Coverage and charge

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was introduced by Transport for London (TfL) in 2019 to reduce air pollution by charging drivers of higher-polluting vehicles a daily fee.

The zone now covers all London boroughs and the City of London; the M25 is excluded. Non-exempt vehicles that do not meet the standard pay £12.50 for each day driven in the zone. ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, except Christmas Day. TfL coverage and hours.

For an address or postcode, use TfL's ULEZ postcode and map search. Our registration check estimates the car's emissions status; it does not check whether your journey enters the zone.

Expansion

2019 · Central London: 8 April 2019. Congestion Charge zone.
2021 · Inner London: 25 October 2021. North and South Circular.
2023 · Greater London: 29 August 2023. All London boroughs; M25 excluded.

Estimate, not official TfL

This page uses public DVLA data (fuel type, Euro standard, registration context) to estimate likely compliance. Always confirm with TfL's official vehicle checker before travelling.

Euro standards

Petrol cars need Euro 4 or better; diesel cars need Euro 6. TfL uses declared emissions, so registration dates are a guide and some older cars qualify. See TfL's ULEZ standards for cars.

Petrol cars

Standard: Euro 4 or better
Typical registration: January 2006 onwards

Diesel cars

Standard: Euro 6
Typical registration: September 2015 onwards

Electric and hybrid

Pure electric and hydrogen: Always compliant
Hybrid / PHEV: Must meet the petrol or diesel Euro standard for the combustion engine

Vans and motorbikes

Diesel vans: Euro 6
Petrol vans: Euro 4
Motorbikes: Euro 3

This tool estimates private-car compliance. For motorcycles, vans, minibuses, heavy vehicles or non-UK registrations, use TfL's vehicle checker, which applies the relevant vehicle-category rules.

£12.50 per chargeable day

If a vehicle is within ULEZ’s charging categories, does not meet the emissions requirement and has no applicable exemption or 100% discount, the daily charge is £12.50. Cars, motorcycles and relevant light vehicles have different standards; heavier vehicles need a separate London LEZ check. A daily ULEZ payment allows chargeable travel for that charging day. A PCN is a penalty for failing to pay correctly.

For this car, use the reported fuel and emissions information as evidence to check with TfL. A registration-date estimate, an MOT pass or a possible historic exemption does not establish that TfL will treat it as charge-free. See London’s exemptions.

Daily payment, repeat visits and midnight

Pay up to 90 days ahead or by midnight on the third day after travel. For a Monday journey, pay by Thursday at midnight. Use TfL’s payment service or arrange Auto Pay for the correct vehicle. Motorwise does not collect charges.

One payment covers repeated driving in the zone on the same calendar day. Days run midnight to midnight, including weekends and bank holidays, except Christmas Day. Driving at 11:50pm on Monday and 12:10am on Tuesday normally costs £25 in total if both days are chargeable. Parking without driving does not create a ULEZ charge for that day.

Pay for the correct registration and travel date. The Congestion Charge, London LEZ and Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge have separate rules; a ULEZ payment does not settle them.

PCNs, discounts and overdue penalties

TfL may issue a £180 PCN if a chargeable journey is not correctly paid by the deadline, including payment for the wrong plate or date. The PCN is £90 if paid within 14 days of service. You normally have 28 days from service to pay or make a representation. Follow the dates on the notice; these are separate from the travel-date payment window.

Separate unpaid charging days can produce separate PCNs, including journeys spanning midnight. London does not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling scale. If you neither pay nor challenge within the applicable 28-day period, TfL can issue a Charge Certificate increasing the penalty to £270. This is an overdue-payment increase.

The Charge Certificate gives 14 days to pay. Further non-payment can lead to debt registration, an Order for Recovery and enforcement-agent fees. The Order for Recovery gives 21 days to respond. Pay the amount requested through the PCN service; a late daily-charge payment does not itself cancel a PCN. Read TfL’s enforcement stages.

Check, challenge or correct TfL’s vehicle record

Start with TfL’s official vehicle check. If you believe it is wrong, follow TfL’s vehicle-registration route from that result and provide the requested V5C, manufacturer’s emissions evidence or Certificate of Conformity. Manufacture, first registration and first UK registration are different facts, especially for imports. A DVLA update does not by itself confirm that TfL’s record has changed.

Already received a PCN? Use TfL’s PCN page to pay, view evidence or challenge with its reference and the vehicle registration. Submit a representation within the notice’s deadline, with payment receipts, emissions or exemption evidence as appropriate. A request to correct vehicle data is not a PCN challenge.

If TfL rejects the representation, the Notice of Rejection explains the independent London Tribunals appeal route and deadline. Follow that notice for any further discount offer; do not assume every challenge preserves the discounted amount.

Sources: daily payments; days and hours; penalty amounts; PCN procedure. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Legal source: TfL’s published 2023 consolidated scheme, article 5(2) on historic exemptions. This informal consolidation is not confirmation that every later variation has been reviewed. Current payment and penalty figures above are checked against TfL’s operator guidance.

Closed to new applications

London's ULEZ scrappage scheme closed to new applications on 8 September 2024. TfL completed final grant payments by the end of July 2025. This scheme is no longer accepting applications.

Read the TfL scheme closure notice. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Common categories

These are London ULEZ categories. Exemptions depend on the qualifying vehicle and TfL’s registration requirements; Scottish historic and disability rules and English CAZ exemptions are separate.

Historic vehicles

London: built before 1 January 1973, or over 40 years old and successfully registered in the historic vehicle tax class. Age alone does not confirm that registration. TfL historic exemptions and scheme article 5(2). Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Military vehicles

Vehicles operated by the Ministry of Defence.

