ULEZ van checker - Will you have to pay the low emissions charge?
The Honest John ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) vehicle checker is a tool to check if your vehicle meets the ULEZ standards. Any that meets the ULEZ standard will be able to travel in the zone without paying the ULEZ charge. For diesel vans the Euro6 standard was introduced on new vans sold from September 2016.
How to avoid the ULEZ fee
What is the Ultra Low Emissions Zone?
The Ultra Low Emission Zone is the first major clean air initiative to be launched in the UK. Since 8 April, drivers of the oldest and most-polluting vans have to pay an extra £12.50 (on top of the Congestion Charge) to enter central London.
Poor air quality is a big problem in London, with air pollution linked to 10,000 premature deaths in the capital every year. To combat this Transport for London (TfL) has created ultra clean air zones, to reduce harmful vehicle emissions and make life better for people living with heart, lung and breathing problems.
The ULEZ operates 24 hours a day (midnight to midnight), seven days a week, 365 days a year, within the same area as the Congestion Charging Zone. In October 2021 it’ll be expanded up to the North and South Circular.
ULEZ - Check your vehicle
Use our ULEZ checker to find out if your van or pick-up is subject to ULEZ charges. Simply enter your vehicle registration (number plate) into the Honest John ULEZ checker to see if you will have to pay to enter the London Ultra Low Emission Zone.
Please note: Vehicle data for the ULEZ checker is sourced from Transport for London (TfL) and ULEZ standards are based on the declared emissions of the vehicle and not the age.
What does the ULEZ cover?
The ULEZ operates 24 hours a day within the same area as the Congestion Charging Zone. In 2021 it’ll be expanded up to the North and South Circular.
Which vans and pick-ups are exempt from ULEZ fees
The Ultra Low Emissions Zone standards are based on the declared emissions of the vehicle and not the age. This means some older vans and pick-ups, with exceptionally low emissions for particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), will be exempt from ULEZ charging.
Most diesel vans that are older than four years (that do not meet Euro6 emission limits) will have to pay the ULEZ fee. The majority of petrols older than 13 years will also be charged.
Vehicle owners should be able to see the declared Euro emission rating on the V5C (logbook) in section D2.
|
Fuel |
Emissions standard |
Age of vehicle |
| Diesel | Euro 6 | Registered after September 2015 |
| Petrol | Euro 4 | Registered after 2005 |
How do I pay the fee, and what happens if I forget?
You can pay the £12.50 fee online, over the phone or via the TfL smartphone app. Drivers can also register for an auto pay service, but this has a £10 admin fee. If the van doesn’t meet the ULEZ standards, and the daily charge is not paid, a penalty charge of £160 will be issued to the registered keeper of the van. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.
The Congestion Charge remains separate and is in force in central London from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The Congestion Zone will not change when the ULEZ expands to the North and South Circular in 2021.
How will Transport for London know if I’ve paid or not?
Like the Congestion Charge, the ULEZ will be monitored with ANPR (automatic numberplate recognition) cameras. Each time you enter and leave the zone, it will be logged.
ULEZ discounts
Drivers who live within the boundaries of the ULEZ will be exempt from the fee, but only for a limited period of time. Residents who claim the residents' Congestion Charge discount get a ‘sunset period’ to change their vehicle until October 2021. At the end of this timeframe residents will be liable for the full daily charge each time they use their vehicle on the public road within the North and South Circular.
Blue Badge holders will be charged from 8 April 2019 unless their vehicle meets the new ULEZ emission standards or is registered with the DVLA as a 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle'.
Disabled tax class vehicles and specially adapted private hire vehicles in the expanded ULEZ have until October 2025 to replace their vehicles. Similarly, charities have been given until October 2023.
How do the ULEZ rules affect Taxis?
Since January 2018, all taxis presented for licensing for the first time in London need to be zero emission capable and emit no more than 50g/km CO2, with a minimum 30 mile zero emission range. This means new diesels no longer qualify for a licence.
Transport for London and the Government have a grant in place to help taxi drivers buy a new, cleaner vehicle. The grant will pay 20 per cent towards the purchase price, up to a maximum of £7500. The grant is deducted from the price of the vehicle at the point of sale by the dealership.
Claim up to £6000 under the ULEZ scrappage scheme
The ULEZ scrappage scheme allows small businesses to apply for a grant to scrap up to three vans and switch to a newer, cleaner vehicles. Charities can also claim the grant when they scrap up to three minibuses.
Option 1: £3500 grant for frequent users of the Congestion Charging Zone
To qualify: The vehicle must be a pre-Euro6 small van or charity-owned minibus that does not meet the ULEZ rules. It must also have been driven within the Congestion Charge Zone a minimum of 52 times over the past six months - TfL will confirm this by checking the vehicles payment history within the Congestion Zone.
Option 2: £3500 grant for purchase/lease of Euro6 van or minibus
To qualify: The small van or charity-owned minibus must not meet ULEZ standards and be replaced with a Euro6 van/minibus.
Option 3: £6000 contribution towards purchase and running costs of an electric vehicle
To qualify: Scrapped vehicle must not meet ULEZ standards and be replaced with an electric van or minibus. Grant payment is made up of £3500 for scrappage, plus a £2500 contribution towards running costs (including insurance) of a replacement electric vehicle(s).
Important
To claim any of the TfL grants, the scrapped van or minibus must have been registered to the organisation for more than 12 months before 22 February 2019. It must also be insured for business use, have valid road tax with MoT and be scrapped at an approved Transport for London facility.
Small businesses/charities must also be able to prove they are registered at an address in a borough or the City of London. Businesses must have 10 or less employees and be VAT registered or logged as an active company with Companies House. Similarly, charities must be registered as active with the Charity Commission.
How can a Euro5 diesel van be ULEZ compliant?
Do I need to get a new van to comply with Euro6?
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