How much does the London congestion charge cost and when do you pay it?
A london congestion charge takes moments. 50 if you pay by midnight the following day.
The charge applies Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm, and you pay it directly to Transport for London (TfL) online, by phone or via the TfL app. It covers a 21 square kilometre zone in central London, marked by roadside cameras and signs showing a white 'C' on a red circle.
Key facts
What area does the London congestion charge cover?
The congestion charge zone covers central London, roughly bounded by Euston Road to the north, Tower Bridge to the east, Elephant and Castle to the south, and Hyde Park to the west. The boundary runs along roads such as Marylebone Road, Pentonville Road, Commercial Street, Kennington Lane and Park Lane.
Cameras positioned at every entry and exit point record number plates between 7am and 6pm on charging days.
If you drive on the boundary road itself, you do not pay the charge. Once you turn into the zone, the charge applies for the entire day, regardless of how many times you enter or exit.
A single £15 payment covers unlimited journeys within the zone until 6pm.
Tip: Check your exact route using ULEZ and zone checker before you set off. It shows both the congestion charge zone and the separate ULEZ boundary on one map.
The zone does not include the A40 Westway, which runs along the northern edge, or the stretch of the A4 west of Earl's Court. If you stay on these roads without turning off, no charge applies.
The eastern boundary cuts through the City, so journeys to Canary Wharf or Stratford from outside the zone usually avoid it entirely.
| Boundary landmark | Inside or outside |
|---|---|
| Oxford Street | Inside |
| Marylebone Road | Boundary (no charge if you stay on it) |
| Tower Bridge | Eastern edge (charge ends here) |
| Hyde Park Corner | Inside |
| Waterloo Station | Inside |
When do you need to pay the congestion charge?
You must pay by midnight on the day you drive through the zone if you want the £15 rate. 50 by midnight the following day.
After that, TfL issues a penalty charge notice of £160, reduced to £80 if you pay within 14 days.
The charge applies Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm. No charge applies on weekends, public holidays, or between 25 December and 1 January.
If a public holiday falls on a weekday, the charge does not apply that day.
Warning: The payment window closes at midnight, not at 6pm when charging hours end. Many drivers assume the deadline matches the operating hours and receive penalty notices.
You can pay up to 90 days in advance if you know your travel dates, which is useful for regular trips or planned appointments. TfL sends a confirmation email for each payment, and you can set up Auto Pay to cover every day you drive through the zone automatically.
Auto Pay debits your account each time cameras register your number plate, so you never miss a deadline.
Who is exempt from the London congestion charge?
Blue Badge holders who live inside the zone receive a 100 per cent discount after registering their vehicle with TfL. Residents who live inside the zone pay a reduced rate of £10 per day under the Congestion Charge Discount scheme, but they must register and renew annually.
Certain vehicle types are fully exempt: zero-emission vehicles with a plug-in grant sticker, motorcycles, mopeds, licensed taxis and minicabs (PHVs registered with TfL). Emergency service vehicles, buses and vehicles used by disabled people are also exempt.
5 tonnes used for certain commercial purposes may qualify for a discount.
Key figure: Around 9,000 vehicles enter the zone each charging hour during peak periods, generating approximately £135,000 in revenue per hour at the standard rate.
Exemptions and discounts require advance registration through your TfL account. If you drive an exempt vehicle without registering it first, cameras still record your number plate and TfL issues a penalty notice.
Registration is free but can take several days to process, so apply before your first journey.
| Vehicle type | Charge |
|---|---|
| Standard petrol or diesel car | £15 per day |
| Zero-emission vehicle (registered) | £0 |
| Resident inside the zone (registered) | £10 per day |
| Motorcycle or moped | £0 |
| Licensed taxi | £0 |
How do you pay the congestion charge?
Pay online at the official TfL congestion charge page, by phone on 0343 222 2222, via the TfL app, or at selected retail locations displaying the Payzone or PayPoint signs. You need your vehicle registration number and the date of travel.
