Is my car Ulez compliant? How to check your vehicle, map of the new London zone and where to pay a charge

A capital-wide scheme to cut air pollution is to be expanded this week bringing all the London borough’s within it and spreading to the borders with the home counties.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) has already been up and running in central London since 2019 and expanded up to the boundaries of the North and South circular roads in 2021.

But from Tuesday 29 August it will encompass the entire area of Greater London, bringing an additional five million people into the zone.

It means most non-Ulez compliant vehicles that enter the zone will have to pay a charge.

Here is how to check if your vehicle is compliant, where the zone applies and how to pay.

Is my vehicle Ulez compliant?

A Ulez-compliant car is one which meets the requirements to drive into the Ultra Low Emissions Zone without being charged a fee.

The standards apply to cars, motorbikes, vans, specialist vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and mini-buses up to 5 tonnes.

Petrol cars with engines compliant with Euro 4 emissions regulations, which were introduced in 2006, do not need to pay the Ulez charge.

Diesel-powered cars are only exempt from the charge if the engine adheres to Euro 6 vehicle emission rules, which came into force in September 2015.

If your diesel car is older than that, it’s possible it will be subject to the Ulez charge.

Electric cars and cars which are more than 40 years old are exempt from ULEZ charges.

To check whether your vehicle meets the emissions and safety standards threshold, you can enter your registration number into the Transport for London website.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said nine out of ten cars seen driving in outer London on an average day won’t be affected.

And for those who are affected, he has launched a £110m scrappage scheme to help eligible Londoners prepare for the expansion.

Ulez exemptions will be in place until 2025 for community transport vehicles and until 2027 for people receiving certain disability benefits and vehicles specifically for people with disabilities.

Where the new London zone will cover

The Ulez scheme currently covers the whole of London within the boundaries of the North and South circular roads.

From the 29 August, it will cover all 32 London boroughs as well as the City of London taking the scheme up to the borders of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Kent and Essex.

Where do you pay the Ulez charge?

The Ulez is in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year except Christmas Day.

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.

This charge must be paid by midnight on the third day following your journey in Ulez.

It can be paid online through the Transport for London (TfL) payment portal, you can set up an Auto Pay account or you can use the TfL Pay to Drive in London app.

Those who do not pay the charge face a fine of up to £180.

The Mayor of London has said any net revenue raised by the Ulez is guaranteed to be invested in improving the transport network in London.