The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been in operation for 24 hours a day in London since early 2019. It means drivers of certain vehicles must pay a daily charge to enter the Greater London area.
The ULEZ originally covered the same inner-city area as the Congestion Charge, then expanded to everywhere within the North and South Circular roads. It then grew again in August 2023 to cover most of the area inside the M25 orbital motorway.
Cars must meet certain Euro-mandated exhaust emissions standards to comply with the ULEZ. Diesel cars registered as recently as 2015 could be eligible for the £12.50 daily charge.
Transport for London (TfL) – which oversees the ULEZ and has earned more than £875 million in revenue from the scheme since 2019 – has created an online check tool to see if you must pay to enter the zone.
Click here and input your registration number to discover if your car is liable for the daily fee.
If in doubt, this online checker from automotive data provider HPI offers a breakdown of the different Euro emissions standards for cars.
London ULEZ: Do I need to pay?
Drivers who enter the London ULEZ in vehicles that do not comply with the emissions standards are subject to a £12.50 daily fee. That’s on top of the £15 Congestion Charge if you enter the central zone, don’t forget.
Unlike the Congestion Charge, the ULEZ is enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It applies every day of the year apart from Christmas day.
Vehicles affected are those with pre-Euro 6 diesel engines and pre-Euro 4 petrol engines. Diesel cars that meet the standards are generally those registered after September 2015. Petrol cars registered after 2005 should meet the minimum requirements.
Riders of motorcycles built before 2007 also have to pay the ULEZ charge.
Read our full guide to the London ULEZ charge here, including more details of the forthcoming expansion to the zone in autumn 2023.
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