What is ULEZ?

Key takeaways

• The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) applies to London and aims to improve air quality by discouraging the use of older, more polluting vehicles

• Unlike the congestion charge, ULEZ operates 24/7, except on Christmas Day, and applies to cars, vans, and motorcycles

• If your vehicle doesn’t meet ULEZ emissions standards and isn’t exempt, you’ll need to pay a £12.50 daily charge

What is the London ULEZ?

The ULEZ stands for the Ultra Low Emission Zone. It is designed to improve air quality in London by discouraging the use of older, more polluting vehicles.

Cars, vans, motorcycles and minibuses which don’t meet the ULEZ emissions standards have to pay a daily charge to drive within the zone.

The ULEZ was introduced by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in 2019 in central London and has since been expanded twice:

• On 25 October 2021 from central London up to the North and South Circular Roads

• On 29 August 2023 the ULEZ expanded to cover all London boroughs, and almost all of Greater London

Other cities in England have similar Clean Air Zones (CAZs), charging non-compliant vehicles to drive in designated areas, while Oxford has a Zero Emission Zone (ZEV) pilot, and Scotland has Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

When does the ULEZ operate?

Unlike the London Congestion Charge, London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone operates 24 hours a day, 364 days a year. The only exception is Christmas Day, 25 December.

Which vehicles meet the ULEZ emissions standards?

To avoid paying the daily charge:

• Your petrol car needs to be Euro 4 or later (generally those first registered as new with the DVLA after 2005)

• Your diesel car needs to be Euro 6 (generally those first registered with the DVLA as new after September 2015)

• Your petrol van needs to be Euro 4 (all new petrol vans registered with the DVLA from January 2006)

• Your diesel van needs to be Euro 6 (all new diesel vans sold from September 2016)

• Your motorcycle needs to be Euro 3 (generally those registered with the DVLA after July 2007)

Do I need to pay the ULEZ charge?

You can check if you need to pay the charge by putting your vehicle registration number (number plate) into the vehicle checker on the Transport for London website.

The Mayor of London's scrappage scheme for London residents, businesses and charities to scrap, donate or retrofit vehicles that don’t meet the ULEZ emissions standards closed in September 2024.

How much is the ULEZ charge?

The ULEZ charge for cars, vans, motorcycles, and specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) is £12.50 per day.

Not all vehicles need to pay the ULEZ charge if they want to drive in London; only non-ULEZ compliant vehicles are subject to the charge.  

How do I pay the ULEZ charge?

You can pay the ULEZ charge by midnight on the third day following your journey into the zone or up to 90 days in advance.  

There are several payment methods:

• You can set up Auto Pay on the TFL website where you will automatically get charged every month for any Congestion Charges, ULEZ and/or LEZ charges you may owe.  

• You can pay online through TfL’s official payment portal

• You can use the TfL 'Pay to Drive' in London app

• You can phone 0343 222 2222 (call charges may apply)

Will I be fined if I don’t pay the ULEZ charge?  

Yes. If you do not pay the ULEZ charge by midnight on the third day following your journey you will be issued a fine (known as a penalty charge notice or PCN) of £180.

If you pay it within 14 days, the fine will be reduced to £90. But if you don't pay the fine within 28 days, it will increase to £270.

If you believe you have been incorrectly charged, you can challenge your penalty charge notice on the Transport for London (TfL) website.

Are any vehicles exempt from paying the ULEZ charge?  

Yes, there are exemptions, even if your vehicle is non-ULEZ compliant:

• Classic cars (over 40 years old and registered with the DVLA for a historic vehicle tax class or built before 1 January 1973)

• London-licensed taxis

• Delivery vehicles with a special permit

• Specialist agricultural vehicles

• Military vehicles

• Non-road going vehicles which are allowed to drive on the highway (for example, excavators)

• Certain types of mobile cranes

There are also grace periods for:

• 'Disabled' and 'Disabled Passenger Vehicle' Tax Class

• Wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV)

• People with disabled benefits

• Wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles (PHVs)

• Minibuses used for community transport

📣 Did you know? Harmful roadside NO2 concentrations are estimated to be 54% lower in central London than they would have been without the ULEZ and its expansions, according to the London-wide Ultra Low Emission Zone One Year Report, which details the impact the ULEZ has had on air pollution.

What is a Clean Air Zone (CAZ)? 

A Clean Air Zone is an initiative to improve air quality in the UK. The seven cities in England that have clean air zones are:

• Bath

• Birmingham

• Bradford

• Bristol

• Portsmouth

• Sheffield

• Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead)

These zones operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.  

You must pay a charge by 11:59pm on the sixth day after driving in a clean air zone and you can pre-pay for the zone charge up to 6 days before you travel.  

You can check if you need to pay the charge on GOV.UK before driving in a clean air zone. Clean Air Zones are different to the ULEZ; there is a separate method to check if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant.