let that sink in.

While you're in planning mode

Getting an eTag sorted can be a five-minute job (if you follow this guide) that pays off every time you hit a toll road. But here's another two-minute job that could save you even more: comparing your Car Insurance.

If you haven't reviewed your Car Insurance premium in a while, or worse, if you're driving without any, your Easter getaway is a pretty compelling reason to fix that. With thousands of vehicles on the road over a long weekend, the risk of accidents, theft, and breakdowns goes up. And the last thing you want is to be stuck with a massive repair bill when you should be enjoying hot cross buns and pickled fish.

Hippo.co.za lets you compare Car Insurance quotes from multiple top South African insurers in under two minutes. You enter your details once, and we show you prices and benefits side by side – no hidden fees, no obligation.

South Africans who compare on Hippo save an average of R1,208 per month across their insurance products. That's over R14,000 a year. Imagine what you could do with that, a few extra road trips, perhaps?

So before you pack the car, stick on that eTag, and head out for Easter, take two minutes to make sure you're properly covered. Because the only thing better than cruising through a toll plaza without stopping is knowing you're protected if something goes wrong along the way.

Get a free Car Iinsurance quote on Hippo.co.za - it takes less time than waiting in a toll queue.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or medical advice. Coverage terms, pricing, and availability may vary. Always review policy documents carefully and confirm current pricing with providers before making any decisions.