07/09/2026
London ULEZ: Cost, boundaries and Congestion Charge rules
Written By David Ross
The Ultra Low Emission Zone, usually called ULEZ, is the area of London where vehicles that do not meet minimum emissions standards must pay a daily charge to drive.
ULEZ applies to cars, motorcycles, vans, minibuses and some specialist vehicles. It was first introduced in central London in 2019, then expanded in 2021 to cover the area inside the North and South Circular roads. In August 2023, it was expanded again to cover all London boroughs.
For 2026, the main rule is simple: if your vehicle does not meet the ULEZ emissions standards and is not exempt, you need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone. TfL says the ULEZ operates across all London boroughs and does not include the M25.
ULEZ charges 2026: daily costs for cars, vans and motorcycles
The daily ULEZ charge for non-compliant cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles up to and including 3.5 tonnes is £12.50. It also applies to minibuses up to and including 5 tonnes if they do not meet the standard.
Motorcycles, mopeds and similar vehicles Euro 3: £12.50
Petrol cars Euro 4: £12.50
Diesel cars Euro 6: £12.50
Petrol vans and minibuses Euro 4: £12.50
Diesel vans and minibuses Euro 6: £12.50
Larger lorries, buses and coaches: LEZ charge may apply
The registration dates often quoted for ULEZ compliance are only a guide. A petrol car registered from around 2006 is likely to meet Euro 4, and a diesel car registered from around September 2015 is likely to meet Euro 6, but TfL bases compliance on the declared emissions of the vehicle. The safest way to check is to use TfL’s official vehicle checker.
How to pay the ULEZ charge and avoid a penalty
You can pay the ULEZ charge through TfL’s official Pay to Drive in London service. TfL says you can pay the Congestion Charge and ULEZ charge for up to three previous days, today, the next day or for a custom date range.
You can also set up Auto Pay, which automatically charges you when your vehicle is driven in a charging zone.
Avoid unofficial payment websites. They may charge extra fees and may not pay TfL correctly on your behalf.
London driving charges 2026: ULEZ vs Congestion Charge
ULEZ and the Congestion Charge are separate schemes.
ULEZ is about vehicle emissions. If your vehicle does not meet the required emissions standard, you pay £12.50 per day to drive within the ULEZ area.
The Congestion Charge is about reducing traffic in central London. It applies only in the Congestion Charge zone and only during its operating hours.
If you drive a non-compliant car into the central Congestion Charge zone during charging hours, you may need to pay both charges. If your vehicle is ULEZ-compliant, you do not pay ULEZ, but you may still need to pay the Congestion Charge.
Is ULEZ changing in 2026?
The main ULEZ zone and charge remain the same under current TfL guidance: ULEZ covers all London boroughs, runs 24 hours a day except Christmas Day, and costs £12.50 per day for non-compliant cars, motorcycles, vans and relevant specialist vehicles.
The bigger 2026 change affects the Congestion Charge, not ULEZ. The previous 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount for electric vehicles has ended, and TfL has introduced a new tiered Cleaner Vehicle Discount for eligible electric vehicles registered on Auto Pay. Electric cars on Auto Pay receive a 25% discount, while electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles receive a 50% discount.
London ULEZ boundaries: is my area inside the zone in 2026?
ULEZ covers all London boroughs and the City of London. The M25 itself is not part of the zone, although many roads inside Greater London are covered.
The zone includes many places that visitors may not think of as central London, including Heathrow Airport, Wembley, Twickenham, Wimbledon and Chessington World of Adventures. Watford is outside Greater London, so it is not inside the London ULEZ.
A small number of postcodes can sit close to the boundary, so use TfL’s official postcode or map checker before travelling if you are unsure. TfL says its postcode checker can be used to see whether an address is inside one or more charging zones.
When does the London Ultra Low Emission Zone operate?
ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year except Christmas Day.