Agricultural and certain machinery

Tractors, mowers, farm machinery, and construction equipment.

Disabled tax class

Vehicles in the disabled or disabled passenger vehicle tax class have a temporary ULEZ grace period until 24 October 2027. A Blue Badge alone does not provide a London ULEZ exemption.

Some wheelchair-accessible vehicles may also qualify, and grace periods may apply. Always verify current exemptions on tfl.gov.uk. This list is not exhaustive and is not a legal determination.

You cannot pay a daily charge to enter.Vehicles must meet the emissions standard or qualify for an exemption.

Shared rules for Scotland’s four LEZs

Emissions standards

Petrol cars and vans: Euro 4 or better
Diesel cars and vans: Euro 6 or better

Operating hours: 24 hours, every dayIncluding Christmas Day

Penalty amounts

First penalty charge: £60Non-compliant, non-exempt entry
Paid within 14 days of service: £30Discounted first penalty
Cars and light goods vehicles: £480 repeat-tier capOverdue surcharges can add more

Check your vehicle’s emissions

Official Scottish checker · UK registrations

Vehicle standards and official checks

Heavy vehicles: Euro VIUsual requirement
Motorcycles and mopeds: Not includedOutside all four schemes
Official checker: UK records onlyDoes not establish every exemption or check foreign registrations
Missing records and imports: Estimate stays uncertainCheck an import’s manufacture and registration evidence separately

Full vehicle guidance and sources

No daily charge can authorise non-compliant entry. In Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, driving a non-exempt vehicle below the required standard on a road inside the LEZ can incur a PCN, even for a short visit. The schemes operate all day, every day, including Christmas Day. The usual requirements are Euro 4 petrol cars/vans, Euro 6 diesel cars/vans and Euro VI heavy vehicles; motorcycles and mopeds are outside these four schemes.

The Scottish vehicle checker checks emissions records for UK vehicles; it does not establish every exemption or check foreign registrations. If your car has no recorded Euro standard, a date-based estimate remains uncertain. Check an import’s manufacture and registration evidence separately.

Scottish Government guidance: vehicle emissions standards and operating hours and boundaries.

Penalty amounts, repeat visits and midnight

Cars and light goods vehicles · full penalty tiers

First£60
Second£120
Third£240
Fourth onwards£480

Early payment: 50% offWithin 14 days of service
Repeat penalties: Same liable person, vehicle and LEZResets after 90 days without a contravention, not from the payment date
Midnight and other cities: One per person, vehicle and LEZCrossing midnight can mean two penalties. Each city has its own sequence.
Heavier vehicles: Up to £960Minibuses, buses, coaches and HGVs from the fifth contravention

These are penalties for prohibited entry. The daily limit does not permit further driving, and overdue surcharges can exceed the repeat-tier cap.

Full penalty rules, examples and sources

Cars and light goods vehicles: £60 → £120 → £240 → £480; later penalties remain £480. Minibuses, buses, coaches and HGVs can reach £960 on the fifth and later contraventions. These are full penalty tiers, not prices for permitted entry. Each penalty is reduced by 50% when paid within 14 days of service: for a car the discounted amounts are £30, £60, £120 and £240.

The repeat scale follows the same liable person, vehicle and individual LEZ. A new contravention 90 days or more after the last qualifying contravention in that vehicle and zone is treated as a first contravention. The clock concerns contraventions, not the date you pay a notice. A first visit to another city has its own sequence.

Only one penalty is payable for the same person and vehicle in the same LEZ on the same day. That limit does not permit further driving. Driving on both sides of midnight can expose you to penalties for two days. Example: a non-exempt Euro 5 diesel car driven in Glasgow on Monday and Tuesday could incur £60 then £120 if these are its first two qualifying contraventions. A visit to Edinburgh is considered separately.

Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, section 6 governs prohibited driving and the same-day limit; regulation 4 and schedule 4 set tiers, reset and discounts.

Paying, challenging and overdue escalation

Within 28 days of service
Pay or make representations to the issuing council.
Include the PCN number, registration and evidence.
If your representation is rejected
The notice must offer another 14 days at 50%.
Or appeal to the tribunal within 28 days.
If the notice becomes overdue
A Charge Certificate adds 50%.
An unpaid £480 penalty can become £720, with further recovery costs possible.

If you have submitted representations, do not pay while awaiting the council’s decision. Follow the instructions and deadlines on your notice.

Full payment, appeal and recovery guidance

A PCN normally goes to the registered keeper, with statutory exceptions such as qualifying vehicle hires. Pay or make representations to the issuing council within 28 days beginning with service of the notice. If representations have been submitted, the regulations say not to pay while awaiting the council’s decision. Include the PCN number, registration and supporting evidence.

If the council rejects your representation, its Notice of Rejection must offer a further 14-day period at 50% of the penalty. You can instead appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland within the 28-day appeal period. Use the instructions in the rejection notice; the national vehicle checker cannot cancel a council PCN.

If the applicable period expires without payment or a live challenge/appeal, a Charge Certificate can add 50% to that penalty tier. For example, an unpaid £480 car penalty can become £720: the £480 repeat-tier cap does not cap overdue surcharges. After 14 days from service of the Charge Certificate, the council may pursue recovery through sheriff officers, with further costs.

Legal detail: regulation 1 (payment and appeal periods), regulation 6 (notice), regulation 7 (recovery), regulation 9 (rejection and renewed discount) and regulation 10 (appeal).

