ULEZ Guide for EV Drivers: Rules, Prices & Exemptions

What is a Clean Air Zone (CAZ)?

While ULEZ is an emissions standard that applies specifically to London, other cities around the UK have introduced similar schemes called Clean Air Zones (CAZ), with the same aim of reducing local emissions and improving air quality.

Aside from the fact that ULEZ only applies to London, the key difference between ULEZ and CAZs is that ULEZ operates on a flat daily charge of £12.50, whereas the charges for Clean Air Zones are set by the relevant local authority, and can vary considerably from one city to another.

There are four types of clean air zones set out by the government, with each type applying to different kinds of vehicles.

Here’s an overview of the different CAZ types and the vehicles that they include:

Class A: Buses, coaches, taxis, and private hire vehicles.

Class B: Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, and heavy goods vehicles.

Class C: Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans, and minibuses.

Class D: Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans, minibuses, and cars. The relevant local authority has the option to include motorcycles.

There are currently seven clean air zones in the UK, mostly in the C and D classes, including:

• Bath, Class C
• Birmingham, Class D
• Bradford, Class C
• Bristol, Class D
• Portsmouth, Class B 
• Sheffield, Class C
• Tyneside, Class C

How to Check if Your Car is ULEZ Compliant (2025 and Beyond)

Because fully-electric vehicles don’t produce any tailpipe emissions, they’re currently exempt from paying ULEZ charges. However, if you’re using a partially electric vehicle like a PHEV or a mild hybrid, your car may not meet the relevant emissions standards and you will need to pay the relevant charges.

To check whether your vehicle is ULEZ compliant, you can enter your reg into the Transport for London online vehicle checker at https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/.

When it comes to Clean Air Zones, you can use a similar tool provided by the national government to enter your reg and see what daily charges, if any, you’ll need to pay while travelling through different clean air zones around the UK: https://vehiclecheck.drive-clean-air-zone.service.gov.uk/vehicle_checkers/enter_details

ULEZ Pricing & Charges

Aside from lorries, coaches, and similar large vehicles, all cars that don’t meet ULEZ emissions standards currently pay the same charge of £12.50 per day. The window when the daily charges apply runs from 00:00 to 23:59, meaning that if you drive into the ULEZ at just before midnight and leave the next morning, you’ll be charged for both days

ULEZ Exemptions

As ULEZ charges are applied based on the emissions produced by specific vehicle models, fully electric EVs are totally exempt from ULEZ charges due to the fact they don’t produce tailpipe emissions and therefore don’t contribute to poor air quality.

Aside from EVs, there are certain classes of vehicles and drivers that are exempt from ULEZ charges, either permanently or under a grace period that will last up to a specific point in the future.

The current list of vehicles and drivers who are eligible for a ULEZ exemption or discount includes:

• Vehicles that have a “disabled” or “disabled passenger vehicle” tax class benefit registered with the DVLA.
• Wheelchair accessible vehicles.
• Drivers who receive disability benefits, or those who meet the relevant medical criteria.
• NHS patients clinically assessed to be too ill to travel (ULEZ charge reimbursement through the hospital where they’re being treated).
• London-licensed taxis.
• Minibuses used for community transport.
• Historic vehicles (vehicles built before 1973 and vehicles over 40 years old that are registered with the DVLA under a historic vehicle tax class)

How to Pay ULEZ Charges

Transport for London (TfL) manages ULEZ charges, and provides five methods of payment:

Auto Pay: Save your vehicle and payment details on a TfL account for automatic payment of any ULEZ or LEZ charges that you owe.

Online: Pay ULEZ charges as-and-when through TfL’s online payment portal.

TfL Pay to Drive in London App: An app that allows you to set up automatic payments or manually pay individual charges, as well as save your vehicle details and check your payment history.

London Road User Charging Account: An online account that allows you to set up automatic payments, with the option to share the account across multiple users and up to five separate vehicles.

Phone Payments: Alternatively, you can make payments over the phone Monday to Friday, 08:00-20:00. The number to make phone payments from the UK is 0343 222 2222, or +44 343 222 2222 internationally.

ULEZ vs LEZ vs Congestion Charge: Key Differences

Under current regulations, if you drive a fully electric EV, you can drive freely through London’s ULEZ and other cities’ CAZ zones without having to worry about paying the related charges. However, outside of these schemes, there are additional driving restrictions, terms, and charges you may need to be aware of when driving in London.

Here’s a closer look at Low Emission Zones (LEZ), congestion charges, and the key differences that separate these from ULEZ.