How to pay the Dartford Crossing Charge in 2025

The Dartford Crossing is a huge part of many drivers' daily journeys, connecting Kent and Essex as a vital part of the M25. Whether you're a commuter or a professional PCO driver, understanding the Dart Charge is crucial.

Since toll booths were removed in 2014, the system is now fully automated. This is great for traffic flow, but it also means it's easy to forget to pay. Forget to pay and you'll receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), a fine no one wants.

This comprehensive guide details everything you need to know about the Dartford Crossing charge to avoid fines and stay on the road without a headache.

How much is the Dartford crossing charge?

The cost to use the Dartford Crossing depends on the vehicle you're driving.

As of September 2025, the charges are:

Cars (including trailers, motorhomes, and passenger vans): £3.50 per crossing

Two-axle vehicles (vans, small trucks): £4.20 per crossing

Multi-axle vehicles (larger trucks, coaches): £8.40 per crossing

Motorcycles, mopeds, and quad bikes: Free

Pro Tip: If you set up a Dart Charge account, you get a discount on every crossing. Please note there is no discount for PCO drivers at this time.

How to pay the Dartford Crossing charge

The crossing uses automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, so you just drive straight through. But payment must be made by midnight the day after you cross.

Here are the easiest ways to pay:

Dart charge auto-pay account

This is the simplest option for any frequent driver. Set up a Dart Charge account and add a payment card to it. This creates an account automatically deducts the charge each time you cross, so you never have to worry about forgetting. You'll also get a discounted rate on every crossing. You can also apply credit to your account, so any deductions are made from the credit rather than your bank account directly.

Online

Visit the official gov.uk Dart Charge website to make a one-off payment. This is quick and you can do it from anywhere though this needs to be done by midnight the day after you cross. It should be noted this is a one-off payment.

By Phone

Call the dedicated Dart Charge contact centre at 0300 300 0120 between 8:00am and 8:00pm to make payments directly.

At a Payzone store

If you prefer to pay in cash, you can do so at any Payzone retail outlet.

What happens if you fail to pay the Dart Charge?

Failure to pay the Dart Charge will result in a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

If you cross between 6am and 10pm and don’t pay by midnight the next day, you’ll be issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

The fine is £70, plus the original crossing fee.

Pay it within 14 days and the fine is reduced to £35.

If you fail to pay within 28 days, the fine increases to £105.

Setting up an Auto Pay account is the best way to protect yourself from these fines.

When is the Dartford Crossing free?

The Dartford Crossing is free to use between 10pm and 6am every day. This includes weekends and all bank holidays including Christmas Day.

Where is the Dartford Crossing?

It includes two tunnels for northbound traffic and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge for southbound journeys.

Located just east of London, this crossing is an essential part of the M25 motorway network

Map showing the Dartford Crossing over the River Thames, with roads and surrounding areas visible.

How much does the Dartford Cross earn?

Figures show Dartford crossing users are now paying more than £215 million a year, most of which goes straight to government despite longstanding pledge that one day it would be free.

The Dartford Crossing quickly outgrew its initial projections. By 1970, traffic surged to over eight million vehicles annually, leading to a second tunnel opening in 1980. Still, demand soared, prompting the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge's construction, which opened in 1991.

A key promise was made: the crossing would become free once its £120 million cost was repaid. That happened by April 2003. However, the government controversially re-designated the tolls as a 'charge', continuing to collect revenue.

Today, it's one of Europe's busiest river crossings, handling an average of 160,000 daily crossings. Charges, updated to reflect September 2025 rates, range from local discounts to £3.50 for cars and up to £8.40 for lorries, funneling profits to the government.

The UK’s top 10 highest-earning tolls roads

	Toll Road	Location	Revenue
1	Dartford Crossing	Dartford, Essex	£215,900,000
2	M6 Toll	West Midlands	£107,897,000
3	Mersey Gateway Bridge	Halton, Cheshire	£48,9000,000
4	Tyne Tunnel	Jarrow – Wallsend, North East	£24,579,000
5	Humber Bridge	Kingston Upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire	£22,066,000
6	Mersey Tunnels	Liverpool – Wirral, Merseyside	£20,135,000
7	Tamar Bridge	Saltash – Plymouth, South West	£14,230,000
8	Itchen Bridge	Southampton, Hampshire	£3,790,732
9	Clifton Suspension Bridge	Bristol	£2,207,806
10	Aldwark Bridge	Aldwark, North Yorkshire	£147,415

How Splend helps you stay road-ready

When you drive with Splend, we help reduce the admin that comes with being a PCO driver. Our all-inclusive Flexi Own plans give you access to:

ULEZ-exempt EVs, helping you avoid daily emissions charges
PCO-ready vehicles with valid PHV licences
Servicing, insurance, and maintenance all included
Expert support from our Customer Specialists to help you manage things like Auto Pay setup

Whether you're driving in the Congestion Charge zone, planning to use the Silvertown Tunnel, or just want a more efficient way to stay compliant, Splend is here to support you.

Final Tip

If you haven’t already, sign up for Auto Pay on TfL’s website to ensure you never miss a payment. Combine it with a Splend EV and you’ll minimise your on-road expenses while enjoying a smoother driving experience.

Setting up your Auto Pay account with TfL and keeping it topped up, either through Direct Debit or manual payments, helps you avoid unnecessary admin charges from both TfL and Splend.

Splend applies a £15 admin fee for each unpaid charge notice we receive on your behalf, on top of the charge itself. That’s why it’s important to register for Auto Pay as soon as you collect your vehicle.

If you need help setting up Auto Pay, one of our team members will be more than happy to help.

About Splend

At Splend, we believe in drivers. We know their vehicles need to work harder than most; that they drive more miles than most; that their insurance is hefty; their maintenance costs high and that they can face unreasonable finance rates – which is a heavy load to carry on their own.

That’s why at Splend, we exist to support rideshare drivers with a new model, that takes all those car ownership costs, and provides them for less, with lower purchase prices, better rates, lower servicing and insurance costs – all for one weekly repayment, all in one place.