Historic imports, Blue Badges and other exemptions

Historic vehicles: Age alone is not enoughAt least 30 years old, type no longer produced, and kept in its original state without substantial technical changes. DVLA data alone does not prove it.
Blue Badge holders: Driver or passengerRegister the vehicle and travel coverage before travelling
Other national exemptions: Specified vehiclesEmergency, military and showman’s vehicles may qualify
Council approvals: Approved vehicles and datesNo general exemption for residents or private cars

Full exemption conditions and examples

A vehicle of historical interest to the UK must have been manufactured or first registered at least 30 years ago, be of a type no longer produced, and be preserved or maintained in its original state without substantial technical changes to its main components. A car built in 1991 but imported and UK-registered in 2004 meets the age condition in 2026; the other conditions still need to be met. DVLA data alone does not establish them. Regulation 3(1)(h) and 3(2).

A qualifying Blue Badge holder can be the driver or passenger. Register the correct vehicle and travel coverage through the Scottish Blue Badge exemption service before travelling to avoid an unnecessary PCN. This is a different rule from London ULEZ. Check the statutory conditions if relying on disabled-person vehicle tax relief; not every DVLA tax or exemption field establishes entitlement.

National exemptions also cover specified emergency, military and showman’s vehicles. Council time-limited exemptions apply only to approved vehicles and dates; they are not a general exemption for residents or private cars. If an exemption or emissions record is wrong, contact the relevant council with V5C and manufacture/emissions or exemption evidence. If a PCN has already arrived, challenge it separately within its deadline.

Sources: national penalties; national exemptions; SSI 2021/177, provisions linked above. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Council guidance by city

Choose a city for local exemptions, official checks and penalty charge notices (PCNs).

Glasgow LEZ

Local exemptions: Check with the councilBoundary and exemptions. An approval does not automatically apply in another city.
Online PCN service: Working on 7 October 2026Details can take up to 24 hours to appear after a notice is issued

Full Glasgow guidance and sources

Entry restriction; no prepayment. First PCN £60, or £30 within 14 days. The Scottish penalty scale, 28-day response period, midnight rule and exemptions above apply in Glasgow. Repeat contraventions are counted for this LEZ separately.

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Use Glasgow’s LEZ service for the city’s boundary, local exemptions and PCN payment or representations. A Glasgow decision or exemption must be read for its own scope; it does not automatically establish eligibility in another city. Glasgow City Council can grant exemptions of up to one year to vehicles that do not meet the standard. Who can apply, and on what conditions, is for the council to say, so ask it before relying on one. This summary draws on the council’s published summary of its LEZ rules, as quoted by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, read on 7 October 2026.

Check the vehicle’s emissions record; pay or challenge a Glasgow PCN; Glasgow scheme and exemption guidance. There is no option to buy permission to enter in a non-compliant vehicle. Glasgow’s online page for paying a notice and viewing its details was working on 7 October 2026. The council says it can take up to 24 hours from the time a notice is issued before it appears there. If yours is not there yet, try again the next day, and keep to the deadline on your notice.

A pending record correction does not decide a PCN. Use the council’s formal challenge route and retain your evidence and acknowledgement. After a rejection, follow the Scottish tribunal appeal process.

Sources: Glasgow Council; national rules; statutory penalty scale. Reviewed 20 September 2026; council summary read and PCN service checked 7 October 2026.

Edinburgh LEZ

Personal vehicles: No general exemption
Disputed emissions record: V5C, Certificate of Conformity or manufacturer’s letterEdinburgh PCNs begin EZ

Full Edinburgh guidance and sources

Entry restriction; no prepayment. First PCN £60, or £30 within 14 days. The Scottish penalty scale, 28-day response period, midnight rule and exemptions above apply in Edinburgh. Repeat contraventions are counted for this LEZ separately.

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Edinburgh has no general local exemption for personal vehicles. Exceptional time-limited applications include specified specialist HGVs; taxi retrofit-delay applications closed on 12 September 2024. Edinburgh PCNs begin EZ. Its council guidance specifically asks for a V5C, Certificate of Conformity or manufacturer’s letter if a PCN was issued to a vehicle you believe meets the standard; the council can raise the record issue with DVLA. You can view camera photographs before deciding whether to pay or challenge.

Check the vehicle’s emissions record; pay or challenge an Edinburgh PCN; Edinburgh scheme and exemption guidance. There is no option to buy permission to enter in a non-compliant vehicle.

A pending record correction does not decide a PCN. Use the council’s formal challenge route and retain your evidence and acknowledgement. After a rejection, follow the Scottish tribunal appeal process.

Sources: Edinburgh Council; national rules; statutory penalty scale. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Dundee LEZ

Time-limited exemptions: Not for private carsNo more than a year, then a fresh application

Full Dundee guidance and sources

Entry restriction; no prepayment. First PCN £60, or £30 within 14 days. The Scottish penalty scale, 28-day response period, midnight rule and exemptions above apply in Dundee. Repeat contraventions are counted for this LEZ separately.

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Dundee’s scheme page links to its PCN payment/appeal portal and time-limited exemption application. Local time-limited exemptions last no more than a year, require a fresh application to renew and are not available for private cars. National historic and Blue Badge exemptions use their own conditions.

Check the vehicle’s emissions record; pay or challenge a Dundee PCN; Dundee scheme and exemption guidance. There is no option to buy permission to enter in a non-compliant vehicle. The council’s “Pay or Appeal LEZ PCN” service was working on 7 October 2026; it cannot accept American Express or JCB cards, and parking penalty notices use a different portal.

