ULEZ & Clean Air Zones
Compliance Check
Is my car ULEZ free?
CheckFuelPrices Editorial
Expert Written • 5 industry sources
Whether your car is ULEZ free depends on its Euro emissions standard — petrol cars registered after 2006 and diesel cars registered after 2015 are usually compliant. The fastest way to know for certain is to enter your number plate into the official TfL vehicle checker.
The Compliance Standards You Need to Meet
Petrol cars: Euro 4 or higher:
Most petrol cars first registered after January 2006 meet the Euro 4 standard required by the London ULEZ. Cars registered before this date are more likely to fail.
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Diesel cars: Euro 6 or higher:
Diesel cars must meet the stricter Euro 6 standard, which generally applies to cars registered after September 2015. Older diesels almost always fail.
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Electric and hydrogen vehicles:
Fully electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are automatically ULEZ compliant and pay no charge.
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Registration year is a guide, not a guarantee:
Euro standards are based on engine certification, not just the registration date. A 2006-registered petrol car could be Euro 3. Always verify with the official checker.
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How to Check Your Specific Vehicle
Use the TfL number plate checker:
TfL's free online tool gives an instant pass or fail result for your exact vehicle using your number plate. It covers the London ULEZ and takes under a minute.
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Use the national CAZ checker for other cities:
If you're driving in Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, or another Clean Air Zone city, GOV.UK's national vehicle checker covers all English CAZs in one place.
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Check your V5C logbook:
Your V5C registration document lists your vehicle's Euro emissions category. Look for 'Euro standard' in the technical data section to cross-reference compliance rules.
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What Happens If Your Car Fails
Daily charge in London:
Non-compliant cars driving in the London ULEZ face a £12.50 daily charge, which applies 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
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Charges vary by city:
Clean Air Zone charges differ by location. Birmingham and Bath both operate Class D CAZs that charge non-compliant private cars, though the exact daily rates vary.
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Scrappage and retrofit schemes:
TfL and some local councils have run scrappage schemes to help owners of non-compliant vehicles upgrade. Check TfL and your local council for current availability.
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Reduce Running Costs Once You Know Your Compliance
Compliance doesn't mean cheap running costs:
Even if your car is ULEZ free, fuel costs remain one of the biggest motoring expenses. Prices can vary by more than 10p per litre between stations in the same area.
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Find the cheapest fuel near any CAZ:
CheckFuelPrices shows live petrol and diesel prices at 4,000+ UK stations, updated every 30 minutes, so you can fill up cheaply before or after driving in a Clean Air Zone.
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Sources
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