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ULEZ · 5 min read

ULEZ explained: is your car compliant?

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone charges non-compliant vehicles for driving anywhere within Greater London, and since it now covers the entire area inside the M25, a lot more drivers are affected by it than when it only covered central London. Here's what it actually means for your car.

What ULEZ actually charges

The daily charge is £12.50 for non-compliant cars, motorcycles, and vans up to 3.5 tonnes. It applies around the clock, every day of the year except Christmas Day, and it's a flat daily charge regardless of how long you're in the zone or how many times you enter and leave. It's separate from the Central London Congestion Charge, which covers a much smaller area and can apply on top of ULEZ if you're driving into the centre on a weekday.

Where the zone actually covers

Since August 2023, ULEZ covers every London borough, effectively the whole of Greater London out to the M25. It's not limited to major roads or central areas: if you're driving on any road inside that boundary in a non-compliant vehicle, the charge applies, including residential streets and outer boroughs.

What makes a car compliant

Compliance depends on the Euro emissions standard your car meets, not simply its age, though the two are closely linked:

• Petrol cars generally need to meet Euro 4, which most petrol vehicles first registered from 2006 onward satisfy, though some earlier models qualify too.
• Diesel cars need to meet the stricter Euro 6 standard, which most diesel vehicles first registered from September 2015 onward meet.
• Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from ULEZ entirely, regardless of age.

Because compliance is based on the actual emissions standard the car was built to rather than a simple age cutoff, the only reliable way to know for certain is to check the specific vehicle rather than going by registration year alone.

How to check your specific car

The Euro standard for a specific vehicle is tied to its DVLA record. Rather than guessing from the registration year, checking the actual record for that registration number confirms it directly, along with current tax status, which is worth knowing at the same time since an untaxed car needs sorting before you drive it anywhere.