What and where is ULEZ and the Congestion charge zone?
ULEZ, short for Ultra Low Emission Zone, was introduced in April 2019 in an effort to improve air quality in London. ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and every day of the year.
The Congestion charge zone was introduced way back in 2003. Currently it is in effect from 7:00-18:00 Monday-Friday and 12:00-18:00 Sat-Sun and bank holidays. There is no charge between Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank Holiday (inclusive).
The zone where ULEZ fees applies is now much bigger than the Congestion Charge zone, which is illustrated in the image below (Blue: ULEZ / Red: Congestion Charge). If you aren't sure if you are picking up a car in in the area or if you will be driving through it, you can check your postcode here.
How much is it and how do I pay?Β
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The daily charge for the Congestion Charge is Β£15, and the daily charge for ULEZ is Β£12.50.
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All of our car club cars are registered for TFL autopay, meaning that you do not need to pay either of these charges directly when hiring with us. You are still liable for the cost of these however, and if you incur either charge during your rental TFL will notify us subsequently, at which point we will charge you. If a car club car is ULEZ compliant, meaning the ULEZ charge does not apply to it, this will be listed in the vehicle features section. You can also use our 'ULEZ compliant' search filter to limit your search results to ULEZ compliant cars only.
Some vehicles owned by peer-to-peer car owners are registered for TFL autopay, while others are not. For cars owned by peer-to-peer car owners that are registered for autopay, the process for the Congestion Charge and ULEZ charge will be the same as outlined above for car club vehicles.
When hiring a car from a peer-to-peer car owner you will be able to see whether the vehicle is listed for TFL autopay by whether or not it is listed as 'autopay ready' in its vehicle features section. You can also use our 'autopay ready' search filter to limit your search results to cars set-up for TFL autopay only. If in doubt please do check with the car owner, as if a car is not registered for autopay and the Congestion Charge or ULEZ charge is not paid where necessary you will incur a Penalty Charge Notice. You can also use the vehicle checker provided by Transport for London (TfL).
If the car you are renting is not registered for Auto Pay, you will need to pay the ULEZ & Congestion charges to drive in Central London here.
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Dart Charge
The Dart Charge is a toll applied for using the Dartford Crossing. For cars, Dart Charge is currently Β£2.50 per usage, and for vans it is Β£3 per usage.
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All of our car club cars and vans are registered for Dart Charge autopay, meaning that you do not need to pay this charges directly when hiring with us. You are still liable for the cost of these however, and if you use the Dartford Corssing during your rental Dart Charge will notify us subsequently, at which point we will charge you.
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Some peer-to-peer vehicles are also registered for Dart Charge autopay, though others are not. If a car is registered for Dart Charge autopay then you will be billed for your crossing following your rental, once the car owner is notified by Dart Charge. For cars not registered for autopay, Dart Charge needs to be paid by the driver by midnight the day after you cross, to avoid a Penalty Charge Notice being incurred. To find out whether a vehicle owned by a private car owner is registered for Dart Charge autopay, please check with the car owner directly.
Other tolls and charges
Congestion Charge, ULEZ and Dart Charge are the tolls we see charged to our drivers most often, but there are a variety of other tolls and charges in force around the UK. The driver is required to pay any necessary tolls during their booking unless stated otherwise, and will be liable for any Penalty Charge Notices incurred should they not do so, so if needed please do check your route to make yourself aware of any applicable tolls.
Useful Links
All about the Congestion charge zone
βAll about ULEZ
βAuto Pay
βPay to drive in Central London
βULEZ Vehicle Checker