Free ULEZ checker | Check your car's compliance
ULEZ covers almost the entire Greater London, including all 33 boroughs up to the M25. Use our ULEZ vehicle checker to find out if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant. Confirm if you can drive for free in the London's Ultra Low Emission Zone or if you need to pay a charge to drive a non-compliant car.
Enter your vehicle's registration number
ULEZ covers almost the entire Greater London, including all 33 boroughs up to the M25. Use our ULEZ vehicle checker to find out if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant. Confirm if you can drive for free in the London's Ultra Low Emission Zone or if you need to pay a charge to drive a non-compliant car.
How does our ULEZ checker work?
Our London ULEZ checker tool is powered by the DVLA. It confirms your car's compliance with the latest ULEZ emissions standards. Simply enter your registration to see if you can drive charge-free or need to pay the £12.50 daily charge. Our tool will give you instant results so you can plan your journeys without worrying about surprise charges.
Broadly, all petrol and diesel cars (including hybrids) must meet Euro 4 and 6 standards respectively, whereas all fully electric cars are ULEZ compliant for now. Vehicles in the historic tax class and certain specialist types are also exempt. Please note that our ULEZ zone checker tool may not always reflect these specific exemptions accurately.
It is important to regularly check your vehicle's compliance status, as the ULEZ zone regulations may change.
What is London ULEZ?
London's Ultra Low Emission Zone was introduced by TfL in 2019 with an aim to cut emissions, encourage the use of low-emission vehicles, and incentivise the transition to cleaner transport options.
ULEZ standards are stricter than those for the London Congestion Charge. It targets vehicles emitting higher levels of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (PM).
You should know that the ULEZ runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and every day of the year except Christmas. Also, it applies to most vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, vans, buses, and lorries.
If your car is non-compliant, you have to pay a daily charge of £12.50 to drive in the ULEZ area. If you don't pay, you'll get a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) with a fine of £180.
The fine is reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. After 28 days, it rises to £270. If it still isn't paid, your vehicle may even be seized.
Please note that the ULEZ charge only applies if you drive in the zone on that day. If your car is just parked, you don't need to pay.
Lastly, heavier vehicles over 3.5 tonnes do not pay the ULEZ charge. Instead, they are subject to a London-wide £100 LEZ charge.
What is London ULEZ?
London's Ultra Low Emission Zone was introduced by TfL in 2019 with an aim to cut emissions, encourage the use of low-emission vehicles, and incentivise the transition to cleaner transport options.
ULEZ standards are stricter than those for the London Congestion Charge. It targets vehicles emitting higher levels of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (PM).
You should know that the ULEZ runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and every day of the year except Christmas. Also, it applies to most vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, vans, buses, and lorries.
If your car is non-compliant, you have to pay a daily charge of £12.50 to drive in the ULEZ area. If you don't pay, you'll get a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) with a fine of £180.
The fine is reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. After 28 days, it rises to £270. If it still isn't paid, your vehicle may even be seized.
Please note that the ULEZ charge only applies if you drive in the zone on that day. If your car is just parked, you don't need to pay.
Lastly, heavier vehicles over 3.5 tonnes do not pay the ULEZ charge. Instead, they are subject to a London-wide £100 LEZ charge.
London ULEZ map 2025
ULEZ covers an area of about 600 square miles and includes all 33 boroughs up to the M25 Motorway and the Heathrow Airport.
Online ULEZ compliance checker
Tfl ULEZ checker is an online tool that lets you check if your car meets the required emission standards to drive in the ULEZ zone without incurring hefty charges. Simply enter your registration number to see if your car is ULEZ compliant.
Which cars are free from ULEZ charges?
Certain vehicles don't have to pay the daily charge to travel within the ULEZ zone. Let's find out if your vehicle qualifies for it.
Petrol cars that meet Euro 4 standard
If a petrol car (or van), manufactured after January 2006, produces 1.0g of CO or less per kilometre, it meets the Euro 4 emission standards, and is free from the ULEZ charge.
Diesel cars that meet Euro 6 standard
If a diesel car (or van) was manufactured after September 2015 and produces less than 0.5g of CO per kilometre, it meets the stricter Euro 6 standards, and is ULEZ compliant.
Hybrids meeting Euro 4 or 6 standard
Hybrid vehicles aren't automatically exempt. If a hybrid car is built to Euro 4 (for petrol) or Euro 6 (for diesel) standards, it's ULEZ compliant and can be driven for free in the ULEZ.
Electric vehicles (EVs)
Until at least 25th December 2025, electric vehicles are free from ULEZ charges. The main reason is that they don't produce any tailpipe emissions.
Classic cars / Historic tax class
Any vehicle manufactured before 1st January 1973 or registered in the "historic vehicle" tax class is exempt from ULEZ charges, no matter its emissions. This means most classic cars are exempt from paying the daily ULEZ charge.
Disabled passenger vehicles
Vehicles registered in the disabled-passenger tax class are exempt from ULEZ charges until at least October 2027. However, not all Motability cars are exempt. Only those registered in the correct tax class are free to drive.