A pending record correction does not decide a PCN. Use the council’s formal challenge route and retain your evidence and acknowledgement. After a rejection, follow the Scottish tribunal appeal process.

Sources: Dundee Council; national rules; statutory penalty scale. Reviewed 20 September 2026; council guidance reviewed and PCN service checked 7 October 2026.

Aberdeen LEZ

Council exemptions: Expired; none named for private carsOne-year exemptions from 1 June 2024; renewals are not stated
Online PCN service: Working on 6 October 2026Details can take up to 24 hours to appear after a notice is issued

Full Aberdeen guidance and sources

Entry restriction; no prepayment. First PCN £60, or £30 within 14 days. The Scottish penalty scale, 28-day response period, midnight rule and exemptions above apply in Aberdeen. Repeat contraventions are counted for this LEZ separately.

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Use Aberdeen’s LEZ service and the payment or representation instructions on an Aberdeen PCN. Request confirmation from the council for a disputed vehicle or exemption record; include evidence of manufacture as well as UK registration for an older import. Aberdeen granted one-year exemptions from 1 June 2024 to taxis and private hire cars, and to vehicles of seven organisations that needed access for health and safety or ran specialist vehicles. The council’s 2024/25 report names no exemption for private cars or residents and does not say whether any were renewed, so ask the council whether one still applies. Its 2024/25 annual report says that once a Charge Certificate has been issued the right to appeal to the council is lost, and that unpaid notices go to a Sheriff Officer for recovery. Follow the deadlines on your actual notice.

Check the vehicle’s emissions record; pay or challenge an Aberdeen PCN; Aberdeen scheme and exemption guidance. There is no option to buy permission to enter in a non-compliant vehicle. Aberdeen’s online service for paying or challenging a notice was working on 6 October 2026. The council says it can take up to 24 hours from the time a notice is issued before its details appear there. If yours is not there yet, try again the next day, and keep to the deadline on your notice.

A pending record correction does not decide a PCN. Use the council’s formal challenge route and retain your evidence and acknowledgement. After a rejection, follow the Scottish tribunal appeal process.

Sources: Aberdeen Council; national rules; statutory penalty scale. Reviewed 20 September 2026; council annual report read 7 October 2026 and PCN service checked 6 October 2026.

Read the rules for your destination

The seven English charging CAZs below have their own vehicle categories and exemptions. A vehicle outside a zone’s charging categories does not need to prove emissions compliance to avoid that charge. A privately used van is still a van; a licensed taxi may still be chargeable on a personal trip. This checker estimates private-car outcomes and cannot establish every category, use or exemption.

For chargeable vehicles, the usual minimum is Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel for cars and light vehicles, and Euro VI for heavy vehicles. Local taxi rules can differ. Check the actual vehicle on GOV.UK’s CAZ service; a London or Scottish result does not transfer an exemption to an English CAZ.

National exemptions and incorrect vehicle records

National exemptions include qualifying historic, disabled/disabled-passenger tax-class, military, agricultural, ultra-low-emission and accredited retrofitted vehicles. A Blue Badge alone is not the same as a disabled vehicle tax class. England’s historic exemption is separate from Scotland’s 30-year historic-interest conditions. Read the national exemptions and check the city’s local conditions below.

If GOV.UK shows incorrect vehicle information, use Clean Air Zone support with your registration and evidence such as the V5C and manufacturer’s emissions documents. If the underlying logbook is wrong, use DVLA’s vehicle-details correction process. Local exemption records are managed by the council, not by Motorwise.

A correction request does not automatically cancel a PCN or pause its deadline. Challenge each notice through the issuing council and include the record evidence. The GOV.UK checker cannot check non-UK registrations; contact the relevant operator before travelling.

How English CAZ penalty procedures work

Under regulation 6, the registered keeper normally pays road-user charges and penalties; qualifying hire and ownership cases have different liability rules. The daily charge and PCN are separate sums. The city sections show whether the council also collects the unpaid daily charge with the PCN. A payment at the discounted rate reduces the penalty only. Use the notice’s payment route once a PCN has been issued.

PCNs normally allow 28 days beginning with service to pay or make representations. If rejected, the Notice of Rejection explains the Traffic Penalty Tribunal appeal and its 28-day period. Check whether the council reoffers a discount; do not assume that appealing preserves it. Paying a PCN normally closes the case.

If the relevant payment/challenge period expires, a Charge Certificate can raise the £120 penalty by 50% to £180. After a further 14 days, debt registration and an Order for Recovery can follow. The recovery notice gives the deadline and limited grounds for a witness statement; further non-payment can lead to enforcement-agent costs. Court-registration fees are not fixed in this guide because the operator pages reviewed quote differing amounts.

Legal basis: SI 2013/1783, regulation 7 (PCN), regulation 8 (representations), regulation 11 (appeal) and regulations 17–18 (Charge Certificate and recovery). These provisions apply to the English CAZ procedures here; they are not the Scottish or London rules.

Sources: Defra guidance; English penalty procedure legislation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Bath CAZ

Class C. Daily charges for non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles: £9 for taxis/private hire, vans and minibuses; £100 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Private cars and motorcycles are not charged. Check motorhomes and converted vehicles by their recorded category: an M1 vehicle is treated differently from a larger vehicle taxed as a private HGV.

Visits, payment deadlines and penalties

This CAZ operates 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day. One daily payment covers repeat visits in the same zone on the same calendar day. Driving before and after midnight normally requires two daily payments; it is not a rolling 24-hour ticket.

