Dart Charge: Dartford Crossing Charges
The current Dart Charge for every vehicle class, when the Dartford Crossing is free, how long you have to pay, and what the penalties cost, checked July 2026 against the official gov.uk pages, with a quick calculator for regular runs.
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How to use: the cards below show the current Dart Charge for each vehicle class, checked July 2026 against the official gov.uk pages. Use the mini calculator to see what a regular Dartford run costs per week and per year, then follow the payment rules further down to stay clear of the £70 penalty.
Dart Charge prices per crossing
One-way prices, charged 6am to 10pm every day including weekends and bank holidays. Crossings between 10pm and 6am are free. Checked July 2026 against the official Dart Charge pages on gov.uk.
What your Dartford runs cost
Crossings between 10pm and 6am are free, so night-trunking legs through Dartford cost nothing; only count the crossings you make in charging hours. Model other crossings with the UK toll calculator.
What the Dart Charge is
The Dart Charge is the road user charge for the Dartford Crossing, where the M25 crosses the Thames east of London through two northbound tunnels and over the southbound Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Around 150,000 vehicles use it on a busy day, making it the busiest tolled crossing in the country and an unavoidable cost line for any fleet working Kent, Essex or the east side of the M25. The charge is run by National Highways and the only official place to pay or manage an account is gov.uk. Prices and rules on this page were checked in July 2026 against the official Pay the Dartford Crossing charge guidance.
There are no barriers and no booths. Cameras read your number plate, and the charge applies per crossing, per direction, between 6am and 10pm every day of the year. Cross at 5.59am or 10.01pm and there is nothing to pay, which is why time-flexible operators push Dartford legs into the free overnight window where drivers' hours allow; our drivers' hours planner helps check whether that shift pattern is legal.
How and when to pay
Without an account you must pay by midnight the day after you cross, online at gov.uk, by phone or at a Payzone retailer. You can also pay in advance. The one-off price is £3.50 for a car, £4.20 for a two-axle goods vehicle and £8.40 for a multi-axle goods vehicle, with motorcycles free.
A pre-pay account drops those prices to £2.80, £3.60 and £7.20, takes payment automatically from a top-up balance, and covers every vehicle registered to it. For a fleet the account is not really about the discount: it removes the daily deadline, and with it the risk of a missed £4.20 crossing turning into a £70 penalty. Residents of Dartford and Thurrock boroughs get their own scheme: £25 a year for unlimited crossings, or £12.50 for 50 crossings.
One warning that earns its place from experience: search results for "dart charge" regularly carry unofficial payment sites that add their own service fees or worse. Pay only through gov.uk. The official service never charges a handling fee.
Penalties: how £4.20 becomes £105
Miss the midnight deadline and National Highways issues a Penalty Charge Notice to the registered keeper: £70 plus the unpaid crossing charge. Pay within 14 days and it halves to £35; ignore it past 28 days and it rises to £105. Each crossing generates its own PCN, so an artic doing a daily return that goes unpaid for a fortnight can quietly build a four-figure liability. First-time offenders are usually offered the chance to pay just the crossing charges, but that is a discretion, not a right. Figures checked July 2026.
HGV specifics at Dartford
- Any goods vehicle with two axles, from a 3.5t van to an 18t rigid, is Class C: £4.20 one-off or £3.60 on pre-pay.
- Three or more axles, which covers 26t rigids and every artic, is Class D: £8.40 or £7.20. A 44t artic on a daily return through charging hours costs £14.40 a day on an account, about £3,456 across 48 five-day weeks.
- Oversized vehicles and dangerous goods loads face restrictions in the northbound tunnels and may be escorted; check National Highways crossing guidance before routing them.
- The charge is outside the scope of VAT, so there is no VAT to reclaim; it is simply an allowable cost. Put it on its own line in your rate with the haulage cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Dart Charge in 2026?
Per crossing between 6am and 10pm: cars £3.50 (£2.80 pre-pay), two-axle goods vehicles £4.20 (£3.60), multi-axle goods vehicles £8.40 (£7.20). Motorcycles are free. These are the prices that took effect in September 2025, checked July 2026.
When is the Dartford Crossing free?
Between 10pm and 6am every night, in both directions, for every vehicle. Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes are free at all times.
How long do I have to pay?
Until midnight the day after you cross. Cross on Tuesday, pay by 23:59 Wednesday. Pre-pay account holders do not need to do anything; the balance is debited automatically.
What is the fine for not paying?
£70 plus the crossing charge, reduced to £35 if you pay within 14 days, increased to £105 if you do not pay within 28 days. Every unpaid crossing gets its own penalty.
Is there a discount for locals?
Yes. Residents of Dartford and Thurrock council areas can register for £25 a year unlimited crossings, or £12.50 for 50 crossings a year, with £6.25 top-up blocks of 25.
Do I pay both ways?
Yes, the charge applies per crossing in each direction during charging hours. A return trip in the day is two charges.
Running freight through Dartford?
Tolls, fuel and dead mileage decide whether an M25 corridor rate works. Brief CTS on what you move and we place your requirement with vetted UK operators who run these routes daily and price them properly. Free for shippers, no obligation.
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