London Congestion Charge: costs, times, map, exemptions and full details
Driving into London? Here’s everything you need to know about the city’s Congestion Charge
If you plan on taking your car into central London, then you’ll probably have to pay the dreaded London Congestion Charge. This daily fee rose to £18 per day from the beginning of 2026 and applies to those driving around certain parts of London.
Below, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about the London Congestion Charge, from how much it costs and how to pay, to where the charge operates and the penalties for not paying it.
Before we go any further, it’s important to note that the London Congestion Charge is separate to the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which has its own rules, charges and penalties. We have a separate guide for that, so for now let’s get down to everything you need to know about the C-Charge.
Where does the London Congestion Charge zone operate?
The London Congestion Charge zone covers eight square miles in the centre of the city, bounded by Euston Road and Marylebone Road in the north, Tower Bridge Road and Commercial Street in the east, Elephant and Castle and New Kent Road in the south, and Park Lane and Edgware Road in the west.
The Congestion Charge scheme is enforced by Transport for London (TfL), and is separate to the ULEZ (Ultra-Low Emission Zone) which currently operates across all London boroughs within the M25. The roads within the Congestion Charge zone are monitored by a network of Automatic Numberplate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
Below is a map of the congestion charge zone. You can find out if a specific address is in the congestion charge zone by inputting the postcode on the TfL website.
When does the London Congestion Charge apply?
The London Congestion Charge applies to all vehicles that enter the zone between 7am and 6pm from Monday to Friday, and 12pm to 6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays. The charge does not apply between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
How much does the London Congestion Charge cost?
Motorists who drive into the London Congestion Charge Zone must pay £18 daily if they enter the zone during the times stated above.
The £18 fee applies to those who pay the charge in advance, or by midnight on the day they enter the zone. If you haven’t paid by this time, you will have until midnight on the third day after you travelled in the zone, but the fee will rise to £21.
How do I pay the London Congestion Charge?
If you plan on driving into the London Congestion Charge zone, there are a few different ways you can pay. These include via an Auto Pay account, online, over the phone or in person at paypoints and blue and red self-service machines. You can pay the Congestion Charge up to 90 days in advance of entering the zone.
Paying the London Congestion Charge via an Auto Pay account
If you regularly drive into central London during the Congestion Charge’s hours of operation, you can set up an Auto Pay account via TfL’s website. Using this service will also allow you to pay the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge as well as for the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnels at the same time if applicable.
Paying the London Congestion Charge online
You can also manually pay the Congestion Charge on the TfL website, or by using TfL’s official ‘Pay to drive in London’ app. Simply enter your vehicle's registration number, search for your vehicle and select the zones which apply.
There are some third-party websites that claim to assist with payments, but these are not recommended due to a large number of fakes and scams.
Paying the London Congestion Charge over the phone
If you don’t want to set up an Auto Pay account or don’t feel comfortable paying the Congestion Charge online, you can pay over the phone by calling 0343 222 2222. Drivers with impaired hearing can call 020 7649 9123.
Phone lines are open between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.
Paying the London Congestion Charge in person
It’s possible to pay the Congestion Charge at newsagents and petrol stations that can process payments. These shops usually have the red ‘C’ logo in the window. There are also red and blue self-service machines dotted around the Congestion Charge zone.
Which vehicles have to pay the London Congestion Charge?
As of 2026, all cars are subject to the Congestion Charge – including so-called ‘alternatively-fuelled’ models such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs. There are discounts now available for zero-emission vehicles – see below – but unless your car has nine seats or more, or is not a car at all but a three-wheeled tricycle, you’ll be forking out the daily charge/
London Congestion Charge: exemptions and discounts
There are a number of exemptions and discounts on the Congestion Charge that are available to a selection of different vehicles and drivers.
Residents’ discount
Those who live within the Congestion Charge Zone are eligible for a 90 per cent discount if they can provide proof of their permanent address and are on an appropriate local electoral register. Permitted vehicles can be owned, leased or company cars. Rental and car-share scheme vehicles are also allowed if they are occasionally used. Simply apply online and provide TfL with a relevant utility bill and a copy of your V5C logbook.
Vehicles with nine seats or more
If your vehicle has nine seats or more then it is eligible for a 100 per cent discount, but it must not be licensed for use as a bus. You will need to show TfL several documents, including the V5C vehicle log book and MoT certificate, in order to register the vehicle.
Cleaner vehicle discount
The cleaner vehicle discount lives on in 2026, albeit in a much less generous form; the 100 per cent discount for EVs and other zero-emission vehicles like hydrogen fuel-cell cars ended in late December 2025, and was swapped for a much smaller 25 per cent discount, meaning those with the most eco-friendly cars will now have to pay. Register an EV or FCEV with Auto Pay and you’ll be automatically charged the reduced rate.
Blue Badge holders
Anyone who holds a Blue Badge in the European Economic Area is eligible for a 100 per cent Congestion Charge discount, even if they don’t drive or own a vehicle. Up to two vehicles can be registered for one person, provided that they are normally used by that person to travel within the zone. Along with a valid Blue Badge, one other document must be provided to prove your identity, such as a passport or recent DSS benefit entitlement letter.
