What is the London Congestion Charge?

If you don't live in London, you may have heard of the congestion charge but have never had to worry about it. In this article, we'll detail what the congestion charge is and what you should do if you are planning on driving in central London.

The congestion charge has been in place since February 2003, with the primary aim being to reduce the volume of private vehicles entering the city centre of London during peak travel times.

The Congestion Charge Zone has expanded since 2003 to cover all of central London. The zone, although criticised by many, has undoubtedly been successful in reducing the number of private vehicles in central London, improving air quality and increasing the use of public transportation.

How does the congestion charge work?

The congestion charge is a daily tariff which is enforced across central London seven days per week during peak travel times. Once you pay the congestion charge, you can drive in and around the charge zone as often and for as long as you need (on the day which you have paid to enter it).

To enter the London Congestion Charge Zone, there are no barriers or booths; it's simply a case of registering your car details online and paying the charge to Transport for London (TFL).

Once you have entered your car details into the TFL congestion charge database, Automatic Numberplate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will read your number plate as you enter and leave the zone, checking against the database that you have paid the congestion charge unless you are exempt.

On the day of entering the Congestion Charge Zone, drivers will have until midnight to pay the standard charge. You can pay the charge up until the midnight on the third day after travel in the zone, but the charge increases slightly. If you have still not paid to pay by this time, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued to the driver.

The best way to ensure you avoid a PCN from the Congestion Charge Zone is by setting up AutoPay with TFL. By doing so, TFL can record all of the days the driver has travelled within the zone in the calendar month and bill these charges via direct debit or credit card.

Why was the congestion charge introduced?

The congestion charge was introduced to encourage more sustainable travel patterns in the busiest city of the UK and one of the busiest cities in the world (Preply, 2024)^[1]. Anyone who has visited London knows how difficult it can be to travel during peak traffic. Without policy like this, congestion and air quality would have continually worsened, impacting the health and wellbeing of those who stay in central London.

The congestion charge immediately worked to reduce the level of traffic congestion within central London by 30% while increasing the number of citizens using public busses by 33% (TFL, 2023)^[2]. It also marked a 10% increase in Londoners who started walking, cycling or using other forms of public transport (TFL, 2023)^[2]. In turn, this has reduced the rising levels of traffic pollution in and around central London. TFL reported in 2023 that:

...still around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to air pollution with dirty air also linked to increase risk of dementia in older people and children growing up with stunted lungs.

Although the congestion charge made progress in terms of congestion and air quality, more needed to be done to tackle the extremely dangerous pollution levels in the centre of London. This is why the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) was introduced.

Where is the Congestion Charge Zone and where does the congestion charge start?

London's Congestion Charge Zone spans approximately 8.1 square miles, covering all of London's boroughs and the city of London itself. Hyde Park and Park Lane border the Congestion Charge Zone to the west, with Tower Bridge and Whitechapel bordering the east of the zone. The boundary is often referred to as the London Inner Ring Road.

What time does the congestion charge start and finish?

The Congestion Charge Zone starts every weekday (Monday -Friday) at 7am and finishes at 6pm. At weekends (Saturday - Sunday) the charge zone is active from 12pm to 6pm. The same rules apply for bank holidays. There is no charge between Christmas Day (25th December) and New Years Day (1st January).

How much is the congestion charge?

The standard daily tariff for the congestion charge is £15 when you pay in advance or by midnight on the day of travel within the zone. If you pay by midnight on the third day after travel, the tariff increases slightly to £17.50.

Additionally, if your car is not ULEZ-compliant, you would also incur the ULEZ fee as well as the congestion charge.

Failure to pay by midnight on the third day after travel in the charge zone will result in the driver being issued with a PCN of £180. If the PCN is paid within 14 days of issue, it will reduce by 50% to £90. If you have not paid the PCN within 28 days of issue, the charge will increase by 50% of the original penalty charge to £270.

How do you pay the congestion charge?

You can pay the congestion charge on the TFL website:

• In advance of travel
• On the same day of travel
• By midnight of the third day after travel

What cars are exempt from congestion charge?

There are some vehicles which are exempt from the congestion charge. These include vehicles which have been registered with the DVLA as:

• Emergency service vehicles e.g., ambulances or fire engines.
• NHS vehicles which are vehicle-tax exempt.
• Roadside recovery vehicles
• Disability vehicles which are vehicle-tax exempt e.g., blue badge holders
• Two-wheeled vehicles e.g., motorbikes or mopeds.
• Vehicles which emit 75kg/km of CO2 or less.
• London taxi and private hire (TPH) licensed taxis.

At present, zero-emission vehicles, like electric cars are exempt from the congestion charge. However, this is set to change on 25th December 2025. Check the TFL website to stay up to date with changes to exemptions.

How do I know if I have to pay the congestion charge?

Most people who drive in central London within the boundary of the congestion zone must pay the congestion charge. This includes all vehicles which have emission standards:

• Diesel: Euro 6 (NOx & PM)
• Petrol: Euro 4 (NOx)

You can also use the TFL postcode and map search checker to check charges which your car may be eligible for when driving in London.

References

1. https://preply.com/en/blog/busiest-cities-in-the-world/
2. https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2023/february/congestion-charge-marks-20-years-of-keeping-london-moving-sustainably#:~:text=When%20the%20scheme%20was%20introduced,cent%20during%20weekday%20charging%20hours