London Congestion Charge Cost Calculator
Work out your annual Congestion Charge cost, compare payment timing, and see which discounts might apply.
How does the Congestion Charge calculator work?
The calculator multiplies your charging days per year (days per week × weeks per year) by the daily rate for your category. The standard rate is £18 a day if you pay on the day of travel or in advance, and £21 if you pay within 3 days after travel. Electric vehicles registered for Auto Pay, zone residents, Blue Badge holders and motorcycles are handled separately.
3 worked examples
Example 1 — Daily commuter, standard rate, paid on time
Someone driving into the zone 5 days a week, 46 weeks a year, always paying on the day of travel or in advance.
5 × 46 = 230 days/year
Cost:230 × £18 = £4,140/year
Example 2 — Same commuter, pays within the 3-day window instead
Identical driving pattern, but always paying a couple of days after travel.
230 × £21 = £4,830/year
Extra cost vs paying on time:£690/year, purely from payment timing
Example 3 — Electric car driver, registered for Auto Pay
Same driving pattern, in an electric car registered for Auto Pay, with the 25% electric car discount.
£18 × 75% = £13.50/day
Cost:230 × £13.50 = £3,105/year, which is £1,035 less than the standard on-time rate
Examples 1 and 2 show that paying late costs the same driver an extra £690 a year for identical driving. Paying on the day, or registering for Auto Pay, avoids that.
The Congestion Charge zone and operating hours
The Congestion Charge applies in a defined area of central London, much smaller than the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). According to TfL's website, the charging hours are:
- Weekdays: 7:00am to 6:00pm
- Weekends and bank holidays: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
- No charge from Christmas Day to New Year's Day inclusive
You pay once per day however many times you enter or leave the zone. TfL's pages have not always been consistent about weekend hours, so check the hours for your journey on TfL's website before you travel, along with the exact zone boundary on the official map.
Discounts and exemptions
| Category | Discount | Registration? |
|---|---|---|
| Electric cars (including private hire) | 25% off (12.5% from 4 March 2030) | Auto Pay required |
| Electric vans, HGVs, quadricycles | 50% off (25% from 4 March 2030) | Auto Pay required |
| Zone residents | 90% off | Yes, with proof of address and a £10 annual registration charge |
| Electric car-club vehicles returned to base | 100% off | Per TfL's car-club scheme |
| Blue Badge holders | Discount up to 100% for eligible holders | Yes |
| Motorcycles and mopeds | Exempt | No |
| Licensed London taxis | Exempt | No |
| NHS reimbursement | For certain journeys | Via the NHS scheme |
Discounts are not applied automatically. You must register with TfL first, and the electric vehicle discounts apply only if the vehicle is registered for Auto Pay. Registering for Auto Pay is free, according to TfL.
The EV exemption ended, but EVs don't pay the full rate
Electric vehicles used to be covered by the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, which ended on 25 December 2025. From 2 January 2026, a tiered discount replaced it: electric cars registered for Auto Pay get 25% off (£13.50 a day) and electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles registered for Auto Pay get 50% off (£9 a day). TfL says these fall to 12.5% for cars and 25% for vans from 4 March 2030.
Two assumptions are now out of date: that electric vehicles are fully exempt, and that they pay exactly the same as petrol and diesel. They pay a reduced rate, and only if registered for Auto Pay.
For the resident's discount, TfL says people registered before 1 March 2027 keep their 90% discount whatever they drive. After that date, new applicants get it only for electric vehicles, with some benefit recipients able to apply without one until March 2030.
Don't confuse this with the ULEZ
The Ultra Low Emission Zone is a separate charge, covering all London boroughs and based on whether your vehicle meets emissions standards. A non-compliant vehicle driven into the Congestion Charge zone pays both charges. The ULEZ daily charge was £12.50 when this page was updated, but check TfL for the current figure.
What happens if you don't pay?
If you pay manually, TfL's notice says the charge is £21 if paid within 3 days after travel. Not paying risks a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), and the zone is enforced by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
PCN amounts are set by TfL and can change. Check the current figure on the TfL Congestion Charge page rather than relying on a number here.
What this calculator can't tell you
Exact zone boundaries
This calculator assumes you already know your route enters the zone. Use TfL's official map to confirm before you drive.
