Tolls and road charges
Most UK tolls and road charges now have no barriers: cameras read your number plate and it's up to you to pay afterwards. Miss the deadline and a penalty arrives in the post. Here's what each one costs for a car and when to pay.
Bridges, tunnels and toll roads
| Crossing | Car | Pay | If you don't pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dartford Crossing | £3.50 | By midnight the day after you cross | £70 |
| Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels | £4.20 | By midnight on the third day after your journey | £180 |
| Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge | £2.40 | By 11.59pm the day after your journey | From £25 plus the toll, rising if not paid promptly |
| Tyne Tunnels | £2.60 | By midnight the day after you travel | £30 + toll |
| Humber Bridge | £2.00 | By midnight the day after you cross | £25 admin fee + the toll, for each crossing |
| M6 Toll | £12.00 | At the toll plaza barrier | Payment Notice |
London charges and Clean Air Zones
| Zone | Car | Pay | If you don't pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Congestion Charge | £18 | By midnight on the third day after you drive in the zone | £180 |
| ULEZ (London Ultra Low Emission Zone) | £12.50 | By midnight on the third day after you drive in the zone | £180 |
| Birmingham Clean Air Zone | £8 | By 11.59pm on the sixth day after you drive in the zone | £120 |
| Bristol Clean Air Zone | £9 | By 11.59pm on the sixth day after you drive in the zone | £120 + the charge |
ULEZ and Clean Air Zone charges only apply if your vehicle doesn't meet the emissions standards. Bath, Bradford, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside also have Clean Air Zones, but GOV.UK lists them as classes that don't charge private cars.
The deadlines are short
Dartford, the Mersey Gateway, the Tyne Tunnels and the Humber Bridge all want paying by midnight the day after you cross. TfL gives you until midnight on the third day for the Congestion Charge, ULEZ and the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels, and Clean Air Zones until 11.59pm on the sixth day. The easy fix is an account or auto-pay, which takes the charge automatically and is often cheaper too.
Questions
Which UK roads charge you and expect you to pay later?
The Dartford Crossing, the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels, the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge, the Tyne Tunnels and the Humber Bridge all use cameras instead of barriers, and so do London's Congestion Charge and ULEZ and the Clean Air Zones in Birmingham and Bristol. You pay online, by phone, in an app or in a shop. The M6 Toll still has barriers.
What happens if I forget to pay?
A penalty or unpaid toll notice is posted to the registered keeper: Dartford £70; Blackwall and Silvertown £180; Mersey Gateway from £25 plus the toll, rising if not paid promptly; Tyne Tunnel £30 + toll; Humber Bridge £25 admin fee + the toll, for each crossing; Congestion Charge £180; ULEZ £180; Birmingham Clean Air Zone £120; Bristol Clean Air Zone £120 + the charge. Paying quickly usually cuts the amount, and ignoring it makes it go up.
Which deadlines are longest?
Dartford, the Mersey Gateway, the Tyne Tunnels and the Humber Bridge want paying by midnight the day after. TfL gives you until midnight on the third day for the Congestion Charge, ULEZ and the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels. Clean Air Zones give you until 11.59pm on the sixth day.
Can I pay before I travel?
Yes, all of the pay-later charges can be paid in advance, and each has an account or auto-pay option that takes the charge automatically.
Where the prices come from
Each page links to the operator's own pages we used: GOV.UK, Transport for London, merseyflow, TT2, the Humber Bridge Board, M6toll, and Birmingham and Bristol city councils. Checked on 16 October 2026.
Driving to an airport?
See drop-off and pick-up charges at every UK airport, and what to do if you forgot to pay one.