All vehicle tolls are paid online
from 1st July 2026
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
All vehicle tolls, including motorcycles, are paid online or via the app, using ANPR.
No barriers, and free flowing traffic
There are no barriers, and traffic is free flowing, with no need to stop.
Pay before or after you travel
You can pay up to 30 days before you travel, or up to midnight on the day following your crossing.
Set up an account if you are a frequent user
For regular users, you can also set up an account to pre-pay and to opt into auto pay.
Pedestrians and cyclists are not affected
Pedestrians and cyclists are not affected by the change, and continue to pay as usual (cashless payments only).
How ANPR Works
As you approach and leave the ferry terminal at Shell Bay, the cameras photograph your number plate from both the front and rear.
The system reads your Vehicle Registration Mark and records your crossing automatically – there is nothing for you to do, apart from enjoy the ride!
The cameras operate in all weather conditions, and around the clock.
Any number plate that cannot be read automatically is reviewed by a member of our team to ensure accuracy.
How To Pay
ANPR vehicle tolling is now live.
Pay As Guest
No account needed
Enter your vehicle registration and pay by debit or credit card online or on the app – up to 30 days before travelling, or before midnight the day after your journey.
Sign In Or Set Up An Account
Pre-load your account with tokens, register up to five vehicles, and your toll is deducted automatically every time you cross.
You’ll be notified when your balance reaches two tokens, and you can opt in for auto pay.
ANPR Accounts have replaced the Sandbanks Ferry Toll Card (SFTC)
Opening an ANPR account is the fastest and simplest way to pay for your frequent crossings, and you’ll always have access to your account balance, your transaction history, and be alerted when your balance is getting low.
Opening an account is free, and can be accessed now by smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Get The Sandbanks Ferry App
Our new payment app is available for both Apple and Android devices, and enables you to quickly and easily ‘Pay As Guest’ for your crossings, as well as set up and manage ANPR accounts.
Download the free app to your phone by clicking on the relevant icon.
Download The Sandbanks Ferry App
Our new payment app is available for both Apple and Android devices, and enables you to quickly and easily ‘Pay As Guest’ for your crossings, as well as set up and manage ANPR accounts.
Download the free app to your phone, by clicking on the relevant icon.
Download The Sandbanks Ferry App
COMING SOON
Our new payment app is available for both Apple and Android devices, and enables you to quickly and easily ‘Pay As Guest’ for your crossings, as well as set up and manage ANPR accounts.
Download the free app to your phone, by clicking on the relevant icon.
Need help getting set up?
Click on the icon below to view and download our simple user guide, which shows you exactly how to navigate the new web-based payment system.
Looking for more information?
Below, we’ve answered some of the most common questions we’re asked about our new ANPR tolling system.
If your question isn’t answered below, then check out our full FAQ guide by clicking here.
Do I now need to book my crossing in advance?
No – just like before, you simply drive up and cross, with no pre-booking.
You have until midnight the following day to pay online at SandbanksFerry.co.uk/Pay or on the Sandbanks Ferry app, or register your Vehicle Registration Mark to an ANPR Account with Tokens on it.
For example, if you used the ferry at 8am on Monday, you have until midnight on Tuesday to pay or register.
We would always recommend paying in advance where possible to avoid the risk of forgetting. So, you can use the ‘Pay As Guest’ function to pay for your crossing up to 30 days in advance.
What are the payment options?
There are two ways to pay online, both available at SandbanksFerry.co.uk/Pay or on the Sandbanks Ferry app.
- You can ‘Pay As Guest’ before or after travel, from 30 days before your journey to any time before midnight on the day after your crossing.
- Or you can set up an account, pre-load it with Tokens, register up to five Vehicle Registration Marks and benefit from discounted pricing on bulk purchases, with a Token deducted automatically each time you cross.
Do I need to set up an account to pay the toll?
No, you can use the ‘Pay As Guest’ option at SandbanksFerry.co.uk/Pay to pay for your travel as you need it, with no need to set up an account.
If you’d like to set up an account, then simply follow our simple step-by-step User Guide, which is shown above on this website page.
What happens if I forget to pay my toll?
You have until midnight on the day after your crossing to pay your toll, so there’s no need to pay immediately after your journey – you can relax and settle up at a convenient moment, when you get to your destination.
If you have an account, you can opt in to automatic payment at any point by ticking the relevant box in your account settings. If you have opted in to automatic payment, and you make a crossing with no Tokens remaining, your stored payment card will be charged automatically (at the standard single crossing rate, rather than the discounted bulk token rate) at midnight on the day after travel, if you have not added Tokens by then.
If you do not have an account with unused Tokens and/or have not opted into automatic payment, if you don’t pay your toll within the timeframe set out above, the Registered Keeper of the vehicle on the date of travel will receive an Unpaid Toll Notification letter in the post asking for payment to be made within 28 days. This notice will be for the toll amount plus reasonable administration costs, initially set at £24.52.
Have the toll prices changed with the introduction of ANPR? Can I still benefit from a discount when buying multiple crossings in bulk?
Toll prices are unchanged and bulk discounts are still available at the previously published rates. Full pricing is available at SandbanksFerry.co.uk/ferry-tolls .
How do pedestrians and cyclists now pay?
Pedestrians and cyclists are not affected by the change, and continue to pay as usual (cashless payments only). However Motorcycles will pay their tolls through the ANPR system.
Can I add more than one vehicle to my account?
Yes, you can add up to five vehicles (including Motorcycles) to one account.
I need to transfer my paper tickets onto a new account. What do I do?
.The value of any paper tickets you have bought is protected, as you can have them converted into Tokens.
Firstly create a new ANPR account by following the steps at SandbanksFerry.co.uk/Pay, then visit the Ferry Office, bringing your unused paper tickets with you. Our staff will help you with the transition and there is no cost to changing them across.
However, paper tickets (including blue paper tickets) cannot be presented in person as a payment method for vehicle crossings from 1 July 2026, and need to be exchanged before 31 March 2027, after which they will no longer be exchangeable.
As paper tickets carry no expiry date, we are pleased to confirm that unused paper tickets brought into the Ferry Office by 31 March 2027 will be exchanged for evergreen ANPR Tokens on the same basis, with no end date applied.
The Ferry Office is open during our opening hours of 9am to 2pm and is located on the Studland side, on the left hand side as you disembark the ferry from Sandbanks. To avoid having to wait in case we are busy, please ring ahead on 01929 450203 to make an appointment
Do Tokens bought on the new ANPR system expire?
Are there alternative ways to pay?
All vehicle tolls are now paid online.
If you do not have internet access, the Ferry Office team are available to help you purchase ‘Pay As Guest’ Tokens, and to help you with setting up an account to benefit from bulk discount Token purchases.
To access this in-person assistance, please visit the Ferry Office during our opening hours of 9am to 2pm, which is located on the Studland side, on the left hand side as you disembark the ferry from Sandbanks. To avoid having to wait in case we are busy, please phone ahead on 01929 450203 to make an appointment.