What is ULEZ and is my car compliant?

The ultra-low emissions zone has been expanded across all of London’s boroughs, meaning drivers of the most polluting cars will be hit with a £12.50 per day charge for entering the capital. Here our consumer champion covers what you need to know.

As a Mancunian expat living in the capital, I’m acutely aware of how the rest of the UK feels about London-centric stories – so I try to avoid them. But due to the number of readers who have contacted me about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), I can’t ignore it.

Why should we all care? Well for one, millions of non-Londoners drive to or through the capital every year. Heathrow Airport, Wembley Stadium, and Twickenham are also all in the expanded zone. Also, a number of other major cities are considering their own versions of ULEZ – so it’s well worth acquainting yourself with it.

To help those with non-compliant cars or motorcycles, the mayor has extended the £2,000 scrappage scheme to every Londoner. This has previously only been possible for those receiving certain benefits.

In this article, I cover:

• What is the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)?
• When does the ULEZ expansion 2023 come in?
• Is my vehicle ULEZ-compliant?
• Can I get money for scrapping my old car?
• Can I make my car ULEZ compliant and how much would it cost?

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What is ULEZ?

The Ultra Low Emission Zone is an area in which some diesel cars, and other vehicles that do not meet certain emissions standards, are liable for a daily charge.

It was introduced by London mayor Sadiq Khan in April 2019 to clean up the city’s toxic air. The aim is to discourage people with older and high-polluting vehicles from entering the capital.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, told The Sunday Times that he will be on the “right side of history” prior to August’s ULEZ expansion. 

How does ULEZ work?

Originally the scheme covered the same area of central London as the congestion zone. Now, however, the ULEZ has been expanded across all of London’s boroughs spanning from Enfield in the north to Croydon in the south, Hillingdon in the west, and Havering in the east.

• It operates every day of the week, 24 hours a day and every day of the year except Christmas Day
• It costs £12.50 a day to drive in the zone if your vehicle is a “polluter”
• The ULEZ is not the same as the congestion charge – the £15 fee you pay when you drive into central London

An unwary traveller could end up with a £27.50 bill to drive into central London.

The first expansion to ULEZ came in October 2021 when it covered the area roughly inside the North and South Circular (but not those roads themselves).

The second ULEZ expansion has seen it come into effect across all of London’s boroughs, spanning from Enfield in the north to Croydon in the south, Hillingdon in the west, and Havering in the east.

You can find a map of the current ULEZ zone on the government website.

How do you pay the ULEZ charge?

If you drive into the ULEZ, a camera will scan your vehicle’s number plate to check if your car complies with the minimum emissions standards (see below). Road signs will warn you before you enter the zone.

If your vehicle doesn’t meet the standards, you will be billed. You have until midnight on the third day following your journey to pay.

If you know your vehicle falls into the ULEZ charging category and that you will be entering the zone, you can pay up to 90 days in advance. There’s also an autopay option.

If you don’t register in advance or pay within the timeframes, you risk being hit with a ‘penalty charge’. This is a whopping £180 for most vehicles, though it’s halved if you pay within 14 days of the notice.

You can, of course, protest. If you still don’t pay, the bill rises to £270. See what happens next. 

Read more: Nine ways to save money on petrol

When does the ULEZ expansion 2023 start?

Drivers were given more than two years to prepare for the ULEZ roll-out in 2019. However, for the latest expansion – which came into force on 29 August – drivers have been given just nine months.

As for the new zone… well, it has prompted a debate about “What is London?” – with the new ULEZ boundaries stretching beyond even the more generous assessments of what constitutes Greater London.

The zone stretches from Biggin Hill in the southeast to Rickmansworth in the northwest. And from Waltham Abbey and Brentwood in Essex to Epsom in Surrey.

Which vehicles are ULEZ-compliant?

It’s not always straightforward to know if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant. As a general rule:

• Petrol-powered cars and vans must meet Euro 4 emission standards, which is generally the case for cars registered with DVLA after 2005.
• Diesel vehicles must meet Euro 6 standards, and this generally applies to vehicles registered since September 2015.
• All electric vehicles are exempt from ULEZ charges

You can check if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant on the government website. If you are a bus, coach or HGV driver then other standards apply.

