Will you be charged for driving into London, Birmingham or Bristol? It depends on your car’s emissions, not its age, and the rules differ from city to city. This guide uses Transport for London, GOV.UK and the Birmingham and Bristol council pages, checked on 22 October 2026.
What is the ULEZ in London?
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day except Christmas Day. It covers all London boroughs and does not include the M25. If your vehicle does not meet the ULEZ emissions standard and is not exempt, you pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone. It applies to cars, motorcycles, vans and some specialist vehicles.
Which cars meet the ULEZ standard?
| Fuel | Minimum standard | Cars that generally meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | Euro 4 (NOx) | Generally first registered after 2005, although some meeting the standard have been available since 2001 |
| Diesel | Euro 6 (NOx and PM) | Generally first registered after September 2015 |
TfL enforces the rule on the car’s declared emissions, not its age, so the years above are a guide only. Use the official vehicle checker with your number plate to be sure.
How does the ULEZ charge work?
- A daily charge runs from midnight to midnight. If you drive in the zone before and after midnight, you pay two charges.
- The penalty charge is £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
- These charges are in addition to any Congestion Charge or tunnel charges.
As a quick illustration of how it adds up: £12.50 a day over 250 working days is £3,125 a year. That is simple multiplication, not a prediction, but it shows why checking your car matters before you commute into the zone.
What are Clean Air Zones outside London?
GOV.UK lists seven Clean Air Zones in England: Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead). You might need to pay if your vehicle does not meet the emissions standard for that zone. You can check any UK-registered vehicle and pay online with the number plate through the GOV.UK clean air zone service. Support is on 0300 029 8888.
Which Clean Air Zones charge private cars?
Not all of them. From the council pages and guides we checked:
| Zone | Charges private cars? | Daily charge for a non-compliant car |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Yes | £8 |
| Bristol | Yes | £9 |
| Bath, Bradford, Sheffield, Tyneside | No (these zones target buses, taxis, vans and lorries) | None |
| Portsmouth | No (a lower-level zone) | None |
In Birmingham and Bristol the standard is Euro 4 or better for petrol cars and Euro 6 or better for diesel cars, and the council pages list a £120 penalty charge reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. The Birmingham and Bristol amounts come from council pages, and the “no charge” rows for the other zones come from motoring guides rather than each council, so always confirm with the official checker before you drive in.
What about Scotland?
GOV.UK notes there are separate low emission zones in Scotland, with their own checker. We have not covered them here.
What we cannot tell you
Charges, boundaries and exemptions change, and councils can add new zones. This guide is a starting point, not a legal check on your journey, and we have not covered discounts or exemptions in detail.
Quick checklist
- Enter your number plate in the TfL checker for London or the GOV.UK service for Clean Air Zones.
- Remember the day runs midnight to midnight, so a late-night journey can cost two days.
- Add any zone charges you expect to your yearly costs in our running cost calculator.
- If you are buying a used car, check the zone rules for your commute first.
See also: car tax explained and MOT explained.