Dart Charges – and how to pay for the Dartford Crossing
The Dartford Crossing can help drivers cut their journey time, but they have to pay for it. We share how to save on crossings and avoid fines...
Every day, an average of 150,000 vehicles use the Dartford Crossing to travel over the river Thames between Essex and Kent making it an essential part of Britain’s road network.
The crossing is a notorious bottleneck, but it can help to speed up journeys when traffic is flowing freely. For instance, if you use the Dartford Crossing to travel from Romford to Orpington, your journey should take around 50 minutes. Without the crossing, you’ll spend about an hour and a quarter behind the wheel before you reach your destination.
However, the main downside to using the Dartford Crossing is that you’ll need to pay a toll, known as the Dart Charge. Ever since the original Dartford Tunnel first opened in 1963, drivers have had to pay to use it. The funds have been used to finance construction projects, including a second tunnel opened in 1980 and the Queen Elizabeth II bridge in 1991.
In 1999, the government predicted that, by the end of 2003, the project would be fully paid off. However, the Dart Charge has since been maintained as a way to reduce congestion. Dart Charge rates were last increased in September 2025, with prices for car drivers rising by £1 to £3.50.
Here, we share the amount you’ll have to pay in order to use the Dartford Crossing, the various ways you can pay a Dart Charge and which vehicles are exempt from the fee.
How do I pay to use the Dartford Crossing?
Unlike traditional toll roads, such as the M6 Toll, the Dartford Crossing doesn’t have any toll booths, meaning you can’t pay in person as you cross. Instead, you’ll need to pay either:
- online (either as a one-off Dart Charge payment via gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge or by creating a Dart Charge account)
- by post
- at a Payzone store
- by phone by calling 0300 300 0120.
It’s possible to pay the fee in advance of using the Dartford Crossing – by as much as 12 months – or afterwards, so long as you have paid by the midnight on the day after you cross.
Different vehicles are charged different amounts in order to use the Dartford Crossing, with reduced fees available for those who set up a pre-pay account (more on that later). Since September 2025, the charges, including the reduced pre-pay rates, have been:
Motorcycles, mopeds & quadricycles – Free
Cars, motorhomes & minibuses – £3.50 (£2.80)
Goods vehicles with two axles (eg: vans) – £4.20 (£3.60)
Goods vehicles with more than two axles (eg: lorries) – £8.40 (£7.20)
These charges are enforced seven days per week from 6am to 10pm. Outside of these hours, the crossing is free of charge.
What is a Dart Charge account?
If you regularly use the Dartford Crossing, you might want to consider setting up a Dart Charge account. This aims to make paying the Dart Charge simpler, offering two options to pay for Dartford Tunnel crossings: ‘Pay as you go’ and ‘Pre-pay’.
Pay as you go allows you to link a payment card to your Dart Charge account. Whenever you use the Dartford Crossing, Dart Charges for your vehicle are automatically deducted from your card, meaning there’s no risk of forgetting to pay after your journey.
Alternatively, the pre-pay mode lets you top up a fund linked to the Dart Charge account, which is used to automatically pay for future crossings. Pre-pay users receive a discount of up to 20% each time they cross.
In either case, you’ll be able to confirm that a particular charge has been paid through by checking your emails – with receipts being sent for every paid crossing.
You can set up a Dart Charge account by filling out a form which contains your name, address, contact information, and details of up to four vehicles you intend to use on the Dartford Crossing. You’ll also need to include your payment information and a minimum deposit of £15. You can create your account online or by posting the form to:
Dart Charge
PO BOX 842
Leeds
LS1 9QF
How can I check if I need to pay Dart Charge?
If you only use the Dartford Crossing rarely, it’s worth reminding yourself to ensure you know if and when you’ll need to pay a charge. However, if you use the crossing regularly, it can be difficult to keep track of the Dartford Crossing payments you’ve already made.
To avoid forgetting to pay after the deadline, your Dart Charge account will state if you have any outstanding charges. Simply log in to your account and select ‘Check which crossing you’ve paid for’. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that crossings won’t appear on your account until midnight of the day you cross.
If you don’t have a Dart Charge account, you can also check if you have any outstanding charges by calling 0300 300 0120.
In either case, you’ll be able to see which Dart Charges you’ve paid for by checking your emails, with receipts being sent for each crossing. If you’re a regular user, you might find it useful to set rules in your email to direct these receipts into a specific folder to make it easier to track them down.
Do you have to pay a Dart Charge twice in a day?
Much like other toll roads in the UK, each Dart Charge entitles you to a single trip across the Dartford Crossing. As a result, if you use it to get to and from your destination – even if both crossings take place within a matter of minutes – you’ll be charged twice.
What is the penalty notice for the Dart Charge?
If you fail to pay the Dart Charge before the following midnight, you’re liable for a penalty charge notice (PCN) of £70, which must be paid within 28 days. The fee is halved to £35 if you pay it within 14 days; however, if you exceed the 28-day limit, it rises to £105.
You can pay Dart Charge online by entering the PCN reference number and your car’s registration number or via the phone on 0300 1313 120 between 8am and 8pm.
If you feel you’ve been wrongfully fined, you can challenge the PCN, either online or by post, by filling out the ‘representation slip’ to:
Dart Charge Enforcement
PO BOX 842
Leeds
LS1 9QF
Who is exempt from Dart Charge?
While the cost of using the Dartford Crossing can quickly rack up if you use it regularly, there are some circumstances which entitle you to a reduced charge or a full exemption.
In particular, the Dartford Crossing is free to use at any time for motorcycle, moped or quadbike riders. Drivers who are exempt from paying road tax due to a disability don’t have to pay the Dart Charge. In either case, your vehicle’s registration number will be checked by ANPR cameras as you cross, meaning you won’t need to do anything.
If you live in an area run by Dartford Borough Council or Thurrock Council, you could also receive a local residents discount. With this, you can either pay for an annual pass of £25, allowing you to cross as many times as you want without an additional charge, or £12.50 for 50 crossings – with an additional 25 crossings available for £6.25.
You can apply for a local residents discount by setting up a Dart Charge account and provide a copy of your vehicle’s V5C logbook and two of the following documents as evidence of where you live:
- Your photocard driving licence
- Your latest council tax bill
- A recent bank or credit card statement
- A recent electricity or gas bill
- A housing association, tenancy agreement or Universal Credit document
In order to keep your discount, you’ll need to share these documents every two years.
What Car? says…
Content editor at What Car?, Jack Mortimer, says: “While additional charges are the last thing most motorists want to encounter, it’s important to understand how the Dart Charge works.
“If you’re planning a journey that includes the Dartford Crossing, make sure you know the various ways in which you can pay and how long you have before you risk a fine.
“And if you use the Dartford Crossing regularly, make sure you’re taking advantage of discounts such as the pre-pay rate. It might only cost car and van drivers 70p less per crossing, but if you use the Dartford Tunnel or Queen Elizabeth II Bridge twice a day for a month, you’ll have saved more than £40.”