The charging day runs from midnight to midnight. If you drive a non-compliant vehicle in the zone before midnight and again after midnight, you may need to pay for two charging days. TfL gives this same midnight-to-midnight warning for vehicles driven across two days.
Which petrol and diesel cars are ULEZ-compliant in 2026?
Petrol cars generally need to meet Euro 4 emissions standards. Diesel cars generally need to meet Euro 6 standards. TfL lists the minimum standards for cars as Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel, with enforcement based on declared emissions rather than registration year alone.
As a rough guide:
most petrol cars registered from 2006 onwards are likely to be compliant
most diesel cars registered from September 2015 onwards are likely to be compliant
some older petrol cars may still be compliant
some vehicles may need their emissions details checked manually
Do not rely only on age or fuel type. Use the official TfL checker with your registration number.
Do hybrid cars pay the ULEZ charge?
Hybrid cars are judged by their emissions standard, not just by the fact they are hybrid.
Most modern petrol hybrids are likely to be ULEZ-compliant because they usually meet Euro 4 or better. Diesel hybrids need to meet Euro 6. Plug-in hybrids are also assessed against the relevant emissions standard.
If you are looking at a used hybrid hatchback for London, check the exact registration on TfL’s official vehicle checker before buying. A Volkswagen Golf GTE, Audi A3 TFSI e, Skoda Octavia iV or Cupra Leon e-Hybrid may be ULEZ-compliant, but the only reliable answer is the official registration check.
Do electric cars pay the ULEZ charge?
No. Electric cars do not pay the ULEZ charge because they produce no tailpipe emissions.
However, ULEZ is not the same as the Congestion Charge. An electric car may still need to pay the Congestion Charge if it enters the Congestion Charge zone during charging hours, unless it qualifies for a discount.
Do I still have to pay the Congestion Charge as well as ULEZ?
Yes, if both charges apply to your journey.
The Congestion Charge applies in central London during its operating hours. TfL lists the Congestion Charge charging times as 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and midday to 6pm on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. There is no Congestion Charge between Christmas Day and the New Year’s Day bank holiday, inclusive.
If your vehicle is not ULEZ-compliant and you drive into the Congestion Charge zone during charging hours, you may need to pay both the ULEZ charge and the Congestion Charge.
Do electric cars pay the Congestion Charge in 2026?
Yes, electric cars may now pay the Congestion Charge, but eligible vehicles registered on Auto Pay can receive a discount.
TfL says the previous 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount has ended. From 2 January 2026, a new Cleaner Vehicle Discount gives electric cars registered on Auto Pay a 25% discount on the daily Congestion Charge. Electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles registered on Auto Pay receive a 50% discount.
TfL says this makes the daily Congestion Charge £13.50 for electric cars instead of £18, and £9 for electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles instead of £18. The discount only applies if the eligible electric vehicle is registered on Auto Pay.
ULEZ Penalty Charge Notice: fine amounts and how to appeal
If you drive a non-compliant vehicle in the ULEZ and do not pay the daily charge on time, you may receive a Penalty Charge Notice.
TfL lists the ULEZ penalty charge for vans, minibuses and related vehicles as £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
If you think the PCN is wrong, you can challenge it. Possible reasons include an incorrect vehicle record, proof that the charge was paid, evidence that the vehicle was not in the zone, or evidence that the vehicle had been stolen.
Do not ignore the notice. If you do not pay or challenge it in time, the amount can increase.
What vehicles are exempt from ULEZ?
Some vehicles and drivers qualify for discounts, grace periods or exemptions.
Blue Badge holders do not automatically get a ULEZ exemption for any vehicle. However, some disabled tax class vehicles, wheelchair-accessible vehicles and people receiving certain disability benefits may qualify for temporary grace periods or discounts, depending on TfL rules.
NHS patients who are too ill to travel by public transport may be able to claim back ULEZ and Congestion Charge costs in some circumstances. Check with the hospital before travelling.
