How to use the HGV levy service
Information about how to pay the HGV levy for non-UK HGVs.
The HGV levy service
The HGV levy service is a service for non-UK registered HGVs to pay the HGV levy.
This guidance explains when the levy applies and how to use the payment service.
The HGV levy service is available here.
If you do not want to use the payment service, there are other ways to pay the levy. See How to pay the levy.
The HGV levy service is not for HGVs registered in the UK. UK HGVs pay the levy with their vehicle excise duty.
Vehicles registered on the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or UK overseas territories are not classed as UK-registered.
Where and when the levy applies
You have to pay the levy for any day that you drive an HGV that weighs 12,000kg or more on a main road in the UK. That includes main roads in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
A main road is a road that starts with an ‘A’ or an ‘M’, for example, the A2 or the M20. Almost all the roads from UK ports are main roads.
You do not need to pay the levy if, in a whole 24-hour period, you:
- only drive on minor roads
- are parked up
A minor road is a road that starts with a B or has no road number.
You have to pay the levy if you use a main road at any point in the 24-hour period.
If you stay in the UK longer than planned and your levy expires, you must pay for the additional days.
Toll roads and congestion charges
You still need to pay:
- toll road charges, for example, the M6 toll and the Dartford Crossing
- congestion charges, for example, the London congestion charge
When to pay the levy
You must pay the levy before you enter the UK.
It is a criminal offence to use an HGV in the UK without the correct levy.
See the section of this guidance on enforcement and fines.
Who pays the levy
The levy can be paid by the driver, the operator or a booking agent.
It is the driver’s responsibility to check that your vehicle has a valid levy every time you come to the UK.
How to pay the levy
The easiest way to pay the levy is via the HGV levy service.
You can use the service to either:
- make a one-off payment
- set up an account to manage your payments
See the section of this guidance about setting up an HGV levy account.
You can also pay the levy by phoning the levy contact centre on +44 33 0101 3725. Card payments only, open 6am to 6pm, 7 days a week.
Proof of payment and receipts
You do not need to display any proof of purchase in the window of your vehicle.
Levy payments are recorded on the HGV levy payment database. UK police and enforcement officers have access to the database, so they will know if a vehicle has a valid levy or not.
When you pay via the levy service, you’ll receive a confirmation email or text message with a unique payment reference number. This will be sent to whoever pays the levy.
HGV levy rates
The rate you need to pay depends on:
- the Euro class of the vehicle
- the weight of the vehicle
- how long you will be in the UK
You can pay the levy by the day, week, month or year. Annual payments are only possible if you have a levy service account.
For payment purposes, a day runs from midnight (00:00:00) to 1 second before midnight (23:59:59).
Maximum permitted weight
You must pay the rate that applies to the maximum permitted weight of your vehicle. This is also called the ‘maximum total revenue weight of the combination’.
This applies even if the vehicle will not be this weight on your journey or is using a different trailer than usual.
Maximum permitted weight example
If the actual weight of your vehicle is 28,000kg, but it has a maximum permitted weight of 35,000kg, you need to pay the rate for a 35,000kg vehicle.
Rigid vehicles must include the weight of the trailer if it weighs more than 4,000kg.
Euro 6 vehicles
HGV levy rates for newer vehicles – Euro 6 class or later.
| HGV levy band | Weight (kg) | Daily rate | Weekly rate | Monthly rate | Yearly rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12,000 to 31,000 | £3 | £7.50 | £15 | £150 |
| B | 31,001 to 38,000 | £7.20 | £18 | £36 | £360 |
| C | 38,001 and over | £9 | £28.80 | £57.60 | £576 |
Euro 5 or older vehicles
HGV levy rates for older vehicles – Euro 5 class or older.
| HGV levy band | Weight (kg) | Daily rate | Weekly rate | Monthly rate | Yearly rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12,000 to 31,000 | £3.90 | £9.75 | £19.50 | £195 |
| B | 31,001 to 38,000 | £9.36 | £23.40 | £46.80 | £468 |
| C | 38,001 and over | £10 | £37.45 | £74.90 | £749 |
HGV levy account
If you set up an account on the HGV levy service, you can use it to:
- buy annual levies – the annual rate is about 80% of 365 daily levy payments
- add or remove vehicles under your account
- identify the best value levy to buy for each trip
- get refunds for unused levy payments
- change the start date of a levy – you must do this by 9pm
- get reminders for when a levy for a vehicle will expire
- view a history of your levy purchases
You can set up the account to allow access to drivers. This will allow drivers to:
- buy their own levies via the service
- check if a vehicle has a valid levy
It will also provide a record of the levies that different drivers have bought via the system.
If you sell a vehicle, you should remove it from your account. You can apply for a refund for any unused whole months.
Refunds and transfers
Make sure you enter the correct vehicle registration number when you buy a levy. The levy applies to the registration number of the rigid vehicle or tractor unit, not the number of the trailer.
You cannot transfer a levy between vehicles.
If you have a levy account
If you have a levy account, you can get a refund for any unused whole months.
A refund is calculated by the following formula:
Annual rate - (annual rate / 10) x months used (total or partial month).
Refund example
You buy an annual levy for £360 on 1 January but you only use it until 14 April. You can claim a refund for the 8 whole months that you do not use.
£360 - (360 / 10) x 4 = £216 refund
If you do not have an account
You cannot get a refund on a levy if it is for less than one month.
If you accidentally buy a levy for the wrong vehicle via the contact centre, you have 15 minutes to check and change your details.
For contact centre details see the section of this guidance on how to pay the levy.
Enforcement and fines
UK enforcement agencies will be alerted if you enter the UK road network without paying the correct HGV levy.
Your vehicle will be stopped and you will have to pay a £300 roadside fine. You will also need to pay the levy amount for the day.
If you cannot pay the £300 fine, your vehicle will be immobilised and impounded until payment is made. You will have to pay additional costs for the storage of the vehicle.
It is the responsibility of both the operator and the driver to make sure the correct levy has been paid.
If you pay the Euro 6 levy amount, you will need to have documents to prove that the vehicle meets the Euro 6 standard.
Appeal against a fine
When you are fined you will be given a fixed penalty notice. You can find details of how to appeal against a fine on the back of the fixed penalty notice.
Exemptions and when you do not have to pay
An HGV that is temporarily displaying trade plates to travel to or from a garage for maintenance or repair does not have to pay the levy. This is likely to be more common in Northern Ireland.
If the vehicle is not displaying trade plates, it must pay the levy.
Vehicles that are zero emission at the tailpipe and would be otherwise exempt from vehicle excise duty (VED) are currently exempt from paying the levy. This does not include hybrid vehicles.
Non-UK HGVs should carry documentation proving their vehicle is zero emission at the tailpipe.
The following vehicles are also exempt:
- vehicles being used for driver instruction
- showman’s vehicles
- island goods vehicles – used on small islands, not on mainland UK roads
HGVs registered in the UK
For vehicles registered in the UK, the levy must be paid either every year or every 6 months. You will need to pay the levy alongside the VED.
Vehicles registered on the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands or UK overseas territories are not classed as registered in the UK.