The ULEZ is a zone operated by TfL in London that restricts the use of older, high-polluting vehicles through the use of a penalty fee. If your car is not ULEZ compliant, you need to pay a daily charge of £12.50.

If you have driven into the ULEZ in a car that is not compliant, TfL will be in touch to let you know you face a ULEZ charge. The ULEZ area is policed through automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR), meaning you won’t be physically stopped from entering the ULEZ in a non-compliant vehicle, but you will receive a penalty charge notice of £160 if you haven’t paid by midnight of the third day since your journey. 

Alternatively, our ULEZ checker can tell you if your vehicle will need to pay the ULEZ charge, just enter your reg above!

Cars that are free to drive in the ULEZ must be Euro 6 (diesel) or Euro 4 (petrol) compliant. That means low emission and zero-emission vehicles such as electric cars will not be charged. Hybrid cars aren’t automatically exempt, as some models made before 2015 may not be ULEZ compliant.

By using our ULEZ checker! Just enter your reg to see if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant.

Using DVLA and emissions standards information published by TfL, we will show you if your car is exempt from charges in London, or whether you need to pay a daily charge to drive in the zone.

You can check your vehicle for Euro 6 compliance in relation to ULEZ with Motorway’s ULEZ checker. 

If your vehicle was made after September 2015, there’s a good chance it’s Euro 6 compliant and therefore able to drive in London’s ULEZ for free.

You may also find this information in your registration details or, you can simply check your reg with our ULEZ check tool which will show whether it’s Euro 6 compliant.

If your car is ULEZ compliant then it will automatically mean it’s Euro 6 compliant too (excluding exemptions).

If your bike is Euro 3 compliant then it will also be considered ULEZ compliant — enter your reg into our checker to find out.

From the start of 2021, only Euro 5 compliant bikes can be sold in the EU, so any motorbikes bought at this time will be both Euro 5 and ULEZ compliant. If you purchased a bike before this, you should check your registration details or contact the manufacturer to confirm. 

Remember, the rules for bikes in the ULEZ means they must be Euro 3 compliant, not Euro 6, like cars, so bikes manufactured as early as 2000 may still be able to drive in the ULEZ charge-free.

The ULEZ is clearly signposted as you enter the capital. Keep an eye out for the green signs with ULEZ written in a white circle. These will be at every boundary point.

Look out for the advance information signs that appear on major roads. These indicate the distance to the boundary. 

When you get close to the boundary, there will be directional signs that show which routes take you into the ULEZ. 

You’ll also see signs in the zone displaying a camera icon. These are to remind you about the cameras – equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology – operating in the zone.

The ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) charge amount depends on several factors, including the type of vehicle, its emissions, and the location.

Since September 2021, the ULEZ charge in London has been £12.50 for most non-compliant vehicles. This includes cars, motorcycles, and vans. 

The ULEZ charge applies 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including weekends and holidays, except for Christmas Day (25th December). This means that vehicles entering the ULEZ area are subject to the charge at any time, day or night.

You can read more about ULEZ charges in our guide, including how to pay a ULEZ charge.

ULEZ enforcement involves monitoring vehicles within the designated zone to ensure compliance with emission standards. Cameras equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology are installed at various entry points and key locations throughout the zone. These cameras capture the number plates of passing vehicles and cross-reference them with a database of vehicle details and their corresponding emission levels.

There are several ways to pay the ULEZ charge. Transport for London (TfL) has a free AutoPay system that covers ULEZ, LEZ, and the Congestion Charge. You can also pay online on a journey-by-journey basis, on TfL’s ULEZ payment portal. Read more about ULEZ charges in our guide.

There are certain types of vehicles that are exempt from ULEZ charges, including electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, Euro 6 compliant diesel vehicles, Euro 4 compliant petrol vehicles, and electric motorcycles and scooters. You can find the full list of exempt vehicles in our guide.

The ULEZ scrappage scheme in 2023 is a government initiative aimed at encouraging the replacement of older, more polluting vehicles with cleaner, low-emission vehicles.

The scheme provides financial incentives to eligible vehicle owners to scrap their older vehicles and switch to newer, more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Read more about it in our guide.

The liability for ULEZ charges depends on the emission standard of your van. If your van doesn’t meet the required emission standards for ULEZ (e.g. Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel vehicles), it will be subject to daily charges when driving within the ULEZ zone. You can find more information in our van driver’s guide to ULEZ.