The 2024 latest London congestion charge list showed outstanding congestion charge payments owed by overseas embassies based in London has topped £143 million, as of last quarter of 2023, in comparison to £136 million a year before.

Many Embassies argued that the congestion charge which applied to road vehicles entering the London congestion zone, is a tax, and foreign embassies are exempt from paying domestic taxes under the terms of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The authority dealing with such charges, The Transport for London (TfL) disagrees and maintains a list of outstanding debts due on its website, that’s updated every six months of the year or scheduling.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan

Part of the difficulty for TfL is that they can’t sue a diplomatic mission to recover the outstanding fees. Only the central government can trigger proceedings against international embassies, so TfL depends on the government to act on its behalf. According to a written statement from the Mayor of London, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials write to diplomatic missions and international organisations with large Congestion Charge debts annually to encourage payment. (IVUK)

London outstanding congestion charges at the end of September 2023