Which days are charging days
It counts every day you enter as a charging day. Journeys outside the charging hours, or during the no-charge period, would not be charged.
The ULEZ and other charges
The Congestion Charge and the ULEZ are separate. This calculator covers the Congestion Charge only.
Future changes
The figures here are those announced for 2026. TfL can change rates and discounts, so confirm the current rate before budgeting around an annual figure.
Common mistakes
Assuming EVs are fully exempt, or that they pay full price
Neither is correct. Electric vehicles on Auto Pay get 25% or 50% off, depending on type.
Forgetting you pay once per day
Entering and leaving the zone several times in one charging day still costs one daily charge.
Not registering for a discount first
Eligibility alone does not apply a discount. Residents, Blue Badge holders and EV drivers need to register with TfL, and EV drivers need Auto Pay.
Missing the payment window
Paying after the day of travel raises the charge from £18 to £21, and missing the window risks a PCN.
Ways to reduce your Congestion Charge cost
- Pay on the day of travel or in advance to avoid the £21 rate, as Example 2 shows
- Register for Auto Pay if you drive an electric vehicle, since the EV discount depends on it
- Check if you qualify for the resident's discount and register if you live in the zone
- Consider public transport if your visits are infrequent enough that the charge outweighs the convenience
How we calculate
Total charging days = days per week × weeks per year.
Standard rate: £18/day if paid on the day or in advance, £21/day if paid within 3 days after travel. Electric cars (Auto Pay): £18 × 75% = £13.50/day. Electric vans/HGVs/quadricycles (Auto Pay): £18 × 50% = £9/day.
Resident (registered): £18 × 10% = £1.80/day, before the £10 annual registration charge. Blue Badge / motorcycle: £0.
⚡ Comparing an EV against petrol?
Now that EVs pay a reduced Congestion Charge, see the full running cost picture including fuel, tax and servicing.
Use the EV vs Petrol Calculator →Frequently asked questions
How much is the London Congestion Charge?
£18 a day if paid on the day of travel or in advance, and £21 if paid within 3 days after travel. TfL raised it from £15 on 2 January 2026.
Do electric cars pay the Congestion Charge?
Yes, at a discount. From 2 January 2026, electric cars registered for Auto Pay get 25% off (£13.50 a day) and electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles get 50% off (£9 a day). The previous exemption ended on 25 December 2025.
What are the Congestion Charge operating hours?
According to TfL's website, 7:00am to 6:00pm on weekdays and 12:00pm to 6:00pm at weekends and bank holidays, with no charge from Christmas Day to New Year's Day inclusive. Check TfL for the hours that apply to your journey.
Do I pay the Congestion Charge every time I enter the zone?
No. You pay once per day however many times you enter or leave the zone.
What happens if I forget to pay the Congestion Charge?
If you pay within 3 days after travel, the charge is £21. If you don't pay, you risk a Penalty Charge Notice. The amount is set by TfL, so check TfL's website.
References & data sources
- Transport for London — Changes confirmed to the Congestion Charge. The £18 charge from 2 January 2026, the electric vehicle discounts and the resident's discount change.
- Transport for London — Notice of changes to the Congestion Charge scheme. The £21 charge within 3 days after travel and the end of the Cleaner Vehicle Discount on 25 December 2025.
- Transport for London — Residents' discount. Eligibility and the £10 annual registration charge.
- Transport for London — Congestion Charge. Charging hours and the no-charge period.
The Congestion Charge is set by Transport for London, not the DVLA or HMRC, so rates and policy can change independently. Verify current figures with TfL before making a financial decision based on this calculator.
Prakash
Prakash is the founder and editor of UK Driving Tools. He maintains the site's calculators and guides and checks the rates and rules they use against official UK sources, such as GOV.UK, the DVLA, HMRC and Transport for London, before publishing.
Pages are drafted with the help of AI tools and then checked by the editor. He isn't a lawyer, accountant or UK-qualified adviser, so every page lists its sources and states what its calculator can't tell you. Nothing on this site is legal or financial advice.
Pages on UK Driving Tools are drafted with the help of AI tools. Before publishing, the figures and rules on each page are checked against the official source named on the page, and calculator examples are tested against the working formula. Pages are updated when rates or rules change. Our Editorial Policy explains the full process, including how to report a mistake.
Spotted a mistake or an out-of-date rate? Let us know and we'll check it against the official source.