No one likes paying a fine, but it appears some of London’s diplomatic elite are particularly stubborn.
Embassies across the capital have racked up more than £164,000,000 in debts for the congestion charge since 2003, the according to the latest data.
That would equate to more than 900,000 unpaid £180 fines.
The worst offenders are the US Embassy and the Chinese Embassy, who Transport for London reveal have only ever bought a handful of the charges for their staff.
The newest data has sparked condemnation from across the political spectrum, with some demanding that TfL clamp offending vehicles.
These foreign missions are being hit by the Congestion Charge, which is a fee for driving in central London during daytime.
If you don’t pay the fee, you’ll get a £180 fine – which it appears many diplomats are pretty familiar with.
According to the newest TfL data published on January 21, the US owed the transport agency more than £15,000,000 in unpaid Congestion Charge debt.
This figure stretches from 2003, when the fee was introduced, to 30 September 2025.
Despite collecting so many PCN notices, the US embassy only purchased two daily Congestion Charges for its staff in 2025 and none in 2024, TfL data revealed.
US embassy officials acquired an extra 221,040 in unpaid Congestion Charges in just three months from June 30 to September 30 last year.
Green Party peer Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, who has campaigned heavily on the issue in the past, told Metro: ‘The arrogant bastards should pay their bill.
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‘And [they should] be clamped every time they stop anywhere until they do pay.’
London MP John McDonnell agreed, adding: ‘This is a staggering amount of money and the US Embassy should simply pay up. The Embassy should pay its dues like everybody else.’
The US Embassy argue they do not have to pay the Congestion Charge because diplomatic missions are exempt from paying taxes, but TfL say the fee is not a tax.
The Americans are not the only diplomatic staff who owe money to TfL.
The Chinese Embassy, which is at the centre of a controversial plan to move to the former Royal Mint building in Tower Hamlets, is also in debt to TfL the tune of £11,489,780.
The Embassy only purchased one daily congestion charge for its staff in 2025, and a meagre six in 2024.
In the three months from June 30 to September 30 last year, the China Embassy acquired more than £720,000 in new Congestion Charge fines.
Despite this, the government approved the Chinese plans for a ‘super-embassy’ earlier this month.
The latest figures have sparked strong backlash as Keir Starmer arrives in China for an official visit.
Liberal Democrat MP Bobby Dean told Metro: ‘The Prime Minister has gone to Beijing with a begging bowl hoping to get a bumper trade deal with China, but he can’t even get them to pay the Congestion Charge.
‘This kind of non-compliance is frankly an insult and further demonstrates just how unwilling China is to treat Britain seriously.’
Conservative MP Greg Stafford told Metro: ‘With the Prime Minister heading to Beijing, strong leadership would mean demanding Britain’s money back, not pandering abroad while TfL and the Labour Mayor leave taxpayers to foot the bill.’
He added: ‘Ordinary Londoners are expected to pay their charges on time, yet under Sadiq Khan’s watch foreign governments, including China, are allowed to rack up millions in unpaid debts.’
Lord David Alton of Liverpool, a prominent campaigner on China, told Metro: ‘Although China is by no means the only offender, it is yet another example of the total disregard the CCP regime has for our rules, consistent with their disregard for the planning process for their London mega embassy.
‘This is a regime which puts bounties on the heads of UK residents and uses transnational repression – and simultaneously expects us to turn a blind eye to money they owe the public authorities.
‘They and other diplomatic missions must accept and pay the same congestion charges as London residents and other people working in the capital.’
What is the London Congestion Charge?
The Congestion Charge is a fee for driving in central London, aimed at reducing traffic.
It covers the area from Kings Cross in the north to Vauxhall in the south, and Paddington in the west to Whitechapel in the east.
The charge is £18 per day, if you pay in advance or on the day of travel (or £21 if paid by midnight of the third day after travel).
If you fail to pay by midnight the day after you drive through the Congestion zone, you’ll receive a £180 fine, which is reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days.
In total, 146 embassies and high commissions owed Transport for London some money for Congestion Charges as of September 30 last year.
At the lower end, the Indonesian embassy was only in debt £90, with the Togo High Commission at £120.
Whereas the Embassy of Japan is the third highest accumulator of unpaid Congestion Charge fees, reaching just shy of £11,000,000.
The Office of the High Commissioner for India racked up an equally staggering £10,070,585.
The TfL data reveals that many embassies do effectively purchase daily congestion charges for their staff.
The Saudi Arabian Embassy, for example, has purchased more than 47,000 since 2017.
The Embassies for Qatar and Egypt have both bought over 30,000.
Leading campaigner on this issue Lord Toby Harris suggested TfL should clamp offending diplomatic vehicles.
The Labour Party Lord told Metro: ‘Diplomatic status should not be an excuse to break local laws and regulations.
‘Embassies with outstanding fines – including for congestion charge – should pay up.
‘Perhaps TfL should clamp or impound offending vehicles when the vehicles are parked outside embassy grounds.’
London Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy said embassies should not ‘dodge’ the rules on congestion charges.
The Clapham & Brixton Hill MP told Metro: ‘Diplomacy doesn’t mean you get to dodge rules that apply to everyone else.
‘The congestion charge is a charge, not a tax. It’s there in the name. If the average Londoner refused to pay, they would face fines and even prosecution.
‘If embassies refuse to contribute through diplomatic channels, the government should raise this directly with them.’
The US Embassy London told Metro: ‘In accordance with international law as reflected in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, our position is that the Congestion Charge is a tax from which diplomatic missions are exempt.
‘Our long-standing position is shared by many other diplomatic missions in London.’
A TfL spokesperson said: ‘Foreign diplomats and consular staff are not exempt from paying the Congestion Charge.
‘We continue to pursue all unpaid Congestion Charges and related penalty charge notices.’
Metro has approached the embassies and High Commissions of the People’s Republic of China, Japan and India for comment.
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