Clean Air Zones and the ULEZ Charge in London: Where UK Drivers Still Have to Pay in 2026
Driving in and around London can come with more than just fuel and parking costs. If your vehicle does not meet the required emissions standards, you may also need to pay the ULEZ Charge that London drivers have been dealing with across the capital.
But London is not the only place where drivers can face clean air charges. Other parts of England have their own Clean Air Zones, with different rules, vehicle standards and charges.
If you drive for Uber, Bolt or Wheely, each of these charges reduces your weekly earnings directly. This guide explains how much each charge costs, who has to pay, and where your car can drive for free.
Kia eNiro
£200/week
Kia Niro 2
£255/week
Mercedes Benz EQE
£400/week
Mercedes E300 2025
£425/week
Mercedes-Benz E300e
£320/week
Toyota Prius
£200/week
What Is the ULEZ Charge in London?
The Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ, is a London-wide road charging scheme designed to encourage the use of cleaner vehicles.
The zone currently covers ULEZ areas across all London boroughs and operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day. The M25 itself is outside the zone.
If your vehicle does not meet the required emissions standards and is not exempt, you generally need to pay the daily charge when driving within the zone. This applies to cars, motorcycles, vans and certain specialist vehicles within the relevant weight limits.
How Much is the ULEZ Charge in London?
The standard ULEZ charge for a non-compliant vehicle is £12.50 a day.
You only pay it when you drive the vehicle within the zone. A compliant vehicle does not have to pay the ULEZ charge simply because it is registered in London or because you regularly work in the capital.
The charging day runs from midnight to midnight. If you drive a non-compliant vehicle across two charging days, you can be charged for both days. A vehicle that remains parked inside the zone and is not driven does not incur the charge for that day.
You can pay up to 90 days in advance, or by midnight on the third day after your journey. If you pay late, you risk a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). You can only pay through TfL’s official website, the TfL Pay to Drive app or Auto Pay.
The ULEZ charge is separate from other London road charges. Depending on your route and the time you travel, you may also need to consider the Congestion Charge, Low Emission Zone or other road-user charges. TfL provides a vehicle and postcode checker so drivers can check which charges may apply to a particular journey.
The 2026 change is the Congestion Charge
The important London road-charge change in 2026 is the Congestion Charge, not ULEZ.
From 2 January 2026, the Congestion Charge rose to £18 a day when paid on the day of travel or in advance, or £21 if paid within three days after travel. The old 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount ended on 25 December 2025, so electric vehicles, including private hire vehicles (PHVs), are no longer fully exempt from the daily charge.
A new tiered Cleaner Vehicle Discount was introduced from 2 January 2026. Electric cars, including electric PHVs, can receive a 25% discount when registered for Auto Pay, bringing the daily charge down to £13.50. Without Auto Pay, the full £18 charge applies.
The Congestion Charge applies in central London from 07:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, and 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays. The two schemes are separate, so a non-compliant vehicle can be liable for both the ULEZ and Congestion Charge on the same day.
Scheme | Where it applies | Daily cost in 2026 |
ULEZ | All London boroughs, 24 hours a day | £12.50 (non-compliant cars only) |
Congestion Charge | Central London, during charging hours | £18 |
Electric car on Congestion Charge Auto Pay | Central London during charging hours | £13.50 |
Both together | Non-compliant car in central London during charging hours | £30.50 |
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Do I Need to Pay ULEZ?
The simplest way to find out is to check your vehicle against TfL’s ULEZ standards.
As a general guide, petrol cars need to meet Euro 4 standards, while diesel cars generally need to meet Euro 6. The only reliable answer for your car is TfL’s vehicle checker. Enter your number plate, and it tells you straight away.
Some vehicles and drivers can also qualify for discounts or temporary exemptions, so it is worth checking your individual circumstances rather than assuming you have to pay.
For PCO drivers, vehicle compliance is particularly important. From 1 January 2023, every PHV licensed in London for the first time must be zero-emission capable (ZEC) and meet the Euro 6 standard. Vehicles already licensed by TfL must be no more than 10 years old when they are re-licensed.
ULEZ Expansion: How Far Does the Zone Reach Now?
The expansion took place on 29 August 2023, when the zone grew to cover all London boroughs. Before that, the charging area was much smaller and had already gone through earlier expansion stages.
Today, drivers cannot simply avoid the charge by staying outside central London. If a non-compliant vehicle enters the ULEZ anywhere within its current boundary, the daily charge of £12.50 can apply.
This matters for drivers who work in outer London, travel to airports or pick up passengers in areas that were previously outside the charging zone. Checking your route before setting off can prevent an unexpected charge.
What About the Heathrow ULEZ Charge?
Heathrow is another area where drivers can easily confuse separate charges.
