Setting up the Dart Charge Direct Debit
The Direct Debit is the funding side of the Dart Charge pre-pay account: it takes money from your bank when the balance gets low. Without it, you have to top up manually by card. This page covers setup, the trigger threshold, what happens if it bounces, how to change your bank, and how to wind it down.
Setting up the Direct Debit from scratch
Three steps. The whole process is online; you don't need to call or visit a branch. Sort code and account number are the only details Dart Charge takes; they don't hold the card on file separately.
- 1
Open the pre-pay account
A £15 minimum opening deposit by debit or credit card. This funds your first 5 car crossings.
- 2
Choose your top-up amount
£15, £30 or £60 are the three defaults. You can edit later; pick the one that matches your monthly crossing volume.
- 3
Add bank details
Sort code, account number, account holder name. Bank confirms via the Direct Debit Guarantee 4-6 working days later.
How the top-up trigger works
You choose the threshold, not Dart Charge. Its general terms and conditions put it as: you "can set the minimum balance threshold (subject to a £5 minimum) which will trigger an Auto-Top-Up payment". When the balance drops below the level you set, a Direct Debit instruction goes to your bank and the funds settle in your Dart Charge balance a few working days later.
- The £5 floor is on the trigger, the £10 floor is on the top-up. These get confused. The lowest threshold you can set is £5; the smallest top-up you can make, by Direct Debit or any other method, is £10. Payments below £10 are not credited to the account at all.
- Balance checks are not instant. Crossing twice in one afternoon and dropping below your threshold does not fire an emergency top-up the same hour. Leave headroom above a single crossing.
- You can change the top-up amount whenever you like. Clause 5.7 lets you change it at any time, subject to that £10 minimum, from the account pages or with 15 days written notice.
What happens if the Direct Debit bounces
Insufficient funds, closed account, mismatched name on the form: these all cause a Direct Debit to bounce. Dart Charge gets a notification from BACS the same day and emails you. Three things happen in sequence.
- Email and SMS notification on the day the bounce is recorded. The message identifies which crossing's top-up failed.
- 7-day grace period. The account stays in pre-pay mode for 7 working days, during which crossings continue to bill at £2.80. You can top up by card to clear the issue without a re-Direct Debit.
- Account suspension after 7 days. If you haven't resolved the bounce within a week, the account reverts to PAYG £3.50 and the auto-top-up stays cancelled until you set it up afresh.
Recovery is quick: a single manual top-up by card and a fresh Direct Debit instruction restores normal service within 4-6 working days. No PCN follows from a bounced Direct Debit as long as the underlying crossings have all been paid (which they will have been at the £2.80 pre-pay rate during grace).
Switching bank account
The Current Account Switch Service handles most bank-to-bank moves automatically. Direct Debits are redirected for 36 months. If you've done a CASS switch, the Dart Charge Direct Debit should follow without action.
If you're changing bank without a CASS switch (rare; mainly relevant for international moves or some business accounts), update Dart Charge manually:
- Log into the Dart Charge website
- Open "Manage Direct Debit"
- Enter new sort code and account number
- Confirm. The change takes effect at the next top-up cycle
The Direct Debit Guarantee covers any error in the switch for 8 weeks. Your bank will reverse any incorrect debit on request.
Cancelling the Direct Debit but keeping the account
Useful if you've moved out of the area and don't need automatic top-up any more, but still want to keep the £15 deposit running for occasional crossings.
- Log into Dart Charge, choose "Cancel Direct Debit".
- Pre-pay £2.80 rate continues as long as the balance covers crossings.
- Email reminders sent at £5 balance. Manual top-up by card any time.
- Drop to £0 and the next crossing bills at PAYG £3.50 instead.
- You can re-enable the Direct Debit any time from the same screen.
Related guides
Auto-pay (pre-pay) explained
The crossing-side of the pre-pay account.
Pre-pay account overview
The £15 deposit and 70p saving.
Fleet (20 vehicles)
One Direct Debit funds many plates.
Is there an app?
No official app. Edit Direct Debit at gov.uk on your phone.
All payment methods
Online, phone and Payzone.
Daily commuter cost
When the £30 top-up tier suits you.
Direct Debit questions
What is the Dart Charge Direct Debit?+
It's the automatic top-up that funds your pre-pay account from your bank. You set a minimum balance threshold, and when the balance drops below it a Direct Debit instruction goes to your bank for a top-up. Dart Charge's terms allow a threshold as low as £5. Without the Direct Debit you can still have a pre-pay account, you just top it up manually by card.
What's the minimum top-up?+
£10. Dart Charge's terms state that the Minimum Top Up, whether by Auto-Top-Up or any other method, is £10, and that payments of less than £10 will not be credited to the account. Many account holders set a larger amount to match their crossing frequency. The minimum to open the account in the first place is £15.
Can I change my Direct Debit bank account?+
Yes, online via the Dart Charge website. Log in, choose 'Manage Direct Debit', enter the new sort code and account number. The Direct Debit Guarantee covers you for 8 weeks of refund if anything goes wrong with the switch. The change takes effect from the next top-up cycle.
What if my Direct Debit bounces?+
Dart Charge will email and SMS you the same day. You have 7 working days to fix it before the account is suspended. During suspension, crossings are billed at the £3.50 PAYG rate. Once you re-establish funding (manual top-up or a successful Direct Debit retry), the account reverts to pre-pay £2.80.
Can I cancel the Direct Debit but keep the account?+
Yes. Log in, choose 'Cancel Direct Debit'. The pre-pay account stays open in manual top-up mode. You'll get email reminders when the balance drops below £5. Useful if you've moved out of the area but might cross again occasionally.
Will I get my £15 deposit back if I close the account?+
Yes, plus any unspent balance over £0.01. The refund goes back to the same bank account or card that funded the deposit, usually within 10 working days. There is no fee for closing the account.