PCN FlowDart Charge penalty on a hire vehicle: transferring it to the hirer
If a hirer crossed the Dartford Crossing without paying, you can usually pass the penalty to them. Send a copy of the hire agreement and the hirer's signed statement of liability, which must give an address, usually within 28 days.
General information for England, not legal advice. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and every notice is different. Always check the notice and the issuer's own guidance. Last reviewed 13 November 2026.
The short answer
Dart Charge penalties come under the road user charging rules for England (SI 2013/1783), not the council and TfL rules. You make a representation that the vehicle was on hire at the time and name the hirer. If it is accepted, the hirer pays. On the gov.uk Dart Charge website the option is "The vehicle was hired to someone at the time".
What Dart Charge needs
- A statement from you that the vehicle was on hire to a named person, signed by or for the company. Dart's postal slip asks for a signature and your position in the company.
- A copy of the hire agreement, or extracts if the authority agrees.
- A statement of liability signed by the hirer, accepting responsibility for charges and penalty charges during the hire. It must give an address where documents can be served on the hirer.
- The hirer's name and address. The website has no hirer fields, so these go in the reasons box.
The law here uses a wider meaning of hire agreement than for council and TfL PCNs. It covers a hire "of any duration", and the Schedule 2 list of particulars doesn't apply.
Time limits
You have 28 days from service of the penalty. After that it may be ignored. A decision is due within 56 days.
Common reasons it goes wrong
- No address in the hirer's statement. The law asks for an address for service.
- An unsigned statement of liability, or none at all.
- Files lost on the website. It has five upload boxes for JPEG or PDF files, 20 MB in total. If a page fails, it clears the files, so check them before you continue.
- Ticking the wrong penalties. The website lists every open penalty on the vehicle. Tick only the one that falls inside this hire.
- Late filing, after the 28 days.
How PCN Flow handles Dart Charge
You upload the notice. PCN Flow reads it with AI, finds the hire agreement covering the date and time, and checks the signed agreement, the liability clause or statement, and the hirer's name and address. The law allows a hire of any length, but PCN Flow treats Dart Charge like TfL and stops it on a hire of six months or more, so your team looks first and decides, for example as Fine Not Assignable. When you press Make Representation, it files on the issuer's website where it can, otherwise by email. Nothing goes by post. Then it tells the hirer in your company's name.
For other issuers, read transfer of liability, explained.
Dart Charge questions
Does the six-month rule apply to Dart Charge?
Not in law. The Dart Charge rules cover a hire of any duration. PCN Flow still stops long hires so a person checks them first.
Does the hire agreement need the Schedule 2 particulars?
No. Schedule 2 applies to council, TfL and police notices. For Dart Charge you need the agreement, your signed statement and the hirer's signed statement of liability with an address.
Who signs the statement naming the hirer?
It is signed by or on behalf of the hire company. Dart's postal slip asks for the signer's position in the company.
Do the same rules cover Clean Air Zones and Merseyflow?
Yes, they come under the same regulations. PCN Flow takes those on a hire of any length.