Free ULEZ checker
Check if your vehicle meets the Ultra Low Emission Zone standards. Enter a registration number below for an instant estimate.
What is the ULEZ?
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) covers all of Greater London, up to (but not including) the M25. It operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day. Vehicles that do not meet the required emission standards are charged 12.50 pounds per day to drive within the zone. The charge applies to cars, motorcycles, vans, minibuses, and other specialist vehicles. Heavier vehicles such as lorries, buses, and coaches fall under the separate Low Emission Zone (LEZ) with higher charges.
The zone was expanded to cover all London boroughs in August 2023. Previously it covered only inner London.
Official TfL checker
Transport for London provides a free, definitive vehicle checker. This should always be your primary source for confirming compliance.
Check your vehicle on TfL.gov.uk (free)Our checker above provides an estimate based on DVLA data (fuel type and year of manufacture). The TfL checker is the definitive source.
ULEZ emission standards
The required emission standard depends on your vehicle's fuel type.
Must meet Euro 4. In practice, this means most petrol vehicles registered from 2006 onwards are compliant.
Must meet Euro 6. This generally means diesel vehicles registered from September 2015 onwards. Vehicles manufactured in 2015 may or may not comply depending on the exact registration date.
Must meet Euro 3. Most motorcycles registered from July 2007 onwards meet this standard.
Always exempt. No charge applies regardless of age.
How our checker works
We look up your vehicle using the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service and check its fuel type and year of manufacture against the ULEZ rules above. This gives a reliable estimate for the vast majority of vehicles. However, some edge cases exist: a small number of vehicles registered close to the cut-off dates may have been built to an earlier or later standard than their year suggests. For this reason, TfL's checker remains the definitive source.
What if my vehicle is not compliant?
If your vehicle does not meet the standard, you have several options:
- Pay the daily charge: 12.50 pounds per day, payable via the TfL website or Auto Pay.
- Scrappage scheme: TfL has offered scrappage grants for eligible London residents and small businesses. Check the TfL website for current availability.
- Retrofit: some diesel vehicles can be retrofitted with approved emission reduction equipment to meet the standard.
- Replace the vehicle: switching to a compliant or electric vehicle avoids the charge entirely.
The penalty for driving without paying is 180 pounds (reduced to 90 pounds if paid within 14 days).
ULEZ exemptions
Certain vehicles are exempt from the ULEZ charge regardless of their emission standard:
- Vehicles with a historic vehicle tax class (manufactured before 1 January 1980)
- Military vehicles
- Agricultural vehicles that are not required to be registered
- Vehicles used by disabled people with certain tax exemptions (a grace period applies)
Clean Air Zones in other UK cities
London is not the only city with emission-based driving charges. Several other UK cities have introduced Clean Air Zones (CAZs) with varying rules and vehicle categories.
Class D Clean Air Zone. Charges apply to non-compliant cars (8 pounds/day), vans, taxis, buses, coaches, and HGVs. Same Euro standards as ULEZ: Euro 4 petrol, Euro 6 diesel.
Class C zone. Charges apply to taxis, vans, buses, coaches, and HGVs. Private cars are not charged.
Class D zone covering parts of the city centre. Non-compliant private cars are charged 9 pounds/day.
Class C zone. Charges apply to taxis, buses, coaches, and HGVs only. Private cars are not charged.
Newcastle/Gateshead, Sheffield, and other cities have introduced or are planning Clean Air Zones. Check your local council website or use the GOV.UK Clean Air Zone checker.
Other free vehicle checks
You can also check a vehicle's MOT status, tax status, and vehicle details using our free vehicle checker, or explore MOT pass rate data for any make and model.
Vehicle data from the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service. ULEZ compliance is estimated from fuel type and year of manufacture. For a definitive answer, use the TfL vehicle checker. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.