Pay on GOV.UK up to six days before travel, on the day, or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel. For travel on Monday, the deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm. Check the plate, zone and travel date; do not wait for a reminder.

If a required daily charge is not paid correctly by the deadline, a £120 PCN can follow, reduced to £60 within 14 days of service, plus the unpaid daily charge. For example, a chargeable £9 van would owe £69 at the discounted stage. This is a worked example assuming no exemption, not a verdict for the vehicle you checked.

Pay or make representations within the PCN’s 28-day response period. Further unpaid travel days can each produce a PCN; these zones do not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling tiers. If the relevant period expires without payment or a live challenge, a Charge Certificate can increase the penalty to £180 plus the unpaid daily charge. See the English recovery and appeal stages.

Exemptions, official checks and resolving a PCN

Bath uses MiPermit for approved local exemptions and discounts. Where required, log each exempt journey or pay the discounted charge there within the normal payment window; GOV.UK does not apply those local concessions. Approval must precede travel. Qualifying non-commercial PHGV motorhomes and horse transporters can apply for a £9 daily rate instead of £100, with annual renewal. Several specialist-vehicle exemptions ended on 14 March 2025, so an old approval or web article is not evidence of current cover. Read the local exemption conditions.

Check the vehicle or pay the daily charge; pay or challenge a Bath PCN. The council PCN service needs the notice reference and registration. Use its challenge instructions and submit receipts, exemption approvals or vehicle evidence relevant to that notice.

For an incorrect emissions/category record, contact national CAZ support; ask the council about local exemption records. Submit a separate PCN representation before the deadline if already fined. A rejected representation can be appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as directed by the Notice of Rejection.

Sources: local vehicle charges; PCNs and next steps; local exemptions; statutory overdue escalation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Birmingham CAZ

Class D. Daily charges for non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles: £8 for cars, taxis/private hire, vans and minibuses; £50 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Non-compliant private cars are chargeable unless exempt. Motorcycles and mopeds are not charged. A Euro 5 diesel car can therefore owe £8 here even though private cars are outside Bath’s charging categories.

Visits, payment deadlines and penalties

This CAZ operates 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day. One daily payment covers repeat visits in the same zone on the same calendar day. Driving before and after midnight normally requires two daily payments; it is not a rolling 24-hour ticket.

Pay on GOV.UK up to six days before travel, on the day, or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel. For travel on Monday, the deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm. Check the plate, zone and travel date; do not wait for a reminder.

If a required daily charge is not paid correctly by the deadline, a £120 PCN can follow, reduced to £60 within 14 days of service, for the penalty itself. The reviewed Birmingham guidance does not establish whether an additional daily charge is collected with that PCN, so no combined total is assumed here. Follow the amount on the actual notice.

Pay or make representations within the PCN’s 28-day response period. Further unpaid travel days can each produce a PCN; these zones do not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling tiers. If the relevant period expires without payment or a live challenge, a Charge Certificate can increase the penalty to £180 for the penalty itself. See the English recovery and appeal stages.

Exemptions, official checks and resolving a PCN

Check Birmingham’s current local exemption categories and approval conditions, including eligible community/specialist vehicles and qualifying medical visits. Living or working in the zone does not establish an ongoing exemption: introductory concessions had expiry dates. Do not assume a Blue Badge or an exemption granted by another council removes this charge. Read the local exemption conditions.

Check the vehicle or pay the daily charge; pay or challenge a Birmingham PCN. The council PCN service needs the notice reference and registration. Use its challenge instructions and submit receipts, exemption approvals or vehicle evidence relevant to that notice.

For an incorrect emissions/category record, contact national CAZ support; ask the council about local exemption records. Submit a separate PCN representation before the deadline if already fined. A rejected representation can be appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as directed by the Notice of Rejection.

Sources: local vehicle charges; PCNs and next steps; local exemptions; statutory overdue escalation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Bradford CAZ

Class C. Daily charges for non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles: £7 for taxis/private hire; £9 for vans and minibuses; £50 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Private passenger cars and motorcycles are not charged. Taxis and private hire have additional local emissions conditions: use Bradford’s vehicle guidance and the official check, even if a generic Euro-standard comparison looks favourable.

Visits, payment deadlines and penalties

This CAZ operates 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day. One daily payment covers repeat visits in the same zone on the same calendar day. Driving before and after midnight normally requires two daily payments; it is not a rolling 24-hour ticket.

Pay on GOV.UK up to six days before travel, on the day, or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel. For travel on Monday, the deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm. Check the plate, zone and travel date; do not wait for a reminder.

If a required daily charge is not paid correctly by the deadline, a £120 PCN can follow, reduced to £60 within 14 days of service, plus the unpaid daily charge. For example, a chargeable £9 van would owe £69 at the discounted stage. This is a worked example assuming no exemption, not a verdict for the vehicle you checked.

Pay or make representations within the PCN’s 28-day response period. Further unpaid travel days can each produce a PCN; these zones do not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling tiers. If the relevant period expires without payment or a live challenge, a Charge Certificate can increase the penalty to £180 plus the unpaid daily charge. See the English recovery and appeal stages.

Exemptions, official checks and resolving a PCN

Bradford offers specified resident/business and specialist-vehicle exemptions, with ownership and registration conditions. Its guidance says the relevant local applications require ownership before 26 September 2022. Exemptions cannot be backdated or transferred to a new vehicle/keeper; a new approval takes effect the next day. A plate change needs DVLA proof and an updated V5C. Private passenger cars need no local exemption application. Read the local exemption conditions.

