Dart Charge ticket sent to wrong keeper

A Dart Charge penalty notice must be sent to whoever was the registered keeper of the vehicle at the exact time it crossed the Dartford Crossing. If you had already sold or transferred the vehicle before that crossing took place, or if the DVLA's records had not yet been updated, the notice has been sent to the wrong person. If you were the previous keeper, you have a complete defence — but you need to show the transfer date from your logbook paperwork.

Legal basis

Road User Charging Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1783) reg.6; Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 s.22; statutory ground 'the recipient was not the keeper'

How to identify this in your case

Check V5C 'date of transfer' against crossing date. Get the buyer/seller details from V5C/3 slip if you sold; or new V5C if you bought.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

Dear Sir/Madam, Re: PCN [NUMBER] — Vehicle [REG] — Crossing [DATE] I challenge this PCN. I was not the registered keeper at the time of the alleged contravention. - Crossing date: [DATE] - I [sold the vehicle to [Name] on [DATE] / acquired the vehicle on [DATE]] - V5C section [9/10] / V5C/3 transfer slip attached Under SI 2013/1783 reg.6 the PCN must be served on the registered keeper at the time of the contravention. I was not that person. This is an express ground of representation: 'the recipient is not the person liable'. Please cancel the PCN and pursue the actual keeper if appropriate. Yours faithfully, [NAME]

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Dart Charge ticket sent to wrong keeper

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps