Foreign diplomats owe a staggering £165 million in unpaid congestion charges, according to new figures.
The American embassy has the biggest debt at £15.9 million, followed by China (£11.5 million), Japan (£10.9 million) and India (£10.1 million), Transport for London has revealed.
Meanwhile, the embassies of Indonesia (£90), Togo (£120), the Netherlands and Peru (both £180) have the smallest outstanding bills among the 146 diplomatic missions that owe money.
TfL maintains that "foreign diplomats and consular staff are not exempt from paying the congestion charge", but the US embassy argues "our position is that the congestion charge is a tax from which diplomatic missions are exempt".
Motorists driving non-electric vehicles through central London currently face an £18 daily charge between 7am and 6pm on weekdays, and noon to 6pm at weekends and bank holidays. Failing to pay triggers a £180 penalty.
Data obtained through Freedom of Information requests shows the debts have accumulated since 2003, when the charge was introduced at £5, up to 30 September 2025, when it stood at £15.
Saudi Arabia's embassy has paid more individual charges than any other mission - settling 47,538 bills between 2017 and 2025. Despite this, it still has an outstanding balance of £260,560.
Egypt's embassy paid 37,117 charges and Qatar's paid 33,887 during the same timeframe. Yet they owe £244,000 and £48,620 respectively. The American embassy, by comparison, paid just 76 charges.
An American embassy representative defended the non-payment stance: "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: "We continue to pursue all unpaid congestion charges and related penalty charge notices."