Check the vehicle or pay the daily charge; pay or challenge a Bradford PCN. The council PCN service needs the notice reference and registration. Use its challenge instructions and submit receipts, exemption approvals or vehicle evidence relevant to that notice.

For an incorrect emissions/category record, contact national CAZ support; ask the council about local exemption records. Submit a separate PCN representation before the deadline if already fined. A rejected representation can be appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as directed by the Notice of Rejection.

Sources: local vehicle charges; PCNs and next steps; local exemptions; statutory overdue escalation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Bristol CAZ

Class D. Daily charges for non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles: £9 for cars, taxis/private hire, vans and minibuses; £100 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Non-compliant private cars are chargeable unless exempt. Motorcycles are not charged. A Euro 5 diesel car that is chargeable here normally pays £9 for each calendar day driven in the zone.

Visits, payment deadlines and penalties

This CAZ operates 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day. One daily payment covers repeat visits in the same zone on the same calendar day. Driving before and after midnight normally requires two daily payments; it is not a rolling 24-hour ticket.

Pay on GOV.UK up to six days before travel, on the day, or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel. For travel on Monday, the deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm. Check the plate, zone and travel date; do not wait for a reminder.

If a required daily charge is not paid correctly by the deadline, a £120 PCN can follow, reduced to £60 within 14 days of service, plus the unpaid daily charge. For example, a chargeable £9 car would owe £69 at the discounted stage. This is a worked example assuming no exemption, not a verdict for the vehicle you checked.

Pay or make representations within the PCN’s 28-day response period. Further unpaid travel days can each produce a PCN; these zones do not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling tiers. If the relevant period expires without payment or a live challenge, a Charge Certificate can increase the penalty to £180 plus the unpaid daily charge. See the English recovery and appeal stages.

Exemptions, official checks and resolving a PCN

Check Bristol’s live exemption list and the conditions for a particular vehicle or hospital visit. Hospital-related concessions must be arranged through the qualifying provider and do not cover every medical journey. Do not rely on historic introductory resident, worker or Blue Badge concessions without checking their end dates and current eligibility. Read the local exemption conditions.

Check the vehicle or pay the daily charge; pay or challenge a Bristol PCN. The council PCN service needs the notice reference and registration. Use its challenge instructions and submit receipts, exemption approvals or vehicle evidence relevant to that notice.

For an incorrect emissions/category record, contact national CAZ support; ask the council about local exemption records. Submit a separate PCN representation before the deadline if already fined. A rejected representation can be appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as directed by the Notice of Rejection.

Sources: local vehicle charges; PCNs and next steps; local exemptions; statutory overdue escalation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Portsmouth CAZ

Class B. Daily charges for non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles: £10 for taxis/private hire; £50 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Private cars, motorcycles and vans are not charged. Some large motorhomes are classified as HGVs and may be chargeable; private recreational use alone does not remove that classification.

Visits, payment deadlines and penalties

This CAZ operates 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day. One daily payment covers repeat visits in the same zone on the same calendar day. Driving before and after midnight normally requires two daily payments; it is not a rolling 24-hour ticket.

Pay on GOV.UK up to six days before travel, on the day, or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel. For travel on Monday, the deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm. Check the plate, zone and travel date; do not wait for a reminder.

If a required daily charge is not paid correctly by the deadline, a £120 PCN can follow, reduced to £60 within 14 days of service, plus the unpaid daily charge. For example, a chargeable £10 taxi would owe £70 at the discounted stage. This is a worked example assuming no exemption, not a verdict for the vehicle you checked.

Pay or make representations within the PCN’s 28-day response period. Further unpaid travel days can each produce a PCN; these zones do not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling tiers. If the relevant period expires without payment or a live challenge, a Charge Certificate can increase the penalty to £180 plus the unpaid daily charge. See the English recovery and appeal stages.

Exemptions, official checks and resolving a PCN

Local exemptions start only after confirmation. Qualifying non-commercial vintage buses and HGV horse transporters can receive up to 10 exempt days per year, with travel dates notified before travel. Specialist heavy-vehicle approvals can require annual renewal. The wheelchair-accessible taxi and school/community transport sunset periods have ended. Different evidence and deadlines apply to emergency rail replacement services. Read the local exemption conditions.

Check the vehicle or pay the daily charge; pay or challenge a Portsmouth PCN. The council PCN service needs the notice reference and registration. Use its challenge instructions and submit receipts, exemption approvals or vehicle evidence relevant to that notice.

For an incorrect emissions/category record, contact national CAZ support; ask the council about local exemption records. Submit a separate PCN representation before the deadline if already fined. A rejected representation can be appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as directed by the Notice of Rejection.

Sources: local vehicle charges; PCNs and next steps; local exemptions; statutory overdue escalation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Sheffield CAZ

Class C. Daily charges for non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles: £10 for taxis/private hire, vans and minibuses; £50 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Private cars and motorcycles are not charged. Some larger motorhomes, campervans and other specialist vehicles may be chargeable according to their category and weight; check the vehicle rather than assuming private use removes the charge.

Visits, payment deadlines and penalties

This CAZ operates 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day. One daily payment covers repeat visits in the same zone on the same calendar day. Driving before and after midnight normally requires two daily payments; it is not a rolling 24-hour ticket.

Pay standard daily charges on GOV.UK up to six days before travel, on the day, or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel. For travel on Monday, the deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm. Check the plate, zone and travel date; do not wait for a reminder. The approved motorhome discount must instead be paid through the council’s permits portal by 11:59pm on the travel day; see the exemption conditions below.

