Welcome to the essential guide to understanding the Low Emission Zones (LEZ) and Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ). As part of the UK’s bold stride towards a cleaner, greener future, these zones stand as critical components in the battle against air pollution, safeguarding our cities’ atmospheres by regulating the types of vehicles that can operate within them.
Our cities are at a turning point, with clean air revolution policies being not just an option but a necessity to curb the detrimental effects of emissions. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to understand the regulations, the fines, and the exemptions, ensuring you can contribute to this pivotal environmental shift. Join us as we break down the complexities of emission zones, aiming for a cleaner air blueprint for future generations.
Before we begin, some vehicles are covered by national exemptions, these include:
- Disabled tax class or disabled passenger tax class
- Certain types of agricultural vehicles
- Historic vehicles
- Military vehicles
- Ultra-low-emission vehicles
- Vehicles retrofitted with technology accredited by the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS)
Discover UK low emission zone requirements
Below, you’ll find the vehicle requirements and low and ultra-low emissions geography details listed in ascending order:
- London
- Bath
- Bradford
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Oxford
- Portsmouth
- Sheffield
- Newcastle
- Aberdeen
- Dundee
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
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London
The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was first introduced in February 2008 to reduce pollution and improve air quality by discouraging older, more polluting vehicles from entering the city centre. The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) introduced in April 2019 goes even further by imposing stricter emissions standards, incentivizing the use of cleaner, more sustainable transportation options. Are you travelling through London? Discover more here.
Low Emission Zones (LEZ)
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large LCV/ Minibus (1,2t-3,5t) | Diesel | Euro 3 | £100 | £500 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £300² | £500 |
| Coach/ Bus | Diesel | Euro VI | £300² | £500 |
Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ)
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle | Petrol/ Diesel | Euro 3 | £12.50 | £160 |
| Car/ LCV | Petrol | Euro 4 | £12.50 | £160 |
| Car/ LCV | Diesel | Euro 6 | £12.50 | £160 |
| Large LCV (1,2t-3,5t) | Petrol | Euro 4 | £12.50 | N/A |
| Large LCV (1,2t-3,5t) | Diesel | Euro 6 | £12.50 | N/A |
| Minibuses | Petrol | Euro 4 | £12.50 | £180 |
| Minibuses | Diesel | Euro 6 | £12.50 | £180 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Bath
Enforcement of Bath’s Clean Air Zone launched on 5 March 2021. This is a Class C Clean Air Zone targeting the most polluting HGVs, LGVs, vans, buses, coaches, and taxis. Private cars and motorbikes are exempt from charges. Are you travelling through Bath? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ LCV | Petrol | Euro 4 | £9 | £120 |
| Car/ LCV | Diesel | Euro 6 | £9 | £120 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £100 | £120 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | £100 | £120 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | £100 | £120 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Bradford
Enforcement of Bradford’s Clean Air Zone launched on 26 September 2022. This is a Class C Clean Air Zone targeting the most polluting HGVs, LGVs, vans, buses, coaches, and taxis. Private cars and motorbikes are exempt from charges. Are you travelling through Bradford? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car | Petrol | Euro 4 | £7 | £120 |
| Car | Diesel | Euro 6 | £7 | £120 |
| LGV/ Minibus | Petrol | Euro 4 | £9 | £120 |
| LGV/ Minibus | Diesel | Euro 6 | £9 | £120 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £50 | £120 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 | £120 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 | £120 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Birmingham
Enforcement of Bristol’s Clean Air Zone launched on 1 June 2021. Birmingham has a CAZ D meaning all vehicles (excluding motorcycles) passing through have to meet the minimum Euro standard. Are you travelling through Birmingham? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | £8 | £120 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | £8 | £120 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £50 | £120 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 | £120 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 | £120 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Bristol
Enforcement of Bristol’s Clean Air Zone launched on 28 November 2022. Bristol has a small CAZ D meaning all vehicles (excluding motorcycles) passing through have to meet the minimum Euro standard. Are you travelling through Bristol? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | £9 | £120 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | £9 | £120 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £100 | £120 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | £100 | £120 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | £100 | £120 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Oxford
Oxford launched a Zero-Emission Zone (ZEZ) on February 28, 2022, within Oxford City Centre. This small pilot has allowed evaluation of the scheme’s functionality before drafting plans for its expansion. The broader Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) expansion will undergo additional evaluations, stakeholder engagement, consultations and funding considerations. Are you travelling through Oxford? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Emissions | Daily charge | Daily charge (August 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero emission vehicle (ZEV) | 0 g/km CO2 | £0 | £0 |
| Ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) | Emits less than 75 g/km CO2. | £2 | £4 |
| Low-emission vehicle (LEV) | Vehicles with four or more wheels that meet the Euro 4/IV petrol or Euro 6/VI diesel standard.Diesel | £4 | £8 |
| All other vehicles | Any vehicle not meeting any of the above standards. | £10 | £20 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Zero Emission Zone here.
