ULEZ check: is your car compliant and what you pay if not
The standards
| Fuel | Standard required | Usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | Euro 4 (NOx) | Registered from January 2006, some from 2001 |
| Diesel | Euro 6 (NOx and PM) | Registered from September 2015, some from 2014 |
| Hybrid | As the engine's fuel | Petrol hybrids are almost all compliant |
| Electric | Zero tailpipe | Always compliant |
The year is only a guide. A 2015 diesel can be Euro 5 or Euro 6 depending on when the model was certified. The Euro status is on some V5Cs and in the DVLA record, and Transport for London's own checker is the final word for a given registration.
The charge
£12.50 a day, payable by midnight on the third day after driving, or a penalty of £180 (reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days). The zone covers all 32 boroughs and the City since 29 August 2023. Cameras read the plate; there is nothing to display.
Other clean air zones
Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Sheffield, Bradford, Portsmouth and Tyneside run charging zones. Most charge only older commercial vehicles, taxis and buses; Birmingham and Bristol also charge non-compliant private cars, at £8 and £9 a day. Scotland's low emission zones in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee ban non-compliant vehicles outright with a penalty rather than a daily charge.
Checking before you buy
A non-compliant diesel is worth less and harder to sell, particularly anywhere near London. The free check on BeakCheck shows the fuel type, engine size and first registration date, and the Euro status where the DVLA holds it, so you can see before you travel to view the car.
Questions people ask
Does ULEZ apply at weekends?
Yes. ULEZ runs 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. The congestion charge is the one with weekday hours.
Is a Euro 5 diesel ULEZ compliant?
No. Diesels need Euro 6. A Euro 5 diesel pays the daily charge anywhere in Greater London.
Can I make a car compliant?
Not in practice. Compliance is based on the engine's type approval. Retrofit approval exists for some buses, taxis and vans, not for private cars.
Check a car now
Free DVLA and MOT check, plus the remap verdict for the engine actually fitted to your car.