A £17.50 charge for the London Congestion Charge indicates you paid after the day of travel, specifically within the three-day "delayed payment" window, rather than on the day itself. While the standard rate is £15, paying late (up to midnight of the third day after travel) results in a higher fee of £17.50.
A daily congestion charge is a fee to drive in busy city centers, like London's £18 (or £21 if paid late) charge for central London (Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, weekends/holidays 12pm-6pm). These charges aim to reduce traffic, with systems often involving cameras reading license plates, and sometimes offer discounts for cleaner vehicles or residents, like London's new electric vehicle incentives. Oxford also has its own separate congestion charge.
You have 28 days from the date of service of the PCN to either pay the penalty or challenge the PCN by making a representation. If you pay within 14 days of the date of service, you'll receive a 50% discount and the amount payable will be £250 rather than £500 (or £500 rather than £1,000, depending on vehicle size).
How Do I Pay The London Congestion Charge, And When Does It Apply? - Europe Travel Pros
How do I contact Congestion Charge?
If you have any questions about any of the Terms or any element of the Service, please: Make an enquiry online. Call customer services on 0343 222 2222 (call charges may apply) Write to: Customer Services, Congestion Charging and ULEZ, PO Box 344, Darlington DL1 9QE.
Will I get notified if I need to pay a Congestion Charge?
No, you generally won't get a notification to pay the standard London Congestion Charge; it's your responsibility to pay by midnight the next day (or by midnight on the third charging day for a higher fee) to avoid a £180 Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) sent to the registered keeper. You must proactively pay online, via app, or set up Auto Pay to get reminders and automatic payments, otherwise, you'll receive a PCN if you're caught entering the zone without paying.
How do I avoid paying the London Congestion Charge?
To avoid London's Congestion Charge, travel outside charging hours (weekdays 7am-6pm, weekends & bank holidays 12pm-6pm, no charge Christmas-New Year), use public transport/cycle/walk, drive a fully electric vehicle (registered), or use route planners (like Google Maps) to steer clear of the zone boundary; exemptions and discounts exist for some residents and disabled drivers.
In an effort to fight rising private car use in June 2020 the Congestion Charge was, for the first time, brought in at weekends in central London, and hours on weekdays extended, and since then has applied every day – Monday to Sunday 0700-2200.
London's Congestion Charge increased to £18 (or £21 if paid late) from January 2026, with new tiered discounts for electric vehicles (EVs) via Auto Pay (25% off for EVs, 50% for electric vans/HGVs), while also introducing changes for residents' discounts starting March 2027, limiting them to EVs for new applicants.
How many cars can you have on the blue badge Congestion Charge?
You can have a maximum of two (2) vehicles registered for the discount on a single date. You have until midnight on the date of travel to add additional vehicles. Only vehicles registered for travel by midnight are covered for travel on that date.
Using the congestion charge checker is as easy as entering your number plate. This will tell you whether or not you need to pay the charge. You can also enter a London postcode or address to see if it falls within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ).
To contact TfL about an incorrect charge (like card clash or wrong fare), call 0343 222 1234 (24/7, charges apply) or use their online forms for contactless/Oyster refunds, ensuring you wait 48 hours for automatic adjustments before claiming. For driving charges (Congestion/ULEZ), manage them via the TfL website using your plate details.
To avoid congestion pricing, use public transport, walk, or cycle; plan trips outside charging hours; use navigation apps with "avoid tolls" enabled; drive exempt vehicles (like motorbikes, emergency vehicles, or certain low-emission/disabled vehicles); or register for specific discounts/exemptions if eligible, while always checking the specific rules for your city (like London or NYC).
The Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will include information about making a representation (challenging the PCN) and how long you've got to do it. See on which grounds you can make a representation. If you think the PCN has been issued incorrectly, you can challenge it by making a representation online or in writing.
How much is the Congestion Charge if you forgot to pay?
You must pay the daily charge if you go through a congestion location without a permit. If you do not pay the daily charge, you will receive a £70 fine (reduced by half to £35 if paid within 14 days). If you do not pay the fine within 28 days, the fine increases by half to £105. You'll find more information on the PCN.
What is the best excuse to dispute a parking ticket?
The best excuses for a parking ticket appeal are strong, evidence-based situations like vehicle breakdowns, medical emergencies, unclear signage/markings, or proof of payment/permit issues, especially if you can show a valid Blue Badge or were in a genuine time crunch (grace period). Generic excuses like "I was only gone a minute" or a simple "I had to go to the toilet" usually fail without medical proof, while clear evidence of a technical error or procedural problem is often successful.
Answer. The rules for refunds of paid congestion charges as set out in the Scheme Order are the same whatever payment method is used. Refunds are only available for unused future days of monthly (20 day) and annual (252 day) charges. Refunds are not available for any part of daily or weekly (5 day) charges.
Waze tries to avoid congestion charges by default but isn't perfect; it avoids them if your settings are correct (no exemptions, private vehicle) and the zone is active, but may route you through if it's outside charging hours, your destination is inside, or due to glitches. The key is checking your "Toll passes & exemptions" in settings, ensuring "London C Charge Exempt" isn't enabled and your vehicle type is "Private," as the standard "Avoid Tolls" setting doesn't fully cover congestion zones.
