ULEZ and CAZ Zones Explained

When it comes to the emissions standards of our vehicles, huge plans which were first laid out in 2015 are beginning to become operational across the UK. As part of a drive to improve air quality and reduce emissions, some local authorities have introduced targeted Clear Air Zones (CAZs) across the UK.

A clean air zone (CAZ) defines an area where targeted action is taken to improve air quality and resources are prioritised and co-ordinated to deliver improved health benefits and support economic growth.

CAZs aim to address all sources of pollution, including nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, and reduce public exposure to them using a range of measures tailored to the particular location.

It can be confined to a single road or a part of a city (for which areas of the UK are considering or decided to introduce a CAZ see the interactive map below).

This can include an area in which vehicles can be charged or fined for entering.

To check if your vehicle will be affected, or to pay the fee, head over to the https://www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones

Area to consider

• Bath
• Birmingham
• Bradford
• Bristol
• Greater Manchester (under review)
• Portsmouth
• Sheffield (charging starts on 27 February 2023)
• Tyneside - Newcastle and Gateshead (charging starts on 30 January 2023)

Petrol cars registered since January 2006

These emission restrictions have been designed to reduce the volume of harmful emissions being produced by cars in city centres. The number crunchers have decided the threshold for petrol engines should be the Euro 4 emission standards that were introduced in January 2006.

Therefore you can be fairly certain your car will meet the CAZ requirements if it was registered since then, but it is always worth double checking to make absolutely sure.

In the case of diesel cars, they have received some damning press in recent years for the harmful nature of their exhaust emissions. So it is no surprise that diesel cars in particular have been targeted by these new restrictions.

In order to comply with CAZ requirements, a diesel car must meet with the very latest Euro 6 emission standard, so only models that have been registered since September 2015 will be eligible for free city travel.

There are a small number of exceptions, where certain diesel models registered prior to Euro 6 standards may still comply, but you'll need to check carefully on your V5 certificate to be sure.

To help clean up London's air, the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, except Christmas Day (25 December). The zone currently covers all areas within the North and South Circular Roads. The North Circular (A406) and South Circular (A205) roads are not in the zone.

If your vehicle doesn't meet the ULEZ emission standards and isn't exempt, you need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive inside the zone. This applies to:

Cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including 5 tonnes) Lorries, vans or specialist heavy vehicles (over 3.5 tonnes) and buses, minibuses and coaches (over 5 tonnes) do not need to pay the ULEZ charge. They will need to pay the LEZ charge if they do not meet the LEZ emissions standard.

The ULEZ is expanding from 29 August 2023 across all London boroughs.

Vehicles included are:

• Small vans (weighing up to and including 1.205 tonnes unladen weight)
• Larger vans, 4X4 light utility vehicles, motorised horseboxes, pickups (over 1.205 tonnes unladen weight up to and including 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight)
• Ambulances and motorcaravans (2.5 tonnes to 3.5 tonnes)
• Minibuses (more than 8 passenger seats, not over 5 tonnes)
• Minimum emission standards
• Petrol: Euro 4 (NOx)
• Diesel: Euro 6 (NOx and PM)

The ULEZ is enforced based on the declared emissions of the vehicle rather than the age, however:

All new diesel vans sold from September 2016 should meet the Euro 6 standard

All new petrol vans registered with the DVLA from January 2006 should meet the Euro 4 standard

Check your vehicle registration document to see your vehicle's Euro emission standard or NOx and PM emissions. If these are not listed then use our ULEZ vehicle checker.

Check your vehicle https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/

A daily charge runs from midnight to midnight. if you drive a vehicle that does not meet the standards within the ULEZ area across two days, for example before midnight and after midnight, you will be liable to pay two daily charges.

Daily ULEZ charge: £12.50

Penalty charge: £160 (reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days)