London Congestion Charge: Prices, Hours and Auto Pay

London’s Congestion Charge applies when you drive within the charging zone from 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and from 12:00 to 18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. There is no charge from Christmas Day through the New Year’s Day bank holiday, inclusive. Auto Pay can handle payments automatically, while specific discounts and exemptions depend on the vehicle or applicant.

As checked in October 2026, the daily charge is £18 when paid in advance or on the day, or £21 when paid by midnight on the third day after travel. Auto Pay registration is free. It records qualifying journeys and bills you monthly, helping avoid missed payments. There is no general £1 daily discount simply for using Auto Pay; any vehicle-specific discount has its own conditions.

Setting up Auto Pay Create a London Road User Charging account with TfL, then add Auto Pay and your vehicle details. You must be at least 18 and provide a payment card or Direct Debit mandate. Ordinary Auto Pay supports up to 5 vehicles; businesses using 6 or more should check Fleet Auto Pay. TfL’s contact number is 0343 222 2222. Keep your vehicle and payment details current and check that the service is active. It covers chargeable journeys from the activation day, including earlier journeys that day, but not trips made on previous days. Those need separate payment. Monitor your account and available funds so a payment failure does not leave journeys unpaid. Use TfL’s official service when paying. Search results can include unofficial sellers that charge extra or fail to pass on payment. A receipt from a third party does not by itself confirm that TfL received the charge. Check the registration number, journey date and payment record. Weekend and bank-holiday journeys can also be chargeable, so check the days and hours that apply to your trip. London Airport Transfer does not operate TfL’s charging scheme.