If a required daily charge is not paid correctly by the deadline, a £120 PCN can follow, reduced to £60 within 14 days of service, plus the unpaid daily charge. For example, a chargeable £10 van would owe £70 at the discounted stage. This is a worked example assuming no exemption, not a verdict for the vehicle you checked.

Pay or make representations within the PCN’s 28-day response period. Further unpaid travel days can each produce a PCN; these zones do not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling tiers. If the relevant period expires without payment or a live challenge, a Charge Certificate can increase the penalty to £180 plus the unpaid daily charge. See the English recovery and appeal stages.

Exemptions, official checks and resolving a PCN

Sheffield’s motorhome discount has an earlier deadline. Approved larger motorhomes can pay £10 instead of £50, but each trip must be paid through the council’s permits portal in advance or by 11:59pm on the travel day; the six-day retrospective window does not apply to that discounted payment. Qualifying educational school trips need a separate exemption for each day, with at least three working days for processing. Secure approval before travel. Read the local exemption conditions.

Check the vehicle or pay the daily charge; pay or challenge a Sheffield PCN. The council PCN service needs the notice reference and registration. Use its challenge instructions and submit receipts, exemption approvals or vehicle evidence relevant to that notice.

For an incorrect emissions/category record, contact national CAZ support; ask the council about local exemption records. Submit a separate PCN representation before the deadline if already fined. A rejected representation can be appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as directed by the Notice of Rejection.

Sources: local vehicle charges; PCNs and next steps; local exemptions; statutory overdue escalation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) CAZ

Class C. Daily charges for non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles: £12.50 for taxis/private hire, vans and light goods vehicles; £50 for buses, coaches and HGVs.

Private cars are not charged. Use the official checker for minibuses or unusual vehicle categories. A registered taxi/private-hire vehicle can be charged even on a domestic trip with no paying passengers.

Visits, payment deadlines and penalties

This CAZ operates 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day. One daily payment covers repeat visits in the same zone on the same calendar day. Driving before and after midnight normally requires two daily payments; it is not a rolling 24-hour ticket.

Pay on GOV.UK up to six days before travel, on the day, or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel. For travel on Monday, the deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm. Check the plate, zone and travel date; do not wait for a reminder.

If a required daily charge is not paid correctly by the deadline, a £120 PCN can follow, reduced to £60 within 14 days of service, plus the unpaid daily charge. For example, a chargeable £12.50 van would owe £72.50 at the discounted stage. This is a worked example assuming no exemption, not a verdict for the vehicle you checked.

Pay or make representations within the PCN’s 28-day response period. Further unpaid travel days can each produce a PCN; these zones do not use Scotland’s repeat-offence doubling tiers. If the relevant period expires without payment or a live challenge, a Charge Certificate can increase the penalty to £180 plus the unpaid daily charge. See the English recovery and appeal stages.

Exemptions, official checks and resolving a PCN

Eligible taxis/private-hire vehicles licensed by Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside can apply for a £50 permit covering seven consecutive days. This is not a general weekly pass for vans or visitors. Local exemptions include approved motor caravans and specified specialist vehicles. An exemption while awaiting replacement or retrofit ends when it is supplied/completed or one year after the order, whichever comes first. Read the local exemption conditions.

Check the vehicle or pay the daily charge; pay or challenge a Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) PCN. The council PCN service needs the notice reference and registration. Use its challenge instructions and submit receipts, exemption approvals or vehicle evidence relevant to that notice.

For an incorrect emissions/category record, contact national CAZ support; ask the council about local exemption records. Submit a separate PCN representation before the deadline if already fined. A rejected representation can be appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as directed by the Notice of Rejection.

Sources: local vehicle charges; PCNs and next steps; local exemptions; statutory overdue escalation. Reviewed 20 September 2026.

What is confirmed, and what remains uncertain

The figures and procedures above describe the published scheme rules reviewed on 20 September 2026. Worked examples assume a correctly classified, non-compliant vehicle with no exemption. They are not personal charge determinations.

Operator guidance and the linked national legislation were reviewed for these topics. A complete current consolidation of every local charging order and variation has not been established; unconfirmed local eligibility must be checked with the operator. Published court-registration fees conflict, so follow the amount on the actual recovery notice.

The compliance engine still has unresolved gaps in vehicle category/use, date estimates, fuel identification and exemption evidence. This content update is not a full legal verification of the engine.

Oxford ZEZ pilot

Operational pilot. Nine central streets around Cornmarket, Bonn Square and New Inn Hall Street. The proposed wider zone is not included.

Hours: 07:00–19:00 every day, including Christmas Day.

Zero-emission cars have no daily charge. Other cars pay by emissions band, before any approved discount or exemption. Hybrids are not zero-emission vehicles.

Zero-emission private car: £0/day
Other private car emitting less than 75 g/km CO₂: £2/day
Other private car meeting Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel: £4/day
Private car outside those bands: £10/day

Affected vehicles: Cars, motorcycles, taxis/private hire, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches, HGVs.

Pay up to six days before travel, on the day, or within the following six days. One daily payment covers repeat trips in the pilot during that charging day.

Discounts and exemptions have separate eligibility and application conditions. Confirm your band and any discount with Oxfordshire County Council.

This private-car estimate needs recorded emissions evidence. Missing or conflicting data leaves the band unknown. Historic vehicle tax eligibility needs separate confirmation with Oxfordshire; London exemptions and Scotland’s 30-year historic conditions do not establish it.

Location marker — boundary unavailable. Use the official map to check individual roads.

Scheme information · Official map · Vehicle check and payment · Rules source · Discounts and exemptions · Historic conditions in the charging order · Penalty guidance.

