Is this car ULEZ compliant? Clean air zones explained
If you'll drive in London or some other UK cities, a car that doesn't meet the emissions standards can cost you a daily charge. It's worth checking before you buy, especially with older diesels.
In short
- London's ULEZ covers all London boroughs, runs 24/7 (except Christmas Day) and costs £12.50 a day for cars that don't meet the standards.
- Petrol cars generally need to meet Euro 4, which usually means registered after 2005. Diesels need Euro 6, which usually means registered after September 2015.
- In England, the clean air zones that charge private cars are Birmingham and Bristol. Scotland has low emission zones in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
- Always confirm a specific car on the official checkers before you buy.
London's ULEZ
The Ultra Low Emission Zone operates across all London boroughs (it doesn't include the M25), 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. Cars that don't meet the standards pay £12.50 a day to drive in it, and not paying brings a penalty of £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
The standards for cars are:
- Petrol: Euro 4. TfL says these are generally cars first registered as new after 2005.
- Diesel: Euro 6. Generally cars first registered as new after September 2015.
Those dates are a guide only. Some cars registered earlier meet the standard, and some later ones don't, which is why checking the exact car matters.
Clean air zones elsewhere
Several English cities have clean air zones, but only the strictest kind (Class D) charges private cars. At the moment that's Birmingham and Bristol. Zones such as Bath, Bradford, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside don't charge private cars. The standards for cars are the same as the ULEZ: Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel.
In Scotland, there are low emission zones in the city centres of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. They run 24/7, and instead of a daily charge, vehicles that don't meet the standards are fined with a penalty charge notice. You can't pay in advance to avoid one.
Why it matters when buying
- Running costs: £12.50 a day adds up quickly if you drive in London regularly.
- Resale value: non-compliant cars, especially older diesels, can be harder to sell in and around these cities.
- Bargains with a catch: a cheap pre-2015 diesel may be cheap for a reason if you live near a zone.
Don't forget the other running costs: our guide to car tax explains how road tax works, and the MOT history shows how the car's been looked after.
How to check a car
The Your Car Data free check gives a quick ULEZ estimate for any registration, based on its fuel type, age and Euro status where it's recorded, along with its MOT history, mileage and tax status. Before you rely on it, confirm the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker for London, and on GOV.UK's clean air zone checker for other cities.
Check a vehicle now
Free MOT, mileage and tax check for any UK car, van or motorbike. The full history check (stolen, write-off, outstanding finance, a valuation and more) is £7.49.
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