There is no special Heathrow ULEZ rate. The airport is inside London’s ULEZ, and all four main terminals, 2, 3, 4 and 5, fall within the zone, so drivers arriving in a non-compliant vehicle may need to pay the daily ULEZ charge.
Heathrow also has its own separate Terminal Drop-Off Charge, currently £7 each time a vehicle enters a designated terminal drop-off area.
So, a PCO driver taking a passenger to Heathrow could face the ULEZ charge if the vehicle is non-compliant, plus the separate Heathrow drop-off charge. A compliant car avoids the ULEZ charge, but it still pays the drop-off fee on every airport run.
How Are Clean Air Zones Different?
London’s ULEZ is not the same scheme as the Clean Air Zones used in other parts of England.
Clean Air Zones nationally are introduced by local authorities to improve air quality. The exact rules depend on the city, the class of the zone and the type of vehicle being driven. The official page of GOV.UK currently lists Clean Air Zones in Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside, covering Newcastle and Gateshead.
City | Class | Non-compliant private cars charged? |
Bath | C | No |
Birmingham | D | |
Bradford | C | No |
Bristol | D | |
Portsmouth | B | No |
Sheffield | C | No |
Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) | C | No |
The standard minimum is Euro 6 for diesel and Euro 4 for petrol, but local authorities can set a different standard for taxis and PHVs. If you take a long-distance booking, check before you travel. You can pay up to six days before your trip, and you must pay by 11:59 PM on the sixth day after.
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What About Scotland's Low Emission Zones?
Scotland uses Low Emission Zones rather than the English Clean Air Zone system.
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee have LEZs. Unlike London’s ULEZ, there is no daily payment option for entering a Scottish LEZ in a non-compliant vehicle.
Instead, drivers can receive a penalty for entering a Scottish LEZ in a non-compliant vehicle. The initial penalty for a light passenger vehicle is £60, reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days, with higher penalties for repeat contraventions.
What Does a Compliant Car Mean for Your Weekly Earnings?
For a driver using a non-compliant vehicle six days a week, ULEZ alone could add £75 to a week. Across 50 working weeks, that is £3,750, before any Congestion Charge or airport fees.
A compliant car pays £0 in ULEZ charges, anywhere in London, on any day. Nearly 97% of vehicles seen driving in London on an average day now meet ULEZ emissions standards, up from 39% in 2017, so most drivers do not need to pay the daily charge.
The Congestion Charge is different because it can apply to compliant vehicles too. Electric cars registered for Auto Pay can access the reduced £13.50 rate during charging hours.
Keep Your PCO Driving Costs Predictable
Clean air charges are only one part of your total driving costs. Fuel, servicing, insurance, downtime and vehicle hire can all affect what you take home.
Fleeto offers flexible PCO car hire and rent-to-buy options, with every electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid car in the fleet meeting ULEZ requirements. With maintained, TfL-compliant vehicles and ULEZ-ready options, drivers can keep vehicle costs more predictable while staying prepared for changing road-charge rules.
Conclusion
The ULEZ Charge London is an important cost for drivers using a non-compliant vehicle within the zone. With the ULEZ covering all London boroughs, the charge can apply well beyond central London, including journeys to Heathrow.
London is not the only place to watch. Clean Air Zones in England and Low Emission Zones in Scotland operate under different rules, so drivers travelling outside the capital need to check each area before setting off.
For PCO drivers, choosing a compliant vehicle can make daily costs easier to manage and reduce the risk of unexpected clean air charges while working across London. Fleeto gives drivers access to vehicle options designed for PCO work, making it easier to stay prepared for London’s changing road-charge requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be charged both ULEZ and the Congestion Charge on the same journey?
Yes. The two schemes are separate. If you drive a non-compliant vehicle into the Congestion Charge zone during charging hours, you may need to pay both charges.
Does driving to Heathrow mean I have to pay the ULEZ charge?
Not necessarily. Heathrow is within the ULEZ, so the charge only applies if your vehicle is non-compliant. The separate Heathrow Terminal Drop-Off Charge can still apply to vehicles entering the designated drop-off areas.
Does the ULEZ apply on the M25?
No. The M25 itself is outside the ULEZ. However, some roads and destinations around the motorway are within the ULEZ, so it is worth checking your route before travelling.
Do Clean Air Zones in other cities use the same rules as London's ULEZ?
No. Clean Air Zones have their own classes, charges and vehicle requirements. Taxi and PHV rules can also vary between local authorities, so drivers should check the specific zone before taking a booking there.
Can a PCO driver avoid ULEZ charges with a compliant vehicle?
Yes. A vehicle that meets the ULEZ emissions standards does not have to pay the daily ULEZ charge when driven within the zone. However, other charges, such as the Congestion Charge or Heathrow’s Terminal Drop-Off Charge, can still apply.
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