Rules reviewed 2026-09-20.

London LEZ

Active scheme. Shares the London ULEZ area: all London boroughs and the City of London; the M25 is excluded. This is a separate scheme with different vehicle categories.

Hours: 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas Day.

Private cars are outside London LEZ charging categories. The separate London ULEZ may still apply.

Affected vehicles: Certain diesel vans and specialist vehicles over 1.205 tonnes unladen, up to 3.5 tonnes gross, Diesel minibuses up to 5 tonnes gross, Diesel HGVs and specialist vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross, Diesel buses and coaches over 5 tonnes gross.

Affected smaller diesel vehicles need Euro 3 for particulate matter; heavy vehicles need Euro VI for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Motor caravans and other specialist vehicles have specific weight/category rules. Use TfL’s checker; this tool does not determine commercial LEZ compliance.

Shares one illustrative outline with London ULEZ. See the separate ULEZ charges and penalties.

Scheme information · Official map · Vehicle check and payment · Rules source · Vehicle category guidance.

Rules reviewed 2026-09-20.

How do I check if my vehicle is ULEZ compliant?

Enter your UK car registration for a free estimate using DVLA fuel type, Euro standard where available, and registration date. The Euro standard may be estimated when missing. Confirm whether you need to pay using TfL's official vehicle checker before you drive.

What is London's ULEZ?

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is a charging scheme to cut air pollution. It covers all London boroughs and the City of London; the M25 is excluded. Non-exempt vehicles that do not meet the standard pay £12.50 for each day they are driven in the zone. It operates 24 hours a day, except Christmas Day.

What Euro standard do I need?

Petrol cars and light vans need Euro 4 or better; diesel cars and light vans need Euro 6. Motorcycles need Euro 3. Registration dates are only a guide: standards and introduction dates differ by vehicle category. Pure electric vehicles meet ULEZ emissions requirements. Hybrids must meet the standard for their combustion engine.

How much is the daily charge?

Where payable, the ULEZ charge is £12.50 a day for cars, motorcycles, light vans and specialist vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, and minibuses up to 5 tonnes. Heavier vehicles come under separate London LEZ rules. ULEZ operates every day except Christmas Day. Payment can be made up to 90 days in advance or by midnight on the third day after travel via tfl.gov.uk. For example, travel on Monday must be paid by midnight on Thursday. TfL payment guidance (reviewed 20 September 2026).

What if I don't pay?

If you don't pay by midnight on the third day after travelling, you can receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. ULEZ is enforced by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras across the zone. TfL penalties.

Does Greater Manchester have a charging Clean Air Zone?

No. Greater Manchester has an approved investment-led Clean Air Plan without a charging Clean Air Zone. See the official Clean Air GM plan for details.

Are there exemptions?

Yes. Historic vehicles and some specialist vehicles can qualify. Some disability-related categories have temporary grace periods; a Blue Badge alone does not provide a ULEZ exemption. Age alone does not establish historic tax-class registration. Check TfL's current discounts and exemptions for eligibility and registration requirements.

Motorwise uses your registration to request DVLA vehicle details. For private cars, we compare fuel type and the reported Euro standard with ULEZ emissions thresholds. If a Euro standard is missing, the tool may estimate it from registration dates; the result labels that standard as estimated.

Registration dates cannot prove emissions compliance, and DVLA data does not establish every exemption or reflect every update in TfL's records. Imports, historic vehicles and missing records can leave the result uncertain. Use TfL's official checker to confirm your charge before travelling. For a disputed record, follow TfL's guidance on registering your vehicle.

The UK comparison uses private-car rules for the zones listed. It is not a complete check of every UK scheme or of taxi, van and heavy-vehicle charges. The cost planner prices visits and annual use where a private car is charged (London ULEZ, Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford), applying the vehicle outcome and charging calendar to your driving dates. For other schemes it shows whether entry is charged or restricted. Recurring annual results are frequency estimates, excluding date-specific adjustments. Confirm charges or entry restrictions with the operator.

Guide sources: car emissions standards, zone coverage, payment rules and exemptions. London guide checked against these TfL sources on 20 September 2026.

Found an error? Contact Motorwise with the section and the official source so we can review it.

Check the full MOT history

Beyond ULEZ compliance, check MOT history, mileage trends, and outstanding recalls with our free vehicle check.

Check a vehicle

ULEZ, LEZ & CAZ Checker

What it takes to enter

London

England

Scotland

Not available

Your zone results

Vehicle categories and exemptions

Scottish historic exemption conditions

How will you use the zone?

Map sources and licencesTfL, local councils and map contributors

Scheme directory and official maps14 schemes · Browse by area

London

English clean air zones

Scotland

Oxford

Coverage and charge

Expansion

Euro standards

Petrol cars

Diesel cars

Electric and hybrid

Vans and motorbikes

£12.50 per chargeable day

Closed to new applications

Common categories

Historic vehicles

Military vehicles

Agricultural and certain machinery

Disabled tax class

Shared rules for Scotland’s four LEZs

Emissions standards

Penalty amounts

Council guidance by city

Glasgow LEZ

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Edinburgh LEZ

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Dundee LEZ

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Aberdeen LEZ

Official checks, exemptions and PCNs

Read the rules for your destination

Bath CAZ

Birmingham CAZ

Bradford CAZ

Bristol CAZ

Portsmouth CAZ

Sheffield CAZ

Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) CAZ

What is confirmed, and what remains uncertain

Oxford ZEZ pilot

London LEZ