Dartford resident Dart Charge discount
If you pay council tax to Dartford Borough Council, you can buy an annual Dart Charge pass that beats both pay-as-you-go and pre-pay for any crosser who uses the tunnels or bridge more than nine times a year. £25 unlimited or £12.50 for 50 crossings.
Unlimited tier
£25/yr
Pays for itself after 9 car crossings at the pre-pay rate. Daily commuters break even on day 5 of the year.
50-crossing tier
£12.50/yr
25p a crossing, capped at 50 a year. Only sensible if you cross 9-50 times annually. Beyond 50, the unlimited tier wins.
Eligibility: council area, not postcode
Eligibility is set by council area, not postcode. The scheme is funded by Dartford Borough Council in partnership with National Highways, so you qualify only if you pay council tax to Dartford Borough Council. The DA postcodes are a rough guide because they straddle four authorities (Dartford, Bexley, Gravesham and Sevenoaks), which is why Dart Charge checks every address against the Council's records.
Broadly Dartford Borough
- DA1: Dartford, Wilmington (Crayford is Bexley)
- DA2: Dartford, Stone, Bean, Bluewater
- DA3: Longfield (New Ash Green is Sevenoaks)
- DA4: South Darenth, Sutton-at-Hone, Horton Kirby (Eynsford and Farningham are Sevenoaks)
Confirm with your council tax bill: eligibility follows Dartford Borough Council records, not the postcode alone.
Outside Dartford Borough (despite DA prefix)
- DA5-DA8, DA14-DA18: Bexleyheath, Welling, Sidcup, Erith, Belvedere (London Borough of Bexley)
- DA11-DA13: Northfleet, Gravesend, Meopham (Gravesham)
- Parts of DA3-DA4: New Ash Green, Hartley, Eynsford, Farningham (Sevenoaks)
DA9 Greenhithe and DA10 Swanscombe are within Dartford Borough. Where a postcode straddles a boundary, your council tax bill decides.
What you need to apply
- Proof of address. A Council Tax bill, utility bill (gas, electricity, water), or driving licence dated or issued within the last 3 months. The address must match what Dartford Borough Council has on record.
- V5C log book. The vehicle's registration document, showing the registered keeper's address. The keeper's address on the V5C must match the proof of residence. If you've recently moved, update the V5C at gov.uk/contact-the-dvla first.
- Photo ID. Driving licence, passport, or government-issued photo ID. The name on the ID must match the name on the V5C.
- Payment for the pass. £25 for the unlimited tier or £12.50 for the 50-crossing tier. Debit or credit card during the application flow.
Annual renewal
The pass runs for 12 months from the date of issue. Dart Charge sends a renewal notification when it is due, and you choose whether to receive it by email or by post. You renew by logging in to the same Dart Charge account with the same documents. If your address or vehicle has changed in the previous year, you'll need to upload fresh proof, and a re-application after a move is processed like a new application.
If you let the pass lapse, your crossings revert to PAYG £3.50 or pre-pay £2.80 depending on which mode your Dart Charge account is in. Reapplications are not back-dated, so the gap between lapse and renewal costs the standard rate.
When the resident pass beats the alternatives
| Crossings / year | PAYG @ £3.50 | Pre-pay @ £2.80 | Resident pass £25 | Cheapest option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | £17.50 | £14.00 | £25.00 | Pre-pay |
| 10 | £35.00 | £28.00 | £25.00 | Resident pass |
| 25 | £87.50 | £70.00 | £25.00 | Resident pass |
| 100 | £350 | £280 | £25.00 | Resident pass |
| 500 (daily) | £1,750 | £1,400 | £25.00 | Resident pass |
The break-even point is 9 crossings on PAYG (£31.50), or 9 crossings on pre-pay (£25.20). Anyone crossing more than monthly is better off with the unlimited tier.
Related guides
Thurrock resident pass
RM postcodes, same £25/yr.
Both schemes side-by-side
Dartford and Thurrock combined hub.
Pre-pay account
£2.80 / crossing if not a resident.
Daily commuter cost
£1,725 savings if you qualify.
Weekly commuter cost
2-4 days a week, when each option wins.
Full 2026 price list
All classes, all methods.
Dartford resident questions
Who qualifies for the Dartford resident discount?+
Anyone who pays council tax to Dartford Borough Council and owns or leases a vehicle registered to that address. Eligibility is decided by council area, not postcode: the DA postcodes broadly cover Dartford Borough but also stretch into Bexley, Gravesham and Sevenoaks, so Dart Charge checks your address against Dartford Borough Council's records. You need a council tax bill (or utility bill or driving licence) plus the vehicle's V5C log book showing the same address.
Do all DA postcodes qualify for the Dartford discount?+
No. DA postcodes straddle four authorities. Most of DA1 and DA2 sits in Dartford Borough, but parts spill into Bexley (Crayford, for example, is in DA1). DA3 and DA4 are split with Sevenoaks (Longfield, South Darenth and Sutton-at-Hone are Dartford Borough; New Ash Green, Eynsford and Farningham are Sevenoaks), and DA5 to DA8, DA14 and DA17 fall into Bexley. None of the non-Dartford-Borough addresses qualify. Dart Charge cross-checks every application against Dartford Borough Council's council tax records.
How much is the Dartford resident pass in 2026?+
£25 for unlimited crossings or £12.50 for up to 50 crossings a year, on a privately owned or leased vehicle with no more than two axles (cars, motorhomes, minibuses with 9 or fewer seats and two-axle vans; not company vehicles or multi-axle HGVs). These are the post-September 2025 rates; pre-Sept 2025 the tiers were £20 and £10 respectively.
Can I have the resident pass on my Dart Charge pre-pay account?+
Yes. The resident pass attaches to one vehicle on a normal Dart Charge account. If your usage exceeds the 50-crossing tier in any year, the system reverts to charging the standard pre-pay rate for additional crossings rather than charging PAYG.
What proof do I need for the Dartford application?+
Three things: (1) Council Tax bill, utility bill, or other proof of address dated within the last 3 months; (2) the vehicle V5C log book showing your Dartford Borough address as the keeper's address; (3) a photographic ID matching the V5C name. Upload PDFs or photos via the Dart Charge website.
How long does approval take?+
Usually 5-10 working days. The application is checked against Dartford Borough Council records, which the application can be slowed by where there's a recent move or a discrepancy between the Council Tax record and the V5C. You can pay PAYG or pre-pay rates while the resident pass is pending.