Is My Car ULEZ Compliant?

ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) is a London-based scheme designed to reduce air pollution by charging drivers of higher-emission vehicles. If your car doesn’t meet the required standards, you may be charged a daily fee when driving within the zone.

Understanding whether your vehicle is compliant is important, especially if you regularly drive in or around London.

Is My Vehicle ULEZ Compliant?

You can check if your car is ULEZ compliant by entering your registration number into an online ULEZ checker, which will confirm whether your vehicle meets emissions standards or must pay the daily charge. The easiest way to check if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant is by using an online checker that matches your registration number against emissions standards.

Most tools will tell you instantly whether your vehicle:

• Meets ULEZ standards
• Will be charged the daily fee
• Is exempt (for example, electric vehicles)

These checkers use official emissions data to determine compliance.

How Can I Find Out If My Car Is ULEZ Compliant

You can find out if your car is ULEZ compliant by checking its Euro emissions standard or using a ULEZ checker that compares your registration against TfL rules. 

ULEZ compliance is based on your vehicle’s emissions standard, not just age alone.

In general:

• Petrol cars must meet Euro 4 standards (usually registered after 2005)
• Diesel cars must meet Euro 6 standards (usually registered after 2015)
• Electric vehicles are automatically compliant

Transport for London (TfL) confirms compliance using DVLA emissions data, which powers official and third-party checkers.

You can also check manually using your vehicle logbook (V5C), which lists emissions details.

What happens if my car is not ULEZ compliant?

If your vehicle does not meet ULEZ standards and you drive within the zone, you will be charged a daily fee.

Current charges are:

• £12.50 per day for cars, vans, and motorcycles
• Higher charges for larger vehicles

These charges apply 24/7, including weekends and public holidays.

Can I still drive a non-compliant car in London?

Yes — but you will need to pay the daily charge each time you enter the zone.

If you regularly drive in London, it may be more cost-effective to:

• Upgrade to a compliant vehicle
• Use public transport
• Hire a compliant vehicle when needed

Abacus Vehicle Hire – Important ULEZ Information

At Abacus Vehicle Hire, we want to make sure customers are fully aware of how ULEZ charges may affect journeys into London.

To help improve air quality, an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is in place in central London covering the same area as the London Congestion Charging Zone (CCZ). Most vehicles, including cars and vans, must meet strict exhaust emission standards (ULEZ standards) or they will be liable for a daily charge when entering the zone.

The ULEZ operates from midnight to midnight, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The daily charge is £12.50 for cars and vans and £100 for lorries. If the charge is not paid, the penalty is £160 for cars and vans and £1,000 for lorries.

If you intend going into London, it is vitally important that you let us know so we can allocate a vehicle to you that will not incur any charges.