Other Congestion Charge discounts
Other vehicles that are eligible for discounts include accredited breakdown vehicles, roadside recovery vehicles and motor tricycles.
Congestion Charge exemptions
You don’t have to pay the London Congestion Charge if the vehicle is registered with the DVLA as one of the following:
- Tax-exempt vehicles used by disabled people, including vehicles for more than one disabled person (Dial-A-Ride, for example).
- A motorbike or moped, including those with a sidecar.
- Tax-exempt NHS vehicles, emergency service vehicles including HM Coastguard and Royal Parks Agency. Vehicles used by the Armed Forces are also exempt.
- Licensed taxis and buses, provided they meet the necessary criteria.
What is the penalty for not paying the London Congestion Charge?
If you haven’t paid the Congestion Charge by midnight on the third day after travelling in the zone, you will receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
If you are issued with a PCN, this will be for £180. However, TfL will reduce the charge to £90 if it is paid within 14 days of the date of issue.
If you fail to pay or appeal the PCN within 28 days, you will then be sent a £270 Charge Certificate. If you then fail to pay the Charge Certificate within 14 days, or make a Statutory Declaration, you will be faced with an Order for Recovery.
An Order for Recovery is different from a County Court Judgement (CCJ) and it won’t affect your credit score, but it will be classed as an unpaid debt. This means it will incur additional fees. You will have 21 days to pay the total amount.
If you still haven’t paid after the Order for Recovery’s payment window closes, TfL will then bring in enforcement agents or bailiffs to recover all outstanding debt.
If you wish to pay or appeal a Congestion Charge fine, you can do this via the TfL website or send it in writing. More information can be found on TfL’s enforcement process web page.
If you’re buying a used vehicle and you want to check to see if it has outstanding Congestion Charge fines you can email TfL at OutstandingCCPenaltyCharges@TfL.gov.uk.
How to pay a Congestion Charge fine
If you do fall foul of the Congestion Charge rules and find yourself with a fine that must be paid, there are a few payment methods to choose from. Whichever one you choose, you’ll need to have the penalty charge notice number, the offending vehicle’s registration number and your credit or debit card details to hand.
Once you have this information at the ready, you can choose one of the following options:
Mobile app
If you have the TFL ‘Pay to drive in London’ app on your phone (or other device), you can simply choose the ‘pay penalty’ option and follow the on-screen instructions.
TFL website
TFL provides a penalty payment option on its official website. Simply enter the PCN number and your car’s registration number and you’ll be able to carry out an online transaction and clear the fine.
Post
While you can pay by post, this process is a lot slower, potentially less reliable than the digital options and involves several extra steps.
If you wish to proceed, though, you’ll need the offending vehicle’s registration number, penalty charge notice number, a penalty charge cheque payment slip and a cheque made out to Transport for London. The completed document and cheque should then be sent to Congestion Charging, PO Box 340, Darlington, DL1 9PZ.
London Congestion Charge history: the key dates
- 2003 – Congestion Charge introduced by Mayor Ken Livingstone with a fee of £5 for car drivers. In 2013, he admitted: “It turned out better than I expected.”
- 2007 – The C-charge zone was extended further into west London. This was subsequently scrapped by then-Mayor Boris Johnson in 2011.
- 2017 – A supplementary Toxicity Charge was introduced with an additional charge for higher-polluting vehicles. This became the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in 2019.
- 2020-2021 – As Covid-related lockdowns hit, the C-Charge was initially suspended to help key workers, before being reintroduced, with extended hours and higher prices, as TfL tried to recoup lost revenues.
- 2025 – Electric cars no longer exempt from the Congestion Charge as of 25 December.
Has the London Congestion Charge been a success?
17 February 2003 was a pivotal day for motorists in the UK, marking the first time they were asked to pay for the privilege of driving into the centre of one of our major cities.
London’s Congestion Charge divided opinion at the time, and over two decades later, it remains hugely polarising. Advocates claim the scheme plays a key role in trying to shift attitudes towards transport in our capital city. Critics, of which there are many, argue it is little more than an unfair tax on motorists that has delivered few tangible benefits.
On the 20th anniversary of the scheme’s introduction in February 2023, TfL’s director of strategy and policy, Christina Calderato, described the scheme as “world leading”, pointing out how it “has resulted in a significant shift away from people using private cars to more environmentally friendly forms of transport”.
“[The Charge] plays a vital role in supporting the capital's economy, making central London a more attractive place to visit and the roads run more efficiently,” Calderato continued. “Without it, business and the capital's economy would suffer more from the costs of congestion. “
And that’s exactly it; whilst the Congestion Charge has definitely met its aim of traffic reduction – the number of cars entering the Zone during active hours reduced by 30 per cent following its introduction – it’s hard not to view it as a money making scheme by TfL.
Official figures show that TfL generated around £200 million from the scheme in the financial year 2024/25. However, following the recent price hike, this figure is set to raise an additional £40 million per year.
Reacting to the recent increase in the Charge and removal of the EV exemption, an AA spokesperson told Auto Express that the organisation is “bitterly disappointed that TfL is now picking on EV drivers”, calling the move a “general cash grab”.
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