Portsmouth
Enforcement of Portsmouth’s Clean Air Zone launched on 29 November 2021. This is a Class C Clean Air Zone targeting the most polluting HGVs, LGVs, vans, buses, coaches, and taxis. Private cars and motorbikes are exempt from charges. Are you travelling through Portsmouth? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | £10 | £120 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | £10 | £120 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £50 | £120 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 | £120 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 | £120 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Sheffield
Enforcement of Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone launched on 27 February 2023. This is a Class C Clean Air Zone targeting the most polluting HGVs, LGVs, vans, buses, coaches, and taxis. Private cars and motorbikes are exempt from charges. Are you travelling through Sheffield? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | £10 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | £10 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £50 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Newcastle
Enforcement of Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone was launched on 30 January 2023. The Clean Air Zone in Newcastle and Gateshead targets older, polluting taxis, vans, buses, coaches, and heavy goods vehicles. Private cars and motorbikes are exempt from charges. Eligible vehicles may qualify for funding to replace or upgrade them. Grants, funded by the government, vary by vehicle type:
- Taxis – up to £3,500,
- Wheelchair-accessible taxis – up to £4,000,
- Light goods vehicles – up to £4,500,
- Heavy goods vehicles – up to £16,000,
- Buses and coaches – up to £16,000.
Funding is based on old and new vehicle prices. Funding for buses and coaches is paused pending government guidance on retrofitting technology. Temporary exemptions apply for retrofitted vehicles or pending applications. Are you travelling through Newcastle? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | £12.50 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | £12.50 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | £50 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | £50 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Clean Air Zone here.
Aberdeen
Enforcement of Aberdeen’s low emission zone starts on 1 June 2024. A two-year grace period was granted from May 2022 before the scheme’s enforcement begins. This applies to all non-exempt vehicle types and both residents and non-residents of the LEZ area. Are you travelling through Aberdeen? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | N/A | £60 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Low Emission Zone here.
Dundee
The Dundee LEZ Scheme was introduced on 30th May 2022. A two-year grace period is granted from that date before the scheme’s enforcement begins. This applies to all non-exempt vehicle types and both residents and non-residents of the LEZ area. Enforcement commences on May 30, 2024. Are you travelling through Dundee? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | N/A | £60 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Low Emission Zone here.
Edinburgh
Enforcement of Edinburgh’s low emission zone starts on 1 June 2024. Until then vehicles are in the grace period. Are you travelling through Edinburgh? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | N/A | £60 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Low Emission Zone here.
Glasgow
Enforcement of Glasgow’s low emission zone for residents starts on 1 June 2024. For all the other vehicles, the low-emission zone is already in force. Travelling through Glasgow? Discover more here.
| Affected vehicles | Fuel type | Minimum standard | Daily charge | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car/ Van | Petrol | Euro 4 | N/A | £60 |
| Car/ Van | Diesel | Euro 6 | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Diesel | Euro VI | N/A | £60 |
| HGV | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
| Coach/ Bus | Petrol | Euro IV | N/A | £60 |
Check if your vehicle will be charged to drive in a Low Emission Zone here.
