Got a ULEZ or Congestion Charge Fine? Here’s How to Beat It

If you’ve received a parking ticket from TfL (Transport for London), it’s easy to get confused. Was it a Congestion Charge PCN or a ULEZ fine? What did you do wrong? And can you appeal it?

You’re not alone. Thousands of drivers in London face this exact situation every week. We’ll explain the difference between the ULEZ and Congestion Charge, how their penalties work, and how to appeal them quickly.

Appeal your Congestion Charge or ULEZ ticket with Resolvo - in 2 minutes - it's free

🔍 What’s the Congestion Charge?

The Congestion Charge is a daily fee you pay to drive into central London between:

7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday
And 12pm to 6pm on weekends and bank holidays

It applies to all vehicles, regardless of emissions.

There are charges between Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank holiday.

🚧 Congestion Charge Zone:

It includes areas like:

Westminster
Soho
South Bank
The City
Marylebone

Tip: Use TfL's zone map to check for an area by entering the postcode

💷 Fee:

£15 per day (as of August 2025)
You must pay by midnight the next day

In 2023, TfL issued over 900,000 tickets for missed Congestion Charge payments. That’s nearly a million drivers caught out in just one year.

And the cost to motorists is huge. By May 2024, those fines had already brought in £69 million for TfL — a figure that keeps climbing as more drivers pay up.

When you add in the 15 million daily Congestion Charge payments made in 2023 (totalling a massive £210 million), you can see just how much TfL relies on these charges. For drivers, it’s a warning: slip up once, and you’re immediately part of this multi-million-pound system.

What’s the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone)?

The ULEZ is a separate charge that applies to high-polluting vehicles, based on emissions — not where you're going, but what care you are driving.

It covers all of Greater London, 24/7, except for Christmas Day.

💨 ULEZ applies if:

Your car, van, or motorbike doesn't meet emissions standards
You drive anywhere in Greater London (including outer boroughs like Croydon, Harrow, and Barnet)

Check if your car is ULEZ compliant with our free checker

💷 ULEZ Fee:

£12.50 per day for most cars and vans
If you drive within the ULEZ zone, you must pay by midnight on the third day following your drive.

🌍 Driving a foreign-registered vehicle?

Even if your car meets the emissions standards, you’ll still need to register it with TfL before driving in the ULEZ. If it isn’t registered — or doesn’t meet the rules — you’ll have to pay the daily charge just like everyone else.

⚠️ ULEZ vs Congestion Charge: Which Fine Hurts More?

You get a ticket if you enter the Congestion Charge Zone without paying
You drive in the ULEZ in a non-compliant vehicle without paying
You paid late, used the wrong reg, or your card failed

🧾 Fine Amounts:

Type	PCN Amount	Discount if Paid in 14 Days
Congestion Charge	£160	£80
ULEZ PCN	£180	£90

Key Differences: Congestion Charge vs ULEZ

Feature	Congestion Charge	ULEZ
Based on	Location	Vehicle emissions
When it applies	7am–6pm weekdays (plus weekends)	24/7
Zone	Central London	Entire Greater London
Vehicle type affected	All vehicles	Only high-polluting vehicles
Daily charge	£15	£12.50
Fine (PCN)	£160 (£80 early)	£180 (£90 early)

🧾 Can You Appeal Your Congestion Charge or ULEZ Ticket? Yes — And It’s Easier Than You Think

If you’ve been fined and believe it was unfair, incorrect, or a mistake, you can appeal — and many drivers win.

Valid reasons to appeal:

You paid on time, but there was a system error
You entered the wrong number plate
You weren’t the registered keeper at the time
You were driving a hire car and didn’t get the fine in time
Your car meets ULEZ standards but TfL got it wrong
You had a medical emergency or breakdown

🤖 Don’t Know What to Say? Resolvo Writes the Appeal for You

Writing an appeal can feel overwhelming and very stressful. What if you word it wrong? What if they ignore it?

That’s why Resolvo exists.

Here's how:

Tell Resolvo what happened (or upload a photo of the PCN)
Resolvo creates a structured and winning tailored appeal letter
You copy and send it to TfL or on their appeal portal

Appeal your Congestion Charge or ULEZ fine with Resolvo in just 2 minutes

💳 Want to Avoid Future TfL Fines? Set Up Auto Pay

One of the easiest ways to avoid getting a Congestion Charge or ULEZ fine again is to register for TfL’s Auto Pay service.

Auto Pay ensures that you’re automatically charged for:

Congestion Charge
ULEZ
And even the LEZ (Low Emission Zone)

🎯 Why Auto Pay Helps:

Setting up auto-pay is a no-brainer if you want to avoid getting a £160+ fine and we advise doing so. Why?

Never miss a payment — even if you forget the date
Covers up to 5 vehicles under one account
Get email notifications and payment receipts
Avoid future PCNs from forgetfulness or card errors

It’s especially useful if you drive into London regularly or rent/hire vehicles for work

📌 Final Thoughts

Congestion Charge = location-based covers Central London
ULEZ = emissions-based cover Greater London
Both require separate payments and both can result in hefty PCNs
To avoid them you should set up auto-pay
If you get a fine, go to Resolvo. Tell it what happened and it will help you write a strong appeal for free.

Don’t ignore the fine. But don’t pay blindly either — especially if you believe it’s wrong. Appeal first and see where you stand.