London's Congestion Charge, in plain English.
It's a flat fee for driving in central London during charging hours. Emissions don't matter, the time of day does.
The Congestion Charge covers central London. It's £18 a day to drive inside the zone Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 18:00, and weekends from midday to 18:00. There's no charge from 25 December to 1 January inclusive. From 2 January 2026, electric vehicles registered for Auto Pay get a 25% discount, and electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles get 50%. The Congestion Charge is separate from ULEZ; both can apply on the same trip, taking a non-compliant car up to £30.50 a day.
Check my postcodeTransport for London · gov.uk · DVLA
Is your postcode inside the London Congestion Charge?
Postcode-level check, scoped to London. The zone boundary may run through your street, so for the exact answer use the official Transport for London checker linked below.
Four facts to know first
Inside the inner ring road. Smaller than ULEZ.
Plus weekends midday–18:00. No charge 25 Dec–1 Jan.
Pay on the day. £21 if paid by midnight of day 3.
Reduced to £90 within 14 days. £270 after 28 days unpaid.
Where exactly is the zone?
The Congestion Charge zone covers central London, broadly between Marylebone Road / Euston Road to the north, the Tower of London to the east, the River Thames to the south and Park Lane / Vauxhall Bridge to the west. Major streets inside include Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and the Strand.
The zone sits entirely inside the larger ULEZ boundary, so on a weekday a non-compliant car can owe both charges for a single trip.
For the exact street-level boundary, use the Transport for London Congestion Charge map ↗.
Does my car have to pay £18?
The Congestion Charge applies regardless of emissions. Petrol, diesel, hybrid: all pay £18 a day if driven inside the zone during charging hours. Electric vehicles get a discount through Auto Pay from 2 January 2026. Motorbikes, mopeds, taxis and registered Blue Badge vehicles are exempt.
- Petrol / diesel / hybrid: No emissions discount. Full £18 daily charge applies.
- Electric cars (from 2 Jan 2026): 25% discount with Auto Pay registration.
- Electric vans / HGVs / quadricycles: 50% discount with Auto Pay registration.
- Motorbikes / mopeds / Blue Badge: Always exempt.
Pay or check the zone boundary on the official Transport for London site.
We don't take payments. Transport for London does. Pay directly on theirs.
What happens if you forget to pay?
You can pay the £18 charge in advance, on the day, or by midnight of the day of travel. After that, the late rate of £21 applies if you pay by midnight of the third day. Miss that window and a Penalty Charge Notice is issued.
- Reduced rate£18Pay within 1 days
- Full PCN£21Full PCN
- Reduced rate£90Pay within 14 days
- Full PCN£180Pay after 14 days, before 28
- Escalated£270After 28 days unpaid
Why does London have a Congestion Charge?
The Congestion Charge launched on 17 February 2003 under Mayor Ken Livingstone. The aim was to reduce traffic in central London, raise revenue for public transport and improve travel times. It is the longest-running urban road-pricing scheme of its scale in the world.
The charge has been adjusted several times. The current rate of £18 has applied since 2020. Hours were extended in 2020 and 2022 to include weekends and later evenings on weekdays. The Cleaner Vehicle Discount for low-emission vehicles ended on 25 December 2025; from 2 January 2026 a smaller discount applies only to electric vehicles registered for Auto Pay.
The Congestion Charge is separate from ULEZ. ULEZ targets emissions across all of Greater London, 24 hours a day. The Congestion Charge targets traffic in central London during peak hours, regardless of how clean the vehicle is.
London Congestion Charge questions
Sister guides: London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ.
Driving a non-compliant car? You may also owe the £12.50 ULEZ charge for the same day.
Verified May 2026 against:
Next review: August 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email gary@revn.co.uk.