London-licensed taxis have separate rules. Some specialist vehicles, military vehicles, agricultural vehicles and certain non-road-going vehicles may also be exempt or treated differently.
If you think your vehicle qualifies, check and register with TfL where required before driving in the zone.
If I live in London do I get a discount for ULEZ?
Living in London does not automatically give you a ULEZ discount.
TfL says residents of the ULEZ still need to pay the £12.50 daily charge if they drive a vehicle within the zone that does not meet the emissions standards. You do not need to pay on a day when a non-compliant vehicle is parked inside the zone and not driven.
Congestion Charge residents’ discounts are separate and only apply to qualifying residents within the Congestion Charge residents’ discount zone.
How is ULEZ monitored?
ULEZ is enforced using cameras that read vehicle number plates.
TfL checks the registration against vehicle emissions data, exemptions, discounts and payment records. If a non-compliant vehicle is driven in the zone and the charge is not paid, a PCN may be issued to the registered keeper.
Make sure the registration number is entered correctly when paying or checking a vehicle. One wrong character can lead to problems.
Congestion Charge for electric cars: why EVs may still pay
Electric cars are exempt from ULEZ, but they are no longer fully exempt from the Congestion Charge.
The previous 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount has ended. The current 2026 system gives a partial discount to eligible electric vehicles on Auto Pay, rather than removing the charge entirely. TfL says the discount will reduce again from 4 March 2030, with electric cars on Auto Pay moving to a 12.5% discount and electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles moving to a 25% discount.
The important point is that an electric car can be ULEZ-exempt but still liable for the Congestion Charge.
Classic car ULEZ exemption: the 40-year rolling rule explained
Historic vehicles can be exempt from ULEZ if they are in the historic vehicle tax class and are not used commercially.
The historic vehicle rule is based on a rolling 40-year age threshold. If your vehicle qualifies, you may need to make sure it is correctly registered with DVLA and recognised by TfL before relying on the exemption.
If your vehicle is registered outside the UK, you may still need to register it with TfL before travelling, even if it meets the standards or qualifies for an exemption. TfL says owners of non-UK registered vehicles need to meet the standards or pay the charge, and vehicles need to be registered with TfL even if they meet the emissions standards.
What this means for you
If you are driving in London in 2026, check three things before you travel: whether your vehicle is ULEZ-compliant, whether your route enters the Congestion Charge zone, and whether any discounts or exemptions apply.
ULEZ is £12.50 per day for non-compliant cars, motorcycles, vans and relevant specialist vehicles. It operates across all London boroughs, 24 hours a day, except Christmas Day. The Congestion Charge is separate, and electric cars may still need to pay it unless they qualify for the new Auto Pay discount.
The safest approach is to use TfL’s official checker and payment service before travelling.
The ULEZ charge is £12.50 per day for non-compliant cars, motorcycles, vans and relevant specialist vehicles. It applies only if the vehicle does not meet the required emissions standard and is not exempt.
Yes. ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day.
Under current TfL guidance, ULEZ already covers all London boroughs and the City of London. The M25 is not in the zone.
No. Electric cars are not liable for the ULEZ charge because they have no tailpipe emissions. They may still need to pay the Congestion Charge if they enter the Congestion Charge zone during charging hours, although eligible electric vehicles on Auto Pay can receive a discount.
TfL lists the ULEZ penalty charge as £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
Use TfL’s official vehicle checker. The broad rule is Euro 4 for petrol cars and Euro 6 for diesel cars, but the checker is the most reliable way to confirm whether a specific vehicle needs to pay.
Not automatically. Blue Badge holders may still need to pay ULEZ if their vehicle does not meet the emissions standards, unless they qualify for a specific grace period, discount or exemption.
Yes. Heathrow is within Greater London and is inside the ULEZ area.
Yes. Chessington World of Adventures is within Greater London and is inside the ULEZ area.
No. Watford is outside Greater London and is not inside the London ULEZ. However, always check your route because nearby roads inside London may be covered.