Payment by debit or credit card is instant, and you receive email confirmation within a few minutes.
The TfL website and app let you set up Auto Pay, which charges your registered payment method automatically each time you drive through the zone. This removes the risk of forgetting, but you must keep your payment details up to date or TfL will issue a penalty notice if a payment fails.
Tip: If you pay regularly, Auto Pay is the most reliable method. One missed manual payment costs more in penalties than a year of daily charges.
You can pay for multiple days in one transaction, which is useful if you know your schedule. For example, booking five days at once costs £75 if paid in advance.
Once paid, you cannot get a refund if you change your plans, so only prepay for dates you are certain about.
50 rate depending on when you pay. Not all Payzone or PayPoint locations offer TfL services, so check with the retailer before you go.
Phone payments are available 24 hours a day and automated, though you can request an operator if needed.
What happens if you drive into the zone without paying?
TfL sends a penalty charge notice (PCN) to the registered keeper of the vehicle, usually within 14 days. The penalty is £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days of the notice date.
If you do not pay within 28 days, the charge increases to £240.
After 56 days, TfL can apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre for a county court order to recover the debt.
You can challenge a PCN if you believe it was issued incorrectly, for example if you were exempt or if you paid on time but the system did not record it.
Challenges must be submitted within 28 days through the TfL website, and you need your PCN reference number and supporting evidence such as payment receipts or proof of exemption.
Warning: Ignoring a PCN does not make it go away. Unpaid penalties escalate to court action, and bailiffs can be instructed to recover the debt plus additional costs.
If TfL rejects your challenge, you can appeal to the independent tribunal at London Tribunals. The tribunal's decision is final.
During the challenge or appeal period, you do not have to pay the penalty, but if the challenge fails, the original deadline applies and the charge may have increased.
How the congestion charge affects parking-based errands
Inside the congestion charge zone, a short errand can cost more than the errand itself. The charge applies for the full day whether you drive for ten minutes or ten hours, and it is separate from parking fees, ULEZ charges and resident permit costs.
If you are visiting an address inside the zone for a single appointment, the total cost of driving can exceed £30 once you add parking.
One way to reduce mileage-based costs is to book services that come to your parking space rather than driving to a location inside the zone. A valet booked to your home or workplace address adds no charged journey, and the service takes place while the car is parked.
The same principle applies to any mobile service: deliveries, repairs or inspections that arrive at your address avoid the need to drive through the zone for that errand.
Keep the car parked and still get it cleaned. Book a valet to your space and avoid the drive to a wash location inside the zone.
Next, read ULEZ Map: Check London Zone Boundaries in 2026 for the detail behind that decision. Next, read The Real Cost of a London Hand Car Wash for the detail behind that decision.
Frequently asked questions
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No. If you drive through the zone before 7am, after 6pm, on weekends, on public holidays or between 25 December and 1 January, no charge applies.
The cameras still record your number plate, but TfL does not issue a charge for those times.
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Some petrol stations have Payzone or PayPoint terminals that accept TfL payments, but not all do. Check with the cashier before you assume they offer the service.
The TfL website and app are available 24 hours and faster than visiting a retail location.
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The congestion charge applies only in the central zone and only during weekday daytime hours. ULEZ covers a much larger area (all of Greater London inside the M25) and operates 24 hours a day, every day.
The two charges are separate, so you can pay both on the same journey if your vehicle does not meet ULEZ emissions standards and you drive through central London on a weekday.
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No. One payment of £15 covers unlimited entries and exits within the zone for the entire charging period (7am to 6pm).
You do not pay again if you leave and return on the same day.
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No. Once you pay, TfL does not issue refunds, even if you change your plans.
Only pay for dates you are certain about, or use Auto Pay so you are charged only on days when cameras record your number plate.
The London congestion charge is a fixed cost for driving in central London during weekday daytime hours, and the penalty for missing the deadline is steep. Payment is straightforward through TfL's official channels, and exemptions are available for residents, Blue Badge holders and zero-emission vehicles.
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