ULEZ explained: which cars are compliant and what it costs

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is designed to cut air pollution in London by charging drivers of older, more polluting vehicles. Since August 2023 it has covered every London borough, so it affects millions of drivers, not just those heading into the centre. Whether you pay comes down to one thing: your vehicle's Euro emission standard.

How the ULEZ works

• Where: all London boroughs, up to the boundary of Greater London.
• When: 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day.
• Who pays: drivers of vehicles that don't meet the emission standards, for each day they drive in the zone.
• How it's enforced: cameras read number plates across the zone and check them against TfL's records.

A "day" runs from midnight to midnight. If you drive in at 11pm and out at 1am, that's two charging days.

The emission standards

Compliance depends on the European emission standard your vehicle was built to, known as its Euro standard.

Hybrids are judged on their combustion engine. A petrol hybrid needs Euro 4 and a diesel hybrid needs Euro 6.

The dates are guidelines. They show when each standard became mandatory for new vehicles, but many manufacturers met it earlier. That's why a 2004 petrol car can be compliant and a 2015 diesel registered in the spring might not be.

What it costs

If your vehicle doesn't comply, you pay a daily charge of £12.50 for cars, motorcycles and vans up to 3.5 tonnes.

If you don't pay in time, TfL issues a penalty charge notice of £180, reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days.

The cost adds up quickly for regular drivers:

Multiply the number of days by the daily charge to see your yearly cost. For someone commuting five days a week, the charge can easily cost more than the car is worth.

How to check your car

1. Check by registration. Our free ULEZ check uses the DVLA's Euro status where it's held, and estimates from fuel type and age where it isn't, clearly labelled as an estimate.
2. Don't have the reg? Use the ULEZ calculator with the fuel type and year or Euro standard.
3. Confirm with TfL. TfL makes the final decision, so use its own vehicle checker before relying on any result, especially an estimate.

Finding your Euro standard

If you need to confirm the standard yourself:

• The V5C logbook sometimes lists it in the vehicle details.
• The certificate of conformity from the manufacturer states it.
• The manufacturer or a main dealer can confirm it from the VIN.
• TfL's checker uses its own data and gives the definitive answer for London.

Paying the charge

• Pay through TfL's official website or app. Searching for "pay ULEZ" can bring up unofficial sites that add fees.
• You can pay in advance, on the day, or within a short window afterwards. Check TfL for the current deadline.
• Auto Pay registers your vehicle and bills you automatically for each charging day, which removes the risk of a penalty.

Exemptions and discounts

Some vehicles and drivers are exempt or have had time-limited grace periods. These have included:

• vehicles in the historic vehicle tax class
• some vehicles used by disabled people or in the disabled tax classes
• wheelchair-accessible vehicles
• certain specialist and agricultural vehicles

Exemptions and grace periods change, and some need registering in advance. Check TfL's website for the current rules.

Your options if your car isn't compliant

1. Pay as you go, if you only drive in the zone occasionally.
2. Plan routes that avoid the zone, if you live near the boundary.
3. Use public transport for regular trips into London, and keep the car for journeys elsewhere.
4. Replace the car. If you drive in the zone regularly, a compliant car may pay for itself quickly. TfL has run scrappage schemes in the past, so check whether one is open.

Buying a car if you live or work in London

Compliance affects running costs and resale value in and around London. When you're looking at used cars:

• check compliance before you view, not after
• treat "ULEZ compliant" in an advert as something to verify
• remember that a petrol car from the early 2000s may or may not comply, so check the exact vehicle
• look at the car's full record too: a compliant car with a poor MOT history is still a poor buy

A worked example

Sam lives in outer London and drives a 2014 diesel estate. It's Euro 5, so it isn't compliant. Sam drives to work three days a week and to the shops at weekends: around 200 charging days a year.

At £12.50 a day, that adds up to a significant yearly bill, on top of fuel, tax, insurance and maintenance. Switching to a compliant petrol or hybrid car of a similar size could cut that charge to nothing. Sam compares the cost of changing cars with two or three years of charges and decides it's worth switching.

Your own numbers will be different, but the same sum (charging days multiplied by the daily charge) is the place to start.

Common ULEZ mistakes

• Assuming an older petrol car fails. Many petrol cars from 2001 to 2005 meet Euro 4. Check the exact vehicle.
• Assuming a 2015 diesel passes. Euro 6 only became mandatory in September 2015, so earlier 2015 diesels may not comply.
• Forgetting the charge applies at night and at weekends. It runs every day except Christmas Day.
• Missing the payment deadline. Penalties are far higher than the daily charge. Auto Pay avoids this.
• Paying through an unofficial website. Always use TfL directly.

Other clean air zones

London isn't alone. Several English cities run Clean Air Zones, and Scottish cities have Low Emission Zones. Only some charge private cars, and the Scottish zones use penalties rather than daily charges. Most use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards, so a car that passes the ULEZ rules usually passes elsewhere. Check the local council's website before you travel.

Visiting London occasionally

If you only drive into London a few times a year, for a hospital appointment, a family visit or an event, the charge may be manageable. Plan ahead:

1. Check your vehicle with the ULEZ calculator or by registration.
2. If it isn't compliant, pay through TfL on the day or set up Auto Pay.
3. Consider parking just outside the zone and using public transport for the final part of the journey.
4. Remember that the London Congestion Charge is a separate charge for central London, with its own hours and rules.

Summary

The ULEZ covers all of London, all the time except Christmas Day. Petrol cars need Euro 4, diesels need Euro 6, and electric cars always comply. If yours doesn't, you pay £12.50 for each day you drive in the zone. Check your car by registration, confirm with TfL, and factor compliance into any car you buy.