How do I log in and check my Dart Charge account?
On GOV.UK’s Dart Charge sign-in page, using the email address registered on your account. You can also go to GOV.UK’s Dart Charge page, choose ‘Start now’ and then ‘Sign in or set up a Dart Charge account’. If your account has no email address, you manage it by phone on 0300 300 0120.
Once you’re in, open ‘Account management’, then ‘Payment’, for your payment history, or choose ‘Check which crossing you’ve paid for’. Crossings appear after midnight on the day you crossed. Our guide to checking whether you’ve paid covers what to do if one is missing.
What kinds of Dart Charge account are there?
There are two for everyday drivers: pre-pay and pay as you go. Both pay automatically, but only pre-pay is cheaper (GOV.UK).
| Pay each time | Pay as you go account | Pre-pay account | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it’s paid | You pay online, by phone or in cash at a Payzone store | Your card is charged at midnight the day after you cross | Each crossing is taken from your credit |
| Car crossing | £3.50 | £3.50 | £2.80 |
| Money up front | None | None | £15 opening credit |
| Remembering to pay | Up to you | Automatic | Automatic, while you have credit |
To switch between pre-pay and pay as you go, you have to close your account and open a new one.
How much is the Dart Charge with an account?
A pre-pay account saves up to 20%; pay as you go costs the same as paying each time. Current prices from GOV.UK:
| Vehicle | Pay each time or pay as you go | Pre-pay account |
|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle, moped or quad bike | Free | Free |
| Car, motorhome or minibus (up to 9 seats) | £3.50 | £2.80 |
| 2-axle vehicle (vans, buses, coaches, goods vehicles) | £4.20 | £3.60 |
| Vehicle with more than 2 axles | £8.40 | £7.20 |
Vans are charged as 2-axle vehicles, not as cars. Crossing between 10pm and 6am is free however you pay; the rest of the rules are on our Dartford Crossing page.
For a car, pre-pay saves 70p a crossing. Cross there and back once a week and that adds up to £72.80 a year.
How do I open a Dart Charge account?
Online, by phone or by post. Online, go to GOV.UK’s Dart Charge page, choose ‘Start now’ and then ‘Sign in or set up a Dart Charge account’. By post, use the pre-pay application form and allow 10 working days: crossings made before it’s processed may be charged at the standard price and must be paid separately.
You can register several vehicles to one account, but each vehicle can only be on one account. You must own them or have the registered keeper’s permission.
How do top-ups and the minimum balance work?
A pre-pay account runs on credit you pay in. The rules are in the Dart Charge terms and conditions:
- It opens with at least £15 of credit, which then pays for your crossings. There’s no fee to open it.
- Each top-up must be at least £15. Smaller payments aren’t credited.
- Keep at least £5.60 in the account. With automatic top-up by card or Direct Debit, it refills when the balance falls below the level you choose.
- If your credit can’t cover a crossing, the account is suspended and you can still get a penalty. It’s also suspended if the balance drops below £2.80.
- Monthly statements are free online, or £2 a month by post.
An account you don’t use for 12 months becomes inactive. If you don’t reactivate it within 90 days it can be closed, and Dart Charge aims to refund any credit left in it.
Can Dartford and Thurrock residents get a discount?
Yes. If you pay council tax to Dartford Borough Council or Thurrock Council, the Local Residents’ Discount Scheme gives you unlimited crossings for £25 a year, or 50 crossings for £12.50 a year (GOV.UK).
- You need a Dart Charge account, your V5C logbook and two proofs of address, such as a council tax bill or a recent bank statement.
- On the £12.50 plan, 25 more crossings cost £6.25, or you can upgrade to unlimited for £12.50. You never pay more than £25 a year.
- Your documents must be renewed every 2 years, and the discount covers one vehicle per household member.
- Vans registered to a company can’t join.
When is paying each time the better choice?
When you only cross a few times a year. Paying on GOV.UK each time costs nothing extra, needs no deposit and leaves no account to keep active. The catch is remembering: you have until midnight the day after you cross, and missing it means a £70 penalty (see forgot to pay the Dart Charge?).
If you cross often enough to forget but don’t want to hold credit, a pay as you go account gives you automatic payment at the standard price.
Paying each time also suits a borrowed or hire car. Because a vehicle can only be on one account, a borrowed car may already be paid for through its owner’s account, so ask them before you pay.
If you pay each time, EveryDrive can do the remembering. It notices a Dartford crossing from your phone’s location and reminds you before the deadline. It never takes payment and can’t see your Dart Charge account: you still pay on GOV.UK.