Pay Dart Charge in cash at a Payzone shop
Payzone is the over-the-counter route, the only one that works without a bank card or internet connection. Walk into a newsagent or convenience store displaying the Payzone logo, hand them your vehicle registration and the £3.50, walk out with a printed receipt. Used most often by drivers who prefer to pay in cash, or who already happen to be in the shop for something else.
Find a Payzone near you
The official store locator is at payzone.co.uk/store-locator. Enter your postcode and it returns shops with opening hours and what services each offers. Not every Payzone retailer handles bill payment, but the Dart Charge service is enabled at the vast majority.
Look for the orange Payzone shop-front sticker. Independents (Costcutter, Premier, Spar, Nisa, Londis) carry it most often. Tesco Express and Sainsbury's Local stores tend not to.
What happens at the till
The transaction takes about a minute, assuming the retailer has done it before. Most have; Dart Charge is a high-volume Payzone service.
- 1
Tell the cashier
"I'd like to pay a Dart Charge through Payzone please."
- 2
Hand over the VRM
Vehicle registration. Write it down to avoid mistakes.
- 3
Confirm the amount
£3.50 car, £4.20 two-axle goods, £8.40 multi-axle HGV.
- 4
Pay
Cash, debit or credit card. Cash universal; cards sometimes fee'd.
- 5
Take the receipt
Barcode plus 12-digit reference. Keep for 28 days.
The shop-closing cut-off
The Dart Charge payment deadline is midnight on the day after your crossing. Payzone retailers operate on shop hours, so the effective deadline at Payzone is whatever time your nearest shop closes the night before. Practical advice:
- Same-day Payzone pay-in: easy if you crossed in the morning and pop into a shop on the way home. Most retailers are open until 8-10pm.
- Next-day Payzone pay-in: works if you can get to a shop during opening hours on the day after. Don't leave it to the late evening; many shops shut before 10pm and you risk a PCN.
- Last-resort late evening: a few 24-hour supermarkets and petrol stations carry Payzone. Check the locator before you set off. If in doubt, pay online instead.
When Payzone is the right choice
Payzone wins when
- You want to pay in cash
- You don't have a bank card
- You don't have internet access
- You want a paper receipt
- You're already in the shop anyway
- You don't trust online card entry
Online or app is better when
- You cross at off hours (Payzone is shop-hours only)
- You cross often (open a pre-pay account)
- You're paying for multiple crossings at once
- You want immediate email/SMS confirmation
- You're paying a fine, not a crossing
Other ways to pay
All four methods
Online, phone, Payzone, app compared.
Pay by phone
0300 300 0120, 24/7 automated.
Dart Charge app
iOS and Android. Saved card details.
Pay by post
PCN-only; no postal crossing payments.
Pre-pay account
Skip the shop. Automatic deduction.
Missed the deadline?
Decision tree by how late.
Payzone questions
Where can I pay Dart Charge in cash?+
At any of the 28,000+ Payzone retailers across the UK. Most often these are convenience stores, newsagents and supermarkets. The Payzone store-locator at payzone.co.uk shows the nearest. Cash, debit card and credit card are all accepted at the till.
What do I need to take to the shop?+
Just two things: your vehicle registration number written down or on your phone, and the cash or card to pay. Payzone retailers print a barcode receipt as proof; keep this for at least 28 days in case a PCN follows in error.
How does the Payzone retailer process the payment?+
They scan a barcode from your phone or enter your VRM into their till. The system asks for the date of crossing and the charge amount (£3.50, £4.20 or £8.40 depending on the vehicle, which the retailer confirms with you). You pay; they print a receipt with a 12-digit reference number. Job done.
Are there Payzone retailers near the Dartford Crossing?+
Yes. Within 2 miles of M25 J31 and J1A there are typically 8-12 Payzone shops, including newsagents in Dartford town centre, Greenhithe, Thurrock Lakeside, Aveley and Purfleet. Use the locator on payzone.co.uk for the closest open right now.
What if Payzone charges a fee?+
Payzone retailers are paid by Dart Charge per transaction, not by you. Some shops levy their own card-payment fee (typically 25-50p) on top, particularly for small card transactions. Cash transactions are universally free of retailer surcharge.
What's the latest time I can pay at Payzone for a crossing today?+
By midnight on the day after your crossing, the same as for all payment methods. In practice, by whatever time the retailer closes the night before that deadline. Most newsagents close by 9pm or 10pm; some 24-hour supermarkets remain open later. Don't leave it to the last minute.
Oliver Wakefield-Smith
Founder, Digital Signet
Independent reference for Dart Charge prices and routing, sourced from gov.uk and updated against announced National Highways tariff changes.
About the operator