Earlier this year, Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London announced that the London Congestion Charge would rise by 20%, taking it from £15 to £18 if paid on the day or in advance, while those paying three days after travel, the charge will rise from £17.50 to £21. The changes, due to come into effect on 2 January, also include a shake-up to the Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD), which will introduce a tier system to the vehicles eligible for a Congestion Charge discount. We’ve got all the details you need to know about which cars will get a discount when the rules come into place.
Changes to the Cleaner Vehicle discount (CVD)
From 25 December 2025, the original 100% full discount on the Congestion Charge has come to an end. This will be replaced by a tiered system that aims to continue incentivising Londoners to switch to electric vehicles while ensuring the charge is still effective in managing the traffic in London. Without making these changes to the system, TfL reports that “more than 2,000 additional vehicles [would be] driving during operating hours in the Congestion Charge zone on an average weekday” which would undermine the benefits of the Congestion Charge.
Which cars are eligible for the discount and what will the discount be?
Congestion Charge discounts are only available to electric vehicles that are registered for Auto Pay.
From 2 January 2026, the discounts available are:
- 25% discount on the daily charge for electric cars registered on Auto Pay
- 50% discount on the daily charge for electric vans, HGVs, and quadricycles registered on Auto Pay
- A new 100% discount for electric car club vehicles that are picked up and returned to the same bay within the Congestion Charge Zone.
- Blue Badge holders, 9+seaters and accredited breakdown and recovery vehicles will still be eligible for discounts and there will be no changes to these discounts with the new changes in 2026. You can check out the full list of exemptions and discounts here.
How to get the discount
For UK-registered vehicles to get the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, you’ll need to register for a London Road User Charging account and register for Auto Pay service. You’ll then need to ensure the vehicle is added to your Auto Pay service. Setting up Auto Pay is completely free and there’s no need to apply for the CVD separately. If you’re already registered, you won’t have to do anything.
For non-UK registered electric vehicles, they must be registered and on Auto Pay before you can receive the discount.
Car clubs with eligible, back-to-base vehicles should contact TfL directly through this form.
You can find out more about the Congestion Charge changes on the TfL website.