London Licensed Taxis
All licensed black cabs are ULEZ exempt, given they are less than 12 years old. Any newly registered taxi must be zero-emission capable (ZEC) to be exempt from the ULEZ charge.
Why sell your non-ULEZ Compliant car?
Daily charges add up
- £12.50 a day may not sound like much, but if you drive daily in London's ULEZ, it adds up to over £3,000 a year.
- Eventual delays or missed payments will lead to hefty fines, making it costlier to drive a non-ULEZ car.
Your car's value is dropping
- It's not just about London. More cities are enforcing clean air zones, making it harder to sell non-compliant vehicles.
- Smart buyers are choosing ULEZ-compliant cars, lowering the overall demand for older petrol and diesel models.
Future restrictions and fines
- The ULEZ zone may expand again, meaning more non-compliant vehicles will soon be paying the daily charge.
- Non-compliant cars will be paying hefty charges in major urban areas as ULEZ and other clean air zones become stricter.
ULEZ-related guides
Understand what ULEZ is, how it impacts your car selling prospects, and how to sell your non-ULEZ-compliant car with Exchange My Car.
ULEZ FAQs
Here are the most common questions asked about the ULEZ compliance, exemptions, charges, zones, and regulations.
What is London's ULEZ?
The ULEZ, or Ultra Low Emission Zone, is a special zone in London where drivers with high-emission cars have to face a daily charge. Managed by Transport for London (TfL), it operates every day to tackle harmful vehicle emissions and improve air quality in the capital.
Where is the ULEZ zone?
While ULEZ started as a small zone in central London, as of 29 August 2023, it covers all 33 London boroughs. It even reaches the M25 motorway.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that nearly all of Greater London is inside the ULEZ boundary. So, if you're driving within areas like Croydon, Barnet, and Enfield, check if your car is ULEZ compliant.
Is Heathrow in ULEZ?
The short answer to the question of whether Heathrow is in ULEZ is yes. Heathrow Airport and the roads bordering it are within the ULEZ, so you will need to pay the daily charge if you drive a non-ULEZ compliant car there.
How do I know if I've entered the ULEZ?
There are no barriers, toll booths, or painted lines for the ULEZ, so it can be hard to know when you have entered it. However, you can tell if you have entered the ULEZ by watching out for:
- Green and white signs marked "ULEZ". They are usually at the entrance of the zone.
- Advance signs noting how far ahead the ULEZ boundary is.
- Visible signs for ANPR cameras, indicating that you're in the zone.
How do I know if I have to pay the ULEZ charge?
If you're driving within the ULEZ, just enter your car's registration number in our ULEZ charge checker. It'll check your details against official data to confirm whether you have to pay the charge or not.
How much is the ULEZ charge?
The ULEZ charge mainly depends on the type of vehicle you drive:
- If you drive a car or a light van, or ride a motorcycle, you'll pay £12.50 per day.
- Heavier vehicles (over 3.5 tonnes) have to pay £100 per day when driving within ULEZ.
An important thing to note is that you have to pay the charge only when you actually drive the vehicle. If the vehicle is only parked within the zone, there is no charge due.
Is the ULEZ charge the same as the ULEZ fine?
No, the ULEZ charge and ULEZ fine are not the same thing. The ULEZ charge is a daily fee for driving a non-compliant vehicle within London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). The ULEZ fine, on the other hand, is issued if you fail to pay the ULEZ charge.
How is the ULEZ enforced?
The ULEZ is enforced through a network of ANPR cameras within the zone. These cameras monitor all vehicles entering and exiting the area.
Each vehicle's registration is cross-checked against DVLA and TfL databases to know if it meets the required standards. If the vehicle is non-compliant and the driver doesn't pay the charge by midnight the following day, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), is issued.
The standard PCN is £180, but it is halved to £90 when payment is made within 14 days. However, if the non-payment continues, the vehicle may even be seized.
How do I pay the ULEZ charge?
To drive a non-compliant vehicle within the ULEZ, you can pay the charge by one of these ways:
- Online: Visit the TfL website and use the Pay ULEZ portal.
- With Mobile App: Download the TfL "Pay to Drive in London" app.
- With Auto Pay: Sign up to automatically charge your account for each day you drive in the ULEZ.
- With Fleet Auto Pay: Available for businesses operating multiple vehicles.
Which classic cars are free to drive in the ULEZ?
Cars manufactured before 1 January 1973 or registered in the historic vehicle tax class are exempt from the daily ULEZ charge. That means most of the classic cars qualify for the exemption. Some classic cars that may be exempt from the ULEZ charge are:
How much will I get from ULEZ scrappage schemes?
The ULEZ scrappage scheme was launched in August 2023 to help offset the replacement costs of non-ULEZ-compliant vehicles. It offers up to £2,000 to scrap a non-compliant car, £1,000 for a bike, and £5,000-£10,000 for WAVs, vans, and minibuses.