OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – Changes at the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority could mean a loss of millions of dollars for the state. Instead of paying tolls on the turnpike, a camera now scans your plate and sends you a bill. Though now, OTA can’t send a bill, without an address.

OTA said the switch to using cameras to check license plates, then send a bill was a way to limit the amount of accidents on the turnpike.

However, OTA is seeing a lack of registration from cars. Some members of small tribes who have license plates that aren’t being seen in the system, may already owe hundreds of dollars for using the roads.

“There’s a top ten list that we produced a couple of weeks ago, and that top ten list had ten people who all owed between six and $700,” said Joe Echelle, The Deputy Director at OTA.          

OTA said usually, license plates will register from the camera, but certain tribal plates aren’t being seen in the system.

“We don’t have a way to look up their tag and send the registered owner of the vehicle a invoice,” said Lisa Shearer-Salim, the Public Information Officer for ODOT.

So how do drivers check if they could have an outstanding balance and may not know?

“Go to platepay.com and click pay invoice. When you get to that screen for guest payment, there’s a place for you to put in your license plate number and who the issuer was like. So if it is a tribe or if it’s a state of Oklahoma tag,” said Shearer-Salim.

From there, any balances on your account will show up.

“We’re going to try to work with the tribes. This isn’t the tribe’s fault. These are individuals that are that are doing this. And this is our problem that we have created by going to plate pay,” said Echelle.

OTA wants to remind drivers that it’s not an option to drive on the turnpike and think you’re not getting charged.

“If you’re using a service, you know that you have have a debt that you’re supposed to pay, this is something that this isn’t going away,” said Echelle.

“People pretty much know when they’re on the turnpike. We’re just encouraging them to, you know, pay essentially their utility fee,” said Shearer-Salim.

If you see a high bill in your account and can’t pay it all at the same time, OTA said you can call customer service who will work with you to pay the bill.