The grace period is over. If you don’t follow the rules of the I-85 HOT lanes, you will be fined.

The State Road and Tollway Authority will now fine drivers $25 if they use the express lane without a Peach Pass. Plus you will still be charged the toll. Those tickets will come in the mail.

"It will take a few weeks to process and mail out violation notices since we manually review notices as a part of the verification procedures," SRTA spokeswoman Malika Wilkins said.

The Peach Pass has a transponder that signals when a driver can use the lane. If not, surveillance cameras will take images of license plates of suspected violators. Plus, sensors on the road detect vehicle that enter and exits the HOT lane in the wrong spots.

The fine is steeper if you don’t follow the carpool rules. If you try to drive in the lane without paying the toll and have less than three people in the car, the fine is $75 plus court cost. Officers with the state Department of Public Safety will be on the lookout for those drivers trying to skirt the carpool law.

DPS spokesman Sgt. Tony Pilcher says officers will know who is supposed to be in the lane toll-free and they won’t take any excuses. He says motorist must change their Peach Pass status to “toll” at least 15 minutes before entering the lane if they aren’t traveling with less than three people.

Other violations may include improperly crossing the double white pavement striping for the HOT lanes and using the lanes without a Peach Pass transponder.

Pilcher said citations issued by the Department of Public Safety can be challenged in court on the date designated on the ticket. Challenges to tickets received in the mail can be made by contacting Peach Pass customer service at 1-855-724-7277.

The state handed out about 1,000 warning tickets during an initial 90-day grace period. But that’s over now.

The I-85 Express lane runs 16 miles from Chamblee-Tucker Road to Old Peachtree Road.

SRTA says 14,078 motorists used the lanes on Jan. 27, the high for the month. Weekly usage is up gradually during the month. Weekend usage is also steadily rising, according to the figures from SRTA.