Dartford Crossing Fine: Dart Charge and PCN Rules Explained

The Dartford Crossing charges a fee called the Dart Charge instead of collecting a toll at a barrier. Miss the payment deadline and you risk a Penalty Charge Notice starting at £70. Here's what a car costs, how to pay, and how to appeal a fine.

What is the Dart Charge

The Dartford Crossing carries the A282 across the Thames between Dartford in Kent and Thurrock in Essex, using two tunnels and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Since the barriers were removed, the crossing has worked as a "free-flow" scheme: cameras read number plates as vehicles pass, and drivers pay the Dart Charge afterwards rather than stopping to pay at a booth.

That difference matters. Because there's no barrier, there's also no moment where you're forced to pay before driving on. The charge has to be paid separately, by midnight the day after you cross, or in advance if you already know you're going to use the crossing. Nothing stops you at the crossing itself to remind you.

How much it costs

The charge depends on the vehicle and whether you pay one-off, through a pay-as-you-go account or through a pre-pay account, which gets a lower rate:

For most drivers reading this, the relevant figure is the Class B (car) rate: £3.50 one-off or pay-as-you-go, or £2.80 with a pre-pay account. You also do not pay if your vehicle gets free vehicle tax because of a disability; this is checked automatically when you cross. The crossing is free between 10pm and 6am every day, including weekends and bank holidays, so a late-night or early-morning crossing costs nothing at all.

How to pay

You can pay the Dart Charge in a few ways, whether or not you have an account:

• Online, through the Dart Charge service, either as a one-off payment or by logging into an account.
• By phone, on 0300 300 0120 (lines are open daily, roughly 8am to 8pm).
• In person, with cash at participating Payzone retail stores.

Setting up a Dart Charge account

Anyone who crosses regularly is generally better off with a pre-pay account, which charges the discounted £2.80 rate for a car instead of £3.50 and lets the charge be taken automatically each time the vehicle's number plate is recognised, removing the risk of forgetting to pay altogether. A pay-as-you-go account, linked to a payment card, takes the full £3.50 car rate automatically at midnight the day after you cross. Occasional users can still pay one-off, either in advance or by the midnight-the-day-after deadline, without setting up an account. Residents in the Dartford and Thurrock council areas may also be eligible for a separate local residents' discount scheme, applied for through National Highways.

If you miss the deadline: Penalty Charge Notices

If the charge isn't paid in time, National Highways issues a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) to the registered keeper of the vehicle:

The £70 figure is the standard penalty. Paying quickly within 14 days halves it to £35, while ignoring it lets the amount rise to £105 after 28 days. Because the PCN is tied to the individual crossing, a separate penalty can be issued for each unpaid crossing, so a few forgotten trips can generate several notices rather than one combined bill.

Appealing a PCN

A Dart Charge PCN can be challenged, but the process has two stages:

1. Representations to National Highways. You (or the registered keeper) write to National Highways, online or by post, setting out the grounds for challenging the notice, for example that the charge was already paid, the vehicle had been sold or was on hire to someone else at the time, or there was some other procedural problem with how the notice was issued.
2. Appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. If National Highways rejects the representations, it issues a Notice of Rejection. From that point, you can appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, an independent body of adjudicators who decide Dart Charge and council parking appeals. The Tribunal looks at whether the PCN was properly issued and whether the stated grounds hold up; it isn't a general discretion to waive a fine because paying it is inconvenient.

Deadlines matter at both stages: representations and any further appeal are normally expected within 28 days of the relevant notice, so it's worth acting quickly rather than leaving a PCN unanswered.

Common reasons people get caught out

A few situations account for most Dart Charge penalties that were genuinely avoidable:

• Hire cars. The charge is tied to the vehicle's number plate, not the driver. If you cross in a hire car, the hire company is the registered keeper and may pass on any PCN, often with an added administration fee, unless you paid the charge yourself at the time.
• Simply forgetting. With no barrier and no booth, there's no physical prompt to pay. A one-off visitor to the area, or someone who crosses only occasionally, can easily cross and forget entirely until a PCN arrives by post.
• Foreign-registered vehicles. The Dart Charge applies regardless of where a vehicle is registered. Non-UK registered vehicles are still liable, and National Highways can pursue payment and enforcement through the vehicle's registered keeper details, including via international debt recovery in some cases.

Setting up a pre-pay account, or simply paying online as soon as you know you've crossed, removes most of this risk.

Related reading: for civil parking penalties away from the Dartford Crossing, see our guides to appealing a council PCN and appealing a private parking charge. A Dart Charge penalty is a civil penalty charge, not a motoring conviction; if you're dealing with driving endorsements from other offences, see our penalty points guide. For the full picture of UK driving law, visit the UK Driving Laws hub, or the United Kingdom hub for our wider coverage of UK law.

This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Charges and penalty amounts can change, always check the current figures on the official Dart Charge service before paying or appealing. If you're disputing a Penalty Charge Notice and need help beyond the representations and Tribunal process described here, consider getting independent advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Dart Charge?

The Dart Charge is the road-user charge for using the Dartford Crossing on the A282. It replaced the old toll booths with a free-flow, camera-based system, so drivers pay afterwards rather than stopping to pay at a barrier.

How much does it cost to cross the Dartford Crossing in a car?

A car (Class B) costs £3.50 as a one-off payment or on a pay-as-you-go account, or £2.80 with a pre-pay Dart Charge account.

Is the Dartford Crossing free at night?

Yes. The crossing is free between 10pm and 6am every day, including weekends and bank holidays. The charge only applies to crossings made between 6am and 10pm.

What happens if I don't pay the Dart Charge in time?

You'll usually receive a Penalty Charge Notice of £70. This reduces to £35 if you pay within 14 days, but rises to £105 if it's still unpaid after 28 days.

Can I get more than one PCN for the Dartford Crossing?

Yes. A PCN relates to a single unpaid crossing, so if you cross more than once without paying, each unpaid crossing can generate its own separate penalty.

How do I appeal a Dart Charge PCN?

First make representations to National Highways, explaining your grounds for challenging the notice. If that's rejected, you can appeal to the independent Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which decides Dart Charge and council parking appeals.

Do I still have to pay if I'm driving a hire car or a foreign-registered vehicle?

Yes. The charge is tied to the vehicle's number plate rather than the driver's nationality or where the vehicle is registered, so hire cars and foreign-registered vehicles are liable in the same way as any other vehicle.