Dart Charge PCN: how to challenge a Dartford Crossing fine
A Dart Charge Penalty Charge Notice is a £70 penalty for using the Dartford Crossing between 6am and 10pm without paying the crossing charge by midnight the day after. It is paid on top of the crossing charge itself. You can pay £35 within 14 days of the notice being served, or challenge it — first with Dart Charge, then free at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
Official Dart Charge links
- Pay or challenge a Dart Charge PCN ↗ — the official GOV.UK service — a PCN can only be challenged in writing or online, not by phone
- Pay the Dartford Crossing charge ↗ — by midnight the day after you cross
- Dart Charge fines explained (GOV.UK) ↗
Dart Charge PCN — key facts
- Penalty
- £70 — £35 if paid within 14 days, £105 if unpaid; on top of the crossing charge
Source: GOV.UK · current · verified
- Crossing charge (car)
- £3.50, or £2.80 with a pre-pay account; motorcycles free
Source: GOV.UK · from 1 September 2025 · verified
- When to pay
- Crossings 6am–10pm; pay by midnight the day after you cross
Source: GOV.UK · current · verified
- Challenge window
- 28 days from the PCN being served
Source: legislation.gov.uk (SI 2013/1783 reg 8) · SI 2013/1783, reg 8(2) · verified
- Dart Charge’s decision
- Within 56 days — or your representations are treated as accepted
Source: legislation.gov.uk (SI 2013/1783 reg 8) · SI 2013/1783, reg 8(9)–(10) · verified
- Independent appeal
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal, free, within 28 days of a Notice of Rejection
Source: legislation.gov.uk (SI 2013/1783 reg 11) · SI 2013/1783, reg 11 · verified
Forgot to pay the Dart Charge?
The charge has to be paid by midnight the day after you cross; crossings between 10pm and 6am are free. Miss the deadline and a £70 Penalty Charge Notice is sent to the registered keeper — and the crossing charge is still owed. Forgetting is not in itself a ground for cancellation, so check the details before deciding whether to pay or challenge.
National Highways says crossings without an account “may not show immediately due to our manual image review process” — you can still pay up to midnight the following day even if the crossing is not yet visible online. If you did pay in time but the payment was not matched to your crossing, that is a statutory ground: keep the receipt or payment reference.
Beware unofficial payment websites
National Highways warns that some unofficial websites “may charge more than the standard road user charge” and that using them “can mean crossings are not paid correctly”. Pay only through the official GOV.UK Dart Charge service. If you were misled by an unofficial site and can show it, National Highways says it will “do what we can to support you” — explain it in your representations and attach the evidence.
Who doesn’t have to pay
If none of the charge was payable for your crossing, no penalty charge is payable either — which is a ground for cancelling the PCN.
- Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes cross free.
- Vehicles in the disabled vehicle tax class are exempt — the vehicle is checked automatically when it crosses.
- Crossings between 10pm and 6am are free.
- Residents of Dartford and Thurrock can register for a local resident discount (£25 a year for unlimited crossings, or £12.50 for 50).
Grounds for challenging a Dart Charge PCN
These are the grounds in the Road User Charging Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013. Lead with the one your evidence supports. Separately, you can ask Dart Charge to cancel for compelling reasons even if no ground applies.
- You paid the Dart Charge on time and in the way the scheme requires — including a payment that was not matched to your crossing. Give the receipt or payment reference.
- No charge or penalty was payable — for example the crossing was between 10pm and 6am, or the vehicle was exempt (a motorcycle, or the disabled tax class).
- You were not the registered keeper at the time — you had sold the vehicle before the crossing, or bought it afterwards. Give the buyer’s or seller’s name and address if you know them.
- The vehicle was being used without your consent — for example it had been stolen. A crime reference number helps.
- The vehicle was on hire and liability was transferred to the hirer under the hire agreement.
- The penalty was more than the amount that applies, or Dart Charge made a procedural mistake (a “procedural impropriety”).
How to challenge it, step by step
- 1
Check the PCN and the images
Check the date, time and registration, and the photographs of the vehicle. A misread or cloned number plate shows up when the make, model or colour doesn’t match your V5C.
- 2
Decide within 14 days of service
A PCN sent by first-class post counts as served on the second working day after the date on it. Paying £35 within 14 days of service ends the matter; paying is treated as accepting the penalty, so challenge instead if a ground applies.
- 3
Make representations within 28 days
Challenge online through the official GOV.UK service or in writing on the representation slip — not by phone. State the ground and attach your evidence. Dart Charge must decide within 56 days, or your representations are treated as accepted.
- 4
Appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal if rejected
If Dart Charge sends a Notice of Rejection, you have 28 days from its service to appeal free to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, whose adjudicators are independent of Dart Charge.
When does your Dart Charge discount end?
Enter the date on your PCN to see when it counts as served, the last day to pay £35, and the 28-day deadline.
Open the free calculator →Dart Charge PCN — frequently asked questions
How much is a Dart Charge fine?
£70, reduced to £35 if you pay within 14 days of the PCN being served, and increased to £105 if you do not pay. It is in addition to the crossing charge itself — £3.50 for a car, or £2.80 with a pre-pay account, since 1 September 2025.
I forgot to pay the Dart Charge — what happens now?
If the charge is not paid by midnight the day after you crossed, a £70 PCN is sent to the registered keeper and the crossing charge is still due. Forgetting is not a ground for cancellation: if none of the grounds applies, paying £35 within 14 days of service is the cheapest option. If you did pay in time, challenge it with the payment reference.
Can I appeal a Dart Charge PCN?
Yes. Make representations to Dart Charge within 28 days of the PCN being served, online or in writing. If it rejects them, you can appeal free to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal within 28 days of the Notice of Rejection.
What if Dart Charge doesn’t reply to my challenge?
The law gives Dart Charge 56 days from receiving your representations to decide. If it misses that deadline, your representations are treated as accepted: it must cancel the PCN and refund anything you paid.
Are motorbikes exempt from the Dart Charge?
Yes — motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes cross free. Vehicles in the disabled vehicle tax class are also exempt, and are checked automatically when they cross.
Is a Dart Charge PCN a parking ticket?
No. It is a road user charging penalty under the 2013 Road User Charging Schemes regulations, not a parking PCN — so council parking rules and grace periods don’t apply, and appeals go to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
Write your Dart Charge challenge
AppealIQ drafts representations to Dart Charge built on the statutory grounds — and, if you’re rejected, an appeal statement for the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
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Related guides
AppealIQ is an independent service and is not connected to Dart Charge, National Highways or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. This guide is general information, not legal advice; amounts and rules are shown with their source and the date we checked them — always go by the notice you received and the official site.