ULEZ & Clean Air Zones
Compliance Check
Do I need to pay ULEZ?
CheckFuelPrices Editorial
Expert Written • 5 industry sources
Whether you need to pay ULEZ depends entirely on your vehicle's emission standard — not its age alone. If your petrol car meets Euro 4 or your diesel meets Euro 6, you will not be charged; if it falls below those thresholds and you drive inside the zone, you will owe the daily charge.
The Emission Standards That Determine Your Charge
Petrol cars:
Petrol cars registered from January 2006 onwards generally meet Euro 4 and are ULEZ-compliant. Some cars registered from 2001 may also comply — check your V5C log book.
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Diesel cars:
Diesel cars must meet Euro 6, which typically means registered from September 2015 onwards. Most older diesels do not comply and face the daily charge.
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Motorcycles and mopeds:
Motorcycles registered from July 2007 usually meet Euro 3 and are exempt from the charge.
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What Euro standard means:
Euro standards measure how much NOx, particulate matter, and CO2 a vehicle emits. Higher numbers mean cleaner engines.
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How Much You Pay and When
Daily charge:
Non-compliant cars, motorcycles, and vans pay £12.50 per day to drive inside the ULEZ boundary, which now covers all of Greater London.
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Heavier vehicles:
Non-compliant larger vans, minibuses, and HGVs face a £100 daily charge inside the zone.
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Automatic cameras:
ULEZ is enforced by ANPR cameras 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year — there are no payment booths.
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Penalty for non-payment:
Failing to pay when liable results in a Penalty Charge Notice of £180 for cars, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
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ULEZ vs Other Clean Air Zones
ULEZ is London-specific:
ULEZ is operated by Transport for London and covers Greater London. Other UK cities such as Birmingham, Bristol, and Bath operate separate Clean Air Zones with their own rules and charges.
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CAZ rules differ by city:
Birmingham's CAZ charges non-compliant private cars £8 per day, while some zones only target taxis, buses, and HGVs — not private cars at all.
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Check before you travel:
The GOV.UK driving in a Clean Air Zone tool lets you enter your registration to check compliance across all English CAZs, not just London.
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Check Your Vehicle Now
Use TfL's free checker:
Enter your number plate at TfL's Vehicle Checker to get an instant yes/no answer on whether your specific vehicle is ULEZ-compliant.
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Registration is the fastest guide:
If your petrol car was first registered after 1 January 2006 or your diesel after 1 September 2015, you are very likely compliant — but the checker confirms it definitively.
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Fuel cost impact:
If you are considering upgrading to a compliant vehicle to avoid daily charges, CheckFuelPrices can help you compare running costs by showing live petrol and diesel prices at stations near you.
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Sources
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