Forgot to pay the Dart Charge? Here's what to do.
A £3.50 crossing turns into £35, then £70, then £105 if ignored. The cost of acting now is small. The cost of waiting is large.
How late are you?
Pick the row that fits. Each one tells you exactly what to do.
You're still on time. Pay now.
The deadline is 11:59pm the day after you crossed. If that hasn't passed, you can pay at the standard rate and there is no penalty.
Check the crossing on gov.uk.
The gov.uk service lets you check which crossings you've paid for. gov.uk says that if you do not pay on time you might get a fine; it publishes no grace period, so do not count on one. If a PCN does arrive, paying within 14 days cuts it to £35.
Pay it within 14 days for the £35 reduced rate.
The PCN itself includes a payment reference and link. Acting fast saves £35. If you think the PCN is wrong, see the appeal route below.
Ask the contact centre what is owed.
Call Dart Charge on 0300 300 0120 (every day, 8am to 8pm) and ask what is outstanding on the vehicle. Keep a note of the date and what you were told. A PCN, once issued, has its own line: 0300 1313 120.
Remember
The deadline is 11:59pm the day after you crossed.
Cross Tuesday at 2pm? Pay by Wednesday 11:59pm. Cross Saturday morning? Pay by Sunday night. There's no Monday-only window.
Why acting fast matters
A £3.50 crossing escalates aggressively. Here's what each delay costs you for a single car crossing.
£3.50
Pay on time
Day of or day after
£35
14 days from PCN
Reduced rate
£70
28 days from PCN
Full PCN
£105
Charge Certificate
After 28 days unpaid
£105+
Court enforcement
Plus court costs & bailiff fees
Stop this from happening again
Open a pre-pay account
Auto-deducts the charge. You never need to remember. Plus a 70p discount per crossing.
Open onePay from your phone
There is no official Dart Charge app, but gov.uk works in any phone browser. The third-party Caura app can pay in two taps.
Phone payment guidePay in advance
If the trip is planned, pay before you go. gov.uk says a payment for a future crossing stays valid for 12 months and is used automatically when you cross.
See methodsCommon late-payment questions
Can I still pay the Dart Charge 5 days late?+
The official answer is no. In practice, you can sometimes still pay online for a few days after the deadline before the system flags it. Try and see, or call 0300 300 0120. Worst case, you pay £3.50 instead of £35.
My passenger says they got a Dart Charge PCN but I don't think we crossed.+
ANPR cameras occasionally misread plates. Request the photo evidence Dart Charge holds (cite the PCN reference) and challenge formally if the image doesn't show your vehicle.
Is the £35 reduced PCN rate guaranteed?+
Only if you pay within 14 days of the PCN issue date (printed on the notice). After 14 days, the fine returns to £70. After 28 days, it rises to £105.
My Dart Charge PCN went to my old address.+
The PCN is sent to the address on the V5C. Update your DVLA address immediately and contact Dart Charge to request a re-issue. The first-PCN grace policy may apply.