Set up
Create the account
- Open gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge
- Choose to set up an account
- Add £15+ and register your plate
- Or set up by post (gov.uk form)
Dart Charge account: set up, log in and manage it
One account covers everything: pay a crossing, fund a pre-pay balance, add up to 20 vehicles and manage a resident pass. Here is how to create it, sign in, and run it, all on the official gov.uk service.
The short answer
Set up and sign in to your Dart Charge account on the gov.uk service. There is no separate app or portal. Open a pre-pay account from a £15 deposit and every crossing is taken automatically at £2.80 instead of £3.50 (a 20% saving), with up to 20 vehicles on one balance. Sign in at pay-dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/sign-in, or manage the account by phone on 0300 300 0120 (8am to 8pm, every day).
Log in
Sign in
- Go to the sign-in page on gov.uk
- Use your registered email and password
- Works in any phone or desktop browser
- One login for pre-pay, resident and fleet
Manage
Run it
- See recent crossings and top-ups
- Add or remove vehicles (up to 20)
- Change card or Direct Debit
- Manage a local resident discount
Do you actually need an account?
You do not need an account to pay a one-off crossing; you can do that as a guest at gov.uk. An account is worth it once you cross often enough for the 20% pre-pay saving, or if you qualify for the resident pass.
| Option | Account needed? | Car rate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-off payment (guest) | No | £3.50 | A single recent or upcoming crossing |
| Pre-pay account | Yes | £2.80 | Regular crossers (auto-deducted, saves 20%) |
| Local resident discount | Yes | £25/yr | Dartford or Thurrock residents |
All three are managed from the same sign-in. The pre-pay rate and the resident pass both sit inside the account you create on the gov.uk service.
Trouble signing in?
- Forgotten password: use the reset link on the sign-in page; it emails a reset to your registered address.
- Wrong site: the only official sign-in is at pay-dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk. Any site charging a fee to log in or pay is a third party.
- Cannot get in at all: call the contact centre on 0300 300 0120 (8am to 8pm, every day) to access or recover the account.
- Just need to pay a recent crossing: you can pay as a guest without logging in, by midnight the day after you crossed. See how to pay.
Dart Charge account questions
How do I set up a Dart Charge account?+
Go to gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge and choose to set up an account. The quickest route is a pre-pay account: you add money up front (£15 minimum), register your number plate, and every crossing is then taken automatically at the discounted £2.80 rate instead of £3.50. You can also set up an account by post using the gov.uk publication 'Set up or cancel a Dart Charge account by post'. There is no separate Dart Charge app to download; the account lives on the gov.uk service.
How do I log in to my Dart Charge account?+
Sign in at pay-dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/sign-in (you can reach it from gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge). Use the email and password you registered with. There is no separate residents-only or fleet-only login; pre-pay, local resident discount and fleet vehicles all sit inside the same account. If you would rather manage the account by phone, call the contact centre on 0300 300 0120 (every day, 8am to 8pm).
Is there a Dart Charge account app or separate portal?+
No. National Highways has never released an official Dart Charge app, and there is no separate account portal beyond the gov.uk service. The sign-in page works in any phone or desktop browser. The third-party Caura app can pay a one-off crossing, but it is a commercial product and not your Dart Charge account.
What is the minimum to open a pre-pay account?+
£15. That deposit sits as available balance and crossings are deducted from it at £2.80 per car crossing (a 20% saving on the £3.50 pay-as-you-go rate). You can set the account to top up automatically by Direct Debit so the balance never runs out.
How many vehicles can I add to one account?+
Up to 20 number plates per account, all funded from one balance and, if you choose, one Direct Debit. That makes a single pre-pay account workable for a household with several cars or a small business. Larger operators use the same account structure; see the fleet guide for record-keeping.
Can I see my crossing history in the account?+
Yes. Once signed in, a pre-pay account shows your recent crossings and top-ups so you can check what has been charged and confirm a crossing was paid. This is also where you update vehicles, change the card or Direct Debit, and manage the local resident discount if you hold one.
How do I close my Dart Charge account?+
You can cancel a Dart Charge account by post using the same gov.uk publication used to set one up by post ('Set up or cancel a Dart Charge account by post'), or by calling 0300 300 0120. Any remaining pre-pay balance is refundable. After closing, crossings revert to the £3.50 pay-as-you-go rate, still due by midnight the day after you cross.