Checking Car ULEZ Compliance

author: FutureCar Staff    

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is set to expand and cover almost all of Greater London starting today, August 29, 2023. The expansion, originally proposed by Boris Johnson during his tenure as Mayor of London, is being implemented by the current mayor, Sadiq Khan. The ULEZ measures are in place 24 hours a day and aim to improve the air quality in London by discouraging drivers of older and more polluting vehicles from entering the city.

Currently, vehicles that meet the ULEZ emissions standards are not required to pay a daily charge to drive in London. However, it is important to know who is exempt from the ULEZ charge. If you want to find out if you will be exempt from paying ULEZ fees after the expansion, continue reading below.

To meet the ULEZ emissions standard, your vehicle must comply with the required Euro emissions standard for your vehicle and emission type. The Euro emissions standard for newer vehicles can be found in section D.2 of your vehicle log book (V5C). The current ULEZ standards, according to the TfL website, are as follows:

• Euro 3 for motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles, and quadricycles (L category)
• Euro 4 (NOx) for petrol cars, vans, minibuses, and other specialist vehicles
• Euro 6 (NOx and PM) for diesel cars, vans, minibuses, and other specialist vehicles

Most petrol vehicles under 16 years old or diesel vehicles under 6 years old already meet these emissions standards. Additionally, lorries, vans, and specialist heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), as well as buses, minibuses, and coaches over 5 tonnes GVW, are not required to pay the ULEZ charge.

However, the expansion of ULEZ has faced opposition, and protestors gathered on August 26 to voice their complaints.

If you are wondering who is exempt from the ULEZ charge, you can use the free vehicle checker on TfL's website to check if your vehicle is compatible with ULEZ regulations. Simply enter your car's registration number, and the system will determine if your car meets the required standards. While TfL encourages the use of vehicles that meet the new emissions standards, drivers of cars more than 40 years old can apply for a rolling exemption from the fees. London-licensed taxis and vehicles built for specialist purposes, such as agriculture or the military, are also exempt from paying ULEZ charges.

To assist disabled Londoners and community transport providers in preparing for the expansion, the existing ULEZ grace periods (temporary exemptions) have been extended until October 24, 2027. Designated wheelchair-accessible private hire vehicles will be exempt from ULEZ fees until October 26, 2025. Drivers over the state pension age can also apply for the extended grace period, even if their vehicle is not registered with the DVLA, provided they hold a Blue Badge and receive Attendance Allowance.

In certain cases, it may be possible to claim back ULEZ charges. For example, NHS patients who are clinically assessed as too ill to travel on public transport may be eligible for a refund of congestion charges. Your hospital will provide information on eligibility.

The ULEZ charges are applicable from midnight to midnight every day, except on Christmas Day. If you are required to pay the charge, you can do so up to 90 days prior to your trip or within three days after the journey. Currently, the daily ULEZ charge is £12.50 for cars, motorcycles, vans, and specialist vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, as well as minibuses up to 5 tonnes. Failure to pay the ULEZ charge may result in a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). To avoid this, you can set up Auto Pay on the Transport for London (TfL) website, which also automatically bills you for the congestion charge in the capital. If the ULEZ charge is not paid on time, drivers will receive a £160 penalty, which can be halved if paid within 14 days.

FutureCar Staff