‘I have a really old car, does that mean I have to pay the ULEZ charge?’

Not necessarily. Some vehicles achieved compliance with these standards earlier.

Oh, and if you have an older or classic car, you might be able to get an exemption. Here, though, we’re talking more than 40 years old.

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Who is eligible for the ULEZ scrappage scheme?

Since 21 August, all Londoners have been able to claim up to £2,000 if they choose to scrap their non-ULEZ-compliant car or motorcycle. Previously only those receiving certain benefits and on low incomes or with disabilities could get the cash.

If you are scrapping a non-compliant van, you could claim back between £5,000 to £7,000. Sole traders or small business operators can get up to £21,000 for a maximum of three vans.

If you’ve already scrapped a vehicle and were not eligible under the previous criteria at the time, you won’t be able to make a retroactive claim.

Find out more about the ULEZ scrappage scheme, including how to apply.

Are there ULEZ exemptions?

The latest extension has caused huge frustration among drivers both within and outside of the new zone, along with regular commuters into London.

People have contacted me to complain not just about the new radius, but also the:

• complexity of the payment systems
• appeals process for challenging fines
• exemptions
• information for people who live within the new boundaries

I must say, many of these complaints I find absolutely justified.

There are exemptions, though these are rather archly described as a ‘grace period’.

If my sister and my disabled niece Evie – who has a mobility vehicle – come to visit me, they can apply for a pass – but only until October 2027.

After this time, disabled people will have to pay even if they live within the zone. Which is a big chunk of disability or carer benefits.

Read more: How does car finance work?

Can I make my car ULEZ compliant and how much would it cost?

The short answer is yes, you can make changes to make your vehicle more ULEZ compliant. But is it worth it? Probably not.

The main two options are upgrading the exhaust or changing the engine. While these vary dramatically in cost depending on your vehicle, they both fall into the “very expensive” category.

Your modified vehicle will also need to undergo testing and recertification, which is also very pricey.

I’ve spoken to a lot of petrol heads, the majority of which tell me that they don’t see this as a viable option for most people, even if they drive in the zone every day. It is likely to be more cost-effective to trade in your vehicle for a more compliant one.

Will the ULEZ be rolled out in other cities and when?

There are a number of “Clean Air” schemes already in place or due to begin soon around the UK.

Most of these zones don’t charge for private cars or motorbikes yet but operate in similar ways to London’s ULEZ, though charging varies.

These include:

• Bath
• Birmingham
• Bradford
• Bristol
• Greater Manchester
• Portsmouth
• Sheffield
• Tyneside

Hang on, is this just greenwashing?

I live in Brixton in south London on one of the most polluted roads in the UK, so I have a vested interest in cleaning up dirty air. However, I’m currently inside the existing ULEZ and pollution rates are still far in excess of three key World Health Organisation limits.

Air is, of course, not static, but with no noticeable decrease in the toxins swirling around outside my window, it’s hard to know how much difference the ULEZ expansion will make to the quality of the atmosphere in London.

A study by the Greater London Authority (GLA) found that emissions of nitrogen oxides have fallen by 23% across the whole of London since the scheme was introduced in 2019.

And each day, the report says, 74,000 fewer polluting cars are seen in the zone – a cut of 60% since the expansion in October 2021. Now over 94% of vehicles using the ULEZ reportedly meet its emissions standards.

So introducing these penalties for polluting vehicles so far looks to be having a positive impact.

Of course, we are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. So the big question is, why now?

I’d argue that people should’ve be given more time to prepare and adapt for the introduction of the expansion in August – at least another six months. That would move us to a point where inflation has (hopefully) dropped closer to the Bank of England’s 2% target and energy prices have also fallen.

Read more: Cost of living payment: what am I entitled to?

Can I appeal or make a complaint about a ULEZ charge?

You can complain to TfL if you are unhappy with any aspect of the billing or service. It’s a three-stage process and there is the Local Government Ombudsman at the end of it.