Many visitors plan to hire a car at the airport and drive into London. Before you do, it helps to understand London’s two main road charges, the Congestion Charge and the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). They are separate schemes, they cover different areas, and you might have to pay both on the same day.
The Congestion Charge
- Cost: £18 per day since 2 January 2026.
- Where: a zone covering central London, including the West End and the City.
- When: Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm, and Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays 12pm to 6pm.
- No charge between Christmas Day and the New Year’s Day bank holiday (inclusive).
The charge covers a whole day: drive in once or many times, you pay one charge. You can pay in advance, on the day, or by midnight the following day at £18; pay by midnight on the third day after and it costs £21. Miss that and a penalty charge notice follows.
Electric Cars Now Pay
Until Christmas 2025 fully electric cars were exempt. That exemption has ended: electric cars now pay the Congestion Charge, with a 25% discount (£13.50) only if the vehicle is registered for TfL’s Auto Pay. A visitor in a rented electric car will usually pay the full £18.
The ULEZ
- Cost: £12.50 per day for vehicles that do not meet the emissions standards.
- Where: all London boroughs, including the roads around Heathrow.
- When: 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day.
As a rough guide, most petrol cars from around 2006 onwards and most diesel cars from around late 2015 onwards meet the standard, and fully electric cars are exempt. Most modern hire cars are compliant, but check the vehicle registration on TfL’s online vehicle checker. Note that the ULEZ day runs midnight to midnight, so a late-evening drive that crosses midnight counts as two days.
How to Pay Safely
Pay on the official TfL website, by TfL Auto Pay or through the TfL Pay to Drive app. Avoid third-party websites that charge extra. If you are in a hire car, ask the rental company how they handle charges: some pay and then bill you with an administration fee, others expect you to pay yourself, and an unpaid charge can become a penalty with extra fees added.
Parking Is the Bigger Cost
For many visitors the road charges are not the real problem. Hotel parking in central London is limited and expensive, on-street parking is restricted and heavily enforced, and traffic in the centre is slow. Most London sights are close together and easy to reach on foot or by public transport.
When a Car Makes Sense, and When It Does Not
- Probably not worth it for a city break based in central London.
- Can make sense for touring outside London: the Cotswolds, Stonehenge or the coast, ideally picked up on the day you leave London.
- A private car with a driver avoids the charges, parking and navigation altogether. Our day trips by car guide and hourly hire service suit visitors who want the flexibility of a car without driving it.
When you book a licensed private hire journey you do not need to register or pay any road charge yourself. Just ask whether your quote includes all charges for the route.
Other London Road Charges
The Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels under the Thames in east London have their own tolls, and Dartford Crossing on the M25 has a separate charge payable online. Your satnav may route you through these without warning, so check before you set off.
Charges checked 14 November 2026. TfL sets and reviews these charges; confirm the current rules on the TfL website before you drive.