Taking a Hire Van into London
If you drive one of our hire vehicles in or around London, you are responsible for checking whether any road-user charges, tolls or restrictions apply to your journey and for paying them within the required time.
Depending on where you travel and the vehicle you are driving, charges may include:
- The Congestion Charge.
- The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
- The Low Emission Zone (LEZ), where applicable.
- The Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge.
- The Dartford Crossing charge (Dart Charge).
Do not assume that entering Greater London automatically means every charge applies. The charging areas, vehicle requirements and operating times differ.
Before travelling, use your hire vehicle's registration number on TfL's official vehicle checker to establish which London charges apply.
Check your vehicle on the Transport for London website
Congestion Charge
The Congestion Charge applies when a vehicle is driven within the central London Congestion Charge zone during charging hours.
The current charge is:
- £18 per day when paid in advance or on the day of travel.
- £21 per day when paid after travel but by midnight on the third day following the journey.
The current charging hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 07:00 to 18:00.
- Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays: 12:00 to 18:00.
There is currently no Congestion Charge between Christmas Day and the New Year's Day bank holiday, inclusive.
Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)
ULEZ operates across all London boroughs. The M25 itself is not included in the ULEZ.
ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day.
For vans and specialist vehicles up to and including 3.5 tonnes, a vehicle that does not meet the required ULEZ emissions standard and is not exempt currently incurs a £12.50 daily charge.
The charge runs from midnight to midnight. If a vehicle is driven in the zone on both sides of midnight, two charging days can therefore be involved.
Whether ULEZ is payable depends on the individual vehicle, so check the registration number rather than assuming that a hire van either does or does not qualify.
Low Emission Zone (LEZ)
The Low Emission Zone is different from ULEZ and mainly applies to heavier or larger vehicles that do not meet the relevant emissions standards.
LEZ covers most of Greater London and currently operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Our normal hire vans have a maximum gross vehicle weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes. However, LEZ treatment depends on the particular vehicle category, weight and emissions standard.
You should therefore check the actual hire vehicle registration with TfL before travelling rather than relying on a general assumption.
Blackwall & Silvertown Tunnel Charges
Since 7 April 2025, charges apply to vehicles using either the Blackwall Tunnel or Silvertown Tunnel.
Charging currently applies between 06:00 and 22:00 every day.
The amount payable depends on factors including the vehicle type, direction and time of travel and whether payment is made through TfL Auto Pay.
TfL has announced changes to the tunnel charging rates from 21 September 2026, so check the official TfL information for the current price rather than relying on a previously published amount.
Check Blackwall and Silvertown tunnel charges on the TfL website
Dartford Crossing - Dart Charge
The Dart Charge applies when using the Dartford Crossing during the charging period.
Charges currently apply between 06:00 and 22:00 every day, including weekends and bank holidays.
There are no toll booths at the crossing.
Unless an appropriate account or exemption applies, you must normally pay the Dart Charge by midnight on the day after you cross.
The amount depends on the type of vehicle. Use the vehicle registration supplied with your hire when making the payment.
Forgotten to Pay a London Charge?
Deal with it as soon as possible.
TfL's current online payment system allows the following charges to be paid for journeys made up to three previous days:
- Congestion Charge.
- ULEZ.
- LEZ.
- Blackwall and Silvertown tunnel charges.
The amount payable after travel can differ from the amount that would have been payable in advance or on the day.
Check and pay London road-user charges through TfL
Dart Charge has a different deadline: it must normally be paid by midnight on the day after you use the crossing.
If the relevant payment deadline has already passed, check the official website immediately for the options available to you.
Fines & Penalty Charge Notices
You are responsible for road-user charges, tolls, parking charges, traffic offences and other charges or penalties arising while the vehicle is on hire to you.
If we receive an enforcement notice relating to your hire, your details may be supplied to the relevant enforcing authority as appropriate.
We currently charge a £40 administration fee for each occurrence that requires us to process enforcement correspondence.
Check Before You Travel
London road-user charging schemes, boundaries, prices, discounts, exemptions and payment deadlines can change.
This page is provided to help you identify the charges you may need to consider, but it is your responsibility to check the current official requirements for the actual vehicle and journey before travelling.
We cannot determine from your intended destination alone which charges will apply because this depends on the exact route, vehicle registration, vehicle emissions and the time and date of travel.
For current London road-user charging information, use: Transport for London's official driving charges information.
