Motorcycles and mopeds do not pay London’s Congestion Charge, so a rider entering the zone during charging hours avoids the £18 daily charge that applies to most chargeable vehicles. That does not make every journey charge-free: ULEZ can still apply, and Blackwall or Silvertown tunnel crossings carry separate motorcycle charges.
Last reviewed 30 July 2026 by the Universal Motorcycle Training® instructor team. Every charge below was checked against Transport for London on the same date.
Do motorbikes pay the London Congestion Charge?
No. TfL states that two-wheeled motorbikes, motorbikes with sidecars and mopeds are exempt from the Congestion Charge. For a normal motorcycle or scooter journey, you do not pay the daily Congestion Charge simply because you enter or ride within the zone.
The standard charge for vehicles that are liable is £18 when paid in advance or on the day of travel. It is £21 if paid by midnight on the third day after travel. The daily rate rose from £15 to £18 on 2 January 2026.
That makes the congestion charge motorcycle exemption a genuine advantage for riders who need to cross central London. It should still be described accurately: the exemption removes one specific road charge, not every possible charge connected with riding in London.
How much can you save by riding a motorcycle into the Congestion Charge zone?
The clearest figure is £18 on a day when you would otherwise have made the same journey in a vehicle liable for the Congestion Charge during charging hours. A motorcycle or moped avoids that daily charge.
We would not present the £21 late-payment rate as a normal saving. That higher figure applies only when a liable road user pays after the day of travel, but by midnight on the third day.
Your real benefit depends on your route and travel pattern. If you do not enter the zone, travel outside charging hours, or would otherwise use a vehicle that is not liable, there may be no Congestion Charge saving to count.
It is also misleading to turn £18 into an annual figure without knowing how often you travel, whether every trip enters the zone and whether other charges apply. For motorcycle commuting in London, calculate from your actual working days and routes rather than a headline estimate.
When does the Congestion Charge apply in London?
The Congestion Charge applies inside the Congestion Charge zone from 07:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, the charging hours are 12:00 to 18:00.
The zone is not the whole of London. A journey elsewhere in the capital may never enter it, while a short central London journey may do so.
For a motorbike or moped, the exemption applies even when you ride in the zone during those hours. The timetable still matters when you compare the motorcycle journey with another vehicle or plan a mixed journey involving more than one type of transport.
Do motorcycles have to pay ULEZ?
A motorcycle can be exempt from the Congestion Charge and still be liable for ULEZ. These are separate schemes with different rules.
For ULEZ, motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles and quadricycles must meet the Euro 3 emissions standard for nitrogen oxides, usually written as NOx. A non-compliant vehicle is charged £12.50 for a day of travel in the ULEZ.
TfL enforces ULEZ according to the vehicle’s declared emissions, not simply its age. As a general guide, Euro 3 motorcycle engines are those registered with DVLA after July 2007, but that date is not a substitute for checking the individual vehicle.
This distinction matters when you are buying or already own an older scooter or motorcycle. The right question is not only, ‘Are motorcycles exempt from the Congestion Charge?’ You also need to ask whether that particular ULEZ motorcycle meets the emissions standard recorded for it.
How do I check whether my motorbike is ULEZ compliant?
Use TfL’s own vehicle checker before you travel or before relying on a motorcycle for a regular commute. Check the specific registration rather than assuming that every bike from a certain year has the same status.
The checker is particularly useful because ULEZ is based on declared emissions. A general rule about registration dates can help you understand the system, but it cannot confirm the status of your individual vehicle.
If a non-compliant vehicle is used without the daily £12.50 ULEZ charge being paid correctly, the penalty is £180. That is reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
For an existing rider, this is a simple but worthwhile pre-commute check. For somebody choosing a first commuting bike, it should form part of the decision before committing to a particular motorcycle or scooter.
Do motorbikes pay the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge?
Yes. TfL specifically states that motorcycles, mopeds and motor tricycles must pay the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge, even though they are exempt from the Congestion Charge.
For these vehicles, the charge on TfL Auto Pay is £1.50 off peak or £2.50 at peak times. If you pay by phone or online instead, the charge is £2.50.
Charges apply from 06:00 to 22:00, seven days a week, in both directions. The Auto Pay peak window is northbound from 06:00 to 10:00 and southbound from 16:00 to 19:00, on weekdays only.
This can affect a cross-river commute even when the rest of the route is free from the Congestion Charge and the motorcycle meets ULEZ standards. Route choice and direction of travel therefore matter.
These tunnel rates are correct at the time of writing, 30 July 2026. TfL has said the charges will increase from 21 September 2026, so check TfL’s current rates before you travel.
Is motorcycle commuting in London completely charge-free?
No. A compliant motorcycle or moped can enter the Congestion Charge zone without paying the £18 daily charge, but ULEZ and the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge must be considered separately.
A rider on a Euro 3-compliant machine who does not use either charged tunnel may complete a journey without paying any of these three road-user charges. Another rider on an older non-compliant bike, or one whose route uses the tunnels, may still have a daily amount to pay.
That is why we advise commuters to check three things: whether the route enters the Congestion Charge zone, whether the particular motorcycle is ULEZ compliant and whether the journey uses the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnel. The answer can change with the route, the vehicle and the time of travel.
The £18 exemption is meaningful, especially for regular central London journeys, but it should not be used as proof that every motorcycle commute is automatically cheaper. A sound comparison starts with the exact journey you intend to make.
What licence and training do I need to commute by motorcycle?
If you are starting from scratch, Compulsory Basic Training, usually called CBT, is training rather than a pass or fail test. When you satisfactorily complete it, the DL196 certificate normally lasts for two years.
From age 17, a valid CBT and the correct provisional licence entitlement allow you to ride a motorcycle or scooter of up to 125cc and no more than 11 kW with L plates. From age 16, you can ride a moped under the relevant learner rules. Riders who later want a larger machine move on to the full licence course.
Before booking a commuting bike, be realistic about your experience. Urban riding involves observation, low-speed control, junctions, changing road surfaces and close interaction with other road users. The fact that a motorcycle is exempt from one charge does not reduce the skill needed to ride it safely. Riders who already hold a licence can also look at the free TfL one-to-one skills session.
Universal Motorcycle Training runs training seven days a week at seven centres across London and the South East. CBT starts from £205. For complete beginners who want time on the controls before a full CBT day, the two-hour Introduction to Motorcycling session is £125.
What are the most common questions about the Congestion Charge and motorcycles?
Are motorcycles exempt from the Congestion Charge?
Yes. TfL states that two-wheeled motorbikes, sidecars and mopeds are exempt, so they do not pay the £18 daily Congestion Charge when entering the zone.
Can a ULEZ-compliant motorbike still pay a tunnel charge?
Yes. ULEZ compliance does not remove the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge, which applies to motorcycles, mopeds and motor tricycles between 06:00 and 22:00 in both directions.
Does a motorcycle registered after July 2007 automatically meet Euro 3?
Not automatically. TfL says ULEZ is enforced using the vehicle’s declared emissions, although motorcycles registered with DVLA after July 2007 generally have Euro 3 engines, so use TfL’s vehicle checker for confirmation.
Can I commute on a 125cc motorcycle after CBT?
From age 17, you can ride a motorcycle or scooter up to 125cc and 11 kW with L plates after completing CBT and holding the correct provisional entitlement. Your DL196 certificate lasts two years.