Dartford Crossing Cost

Is there a Dart Charge app?

Short version: there is no official one. But you can pay the Dartford Crossing from your phone in under a minute, and one third-party app does it in two taps.

The short answer

There is no official Dart Charge app. National Highways has never released one, and neither gov.uk nor the National Highways help centre lists an app among the ways to pay. The official routes are online at gov.uk, by phone (0300 300 0120), at a Payzone shop, or by post for accounts. The gov.uk site works in any phone browser, so you do not need an app at all. If you want one, the third-party Caura app pays a crossing in two taps.

No app needed

Pay on your phone at gov.uk

The official portal works in any mobile browser exactly like it does on a desktop. This is the route National Highways points everyone to, and it is free.

How to do it

  • Open gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge
  • Enter your number plate and crossing date
  • Pay by debit or credit card
  • Save the page to your home screen for one-tap access
  • Open a pre-pay account to pay automatically every crossing

Tip

Any other website that charges a fee to pay the crossing is a third party, not gov.uk. The real address begins gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge.

Third-party app

Caura (third-party)

A private app that handles the Dart Charge alongside other UK motoring tasks (parking, ULEZ, congestion charge). The closest thing to a real Dart Charge app, useful if you cross multiple tolled zones around London.

What it does

  • Pay Dart Charge crossings in two taps
  • Pay ULEZ, congestion charge and Silvertown/Blackwall
  • Tax, MOT and insurance reminders
  • One dashboard for several London driving costs

Things to know

  • Caura is a commercial company, not a government service. It earns money on parking, insurance and partnerships.
  • Caura's own Dartford page says it adds no fee on the crossing itself: you pay the standard £3.50 (£2.80 on a pre-pay account).
  • Paying direct at gov.uk is always free, so an app is optional, not required.

Every way to pay the Dartford Crossing from your phone

There is no Dartford Crossing app from the government, but there are five ways to pay, and four of them work straight from a phone. None of the official routes add a fee on top of the crossing charge.

How to payApp?Fee on the crossingBest for
gov.uk in any phone browserNo downloadNoneA one-off crossing
Pre-pay account at gov.ukNo downloadNone (saves 70p)Frequent crossers (auto-charged)
Caura app (third-party)YesNonePeople who also pay ULEZ / congestion charge
By phone: 0300 300 0120NoNoneNo smartphone (8am-8pm)
Payzone shopNoNonePaying in cash, in person

The car charge is £3.50 (£2.80 on a pre-pay account). Any website or app that asks for more than that to pay a crossing has added its own fee. Caura confirms it adds none on the Dart Charge itself.

So how should you pay from a phone?

  • One-off crossing: open gov.uk in your phone browser. No download, no fee.
  • You cross often: open a pre-pay account at gov.uk. It auto-charges each crossing and drops the price by 70p, so there is nothing to remember.
  • You also drive in London (ULEZ, congestion charge, parking): Caura is a useful one-stop dashboard.
  • No smartphone: pay by phone on 0300 300 0120 (8am to 8pm) or at a Payzone shop.

Dart Charge app questions

Is there an official Dart Charge app?+

No. National Highways has never released an official Dart Charge app. The official ways to pay are online at gov.uk, by phone on 0300 300 0120, at a Payzone shop, or by post for accounts and penalty notices. gov.uk and the National Highways help centre list no app. (An old Barclays Pingit option existed years ago but was withdrawn; Pingit itself closed in 2021.)

Is there a Dartford Crossing app?+

There is no official Dartford Crossing app and no official Dart Charge app; they are the same crossing and neither exists as a government app. The crossing is paid online at gov.uk in any phone browser, by phone, at a Payzone shop, or through the third-party Caura app. Caura is the closest thing to a Dartford Crossing app, but it is a commercial product, not National Highways.

How do I pay the Dart Charge on my phone?+

Open gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge in any mobile browser. It works on a phone exactly like a desktop: enter your number plate and crossing date and pay by card. No download is needed. If you want an actual app, the third-party Caura app can pay a crossing in two taps.

What is the Caura app?+

Caura is a private, third-party motoring app (not a government service) that lets you pay the Dart Charge alongside ULEZ, the London Congestion Charge, other UK tolls, car tax and MOT reminders. It is the closest thing to a Dart Charge app, but it is run by a commercial company, not National Highways.

Does the Caura app add a fee to the Dart Charge?+

Caura's own Dartford Crossing page states it charges no extra fee on the crossing itself: you pay the standard £3.50 (or £2.80 on a pre-pay account). The app is free to download and makes its money on other services such as parking and insurance. Paying direct at gov.uk is always free too.

Last verified:27 June 2026·Source: gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge