Clean air zones
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-18)

Where you’ll find clean air zones, how to check if you’ll need to pay a charge and create a business account, and what support or exemptions are available.

To improve air quality, some local authorities are introducing clean air zones (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-quality-clean-air-zone-framework-for-england). If your vehicle exceeds emission standards, you may have to pay a charge if you drive in a clean air zone.

There’s a different way to check your vehicle if you want to drive in London’s low or ultra low emission zones (https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/).

The Mayor of London is responsible for the design and the delivery of the Ultra Low Emission Zone which covers almost all of the Greater London area.

Cities with clean air zones

There are different rules if you want to drive in a low emission zone in Scotland (https://www.lowemissionzones.scot/).

Types of clean air zones

There are 4 types of clean air zones, Class A to D.

Minimum emission standards

Each vehicle type has a minimum emission standard. You can find your vehicle’s emission standard in your vehicle log book or from your vehicle manufacturer.

To avoid being charged in a clean air zone, your vehicle must meet the following minimum standard:

Local authorities may set a different standard for taxis and private hire vehicles. You should always check if you will need to pay a charge or contact the local authority for more information.

Check and pay a charge

You can check if you’ll need to pay a charge for a vehicle before you drive in a clean air zone. If you’re a business, you can check and pay for multiple vehicles.

Use the online service to check or pay a charge (https://www.gov.uk/check-clean-air-zone-charge) in a clean air zone.

The zones operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

The charge period runs from midnight to midnight.

You must pay the charge by 11:59pm on the sixth day after driving into the zone. You can pay up to 6 days before you travel. If you do not pay the charge in this time, you may get a penalty charge notice (PCN).

The maximum payment that can be made in a single transaction is £5,000. Payments that exceed this limit will need to be split into separate transactions.

If you’re a business with multiple vehicles

Businesses that own or manage 2 or more UK registered vehicles can set up an account to check and pay charges for multiple vehicles. You can create an account when you check or pay online.

To create an account, you’ll need:
- your company name
- an email address
Once your account is set up, you can:
- upload multiple number plates from a spreadsheet (CSV) or add them one by one
- view what each vehicle will be charged in each clean air zone
- manage your vehicles – add and remove them
- add up to 10 team members to help manage the account
- set up an agreement to pay by bank account, ready for when charging starts
- view maps of the clean air zones, see when they are live and find out about exemptions
Exemptions

There are some national and local exemptions from the charge.

You’re automatically entitled to a national exemption, and do not have to pay a charge, if you have:
- a vehicle that’s ultra low emission
- a disabled passenger tax class vehicle
- a disabled tax class vehicle
- a military vehicle
- a historic vehicle
- a vehicle retrofitted with technology accredited by the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/service/clean-vehicle-retrofit-accreditation-scheme) (CVRAS)
- certain types of agricultural vehicles
You can find out more about local exemptions for driving in:
- Bath (https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/get-exemption-or-discount-baths-clean-air-zone)
- Birmingham (https://www.brumbreathes.co.uk/info/29/exemptions-3)
- Bradford (https://www.bradford.gov.uk/breathe-better-bradford/what-help-is-available/exemptions/)
- Bristol (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/bristol-caz/exemptions)
- Portsmouth (https://cleanerairportsmouth.co.uk/clean-air-zone-exemptions/)
- Sheffield (https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/pollution-nuisance/apply-local-exemption-or-discount-sheffields-clean-air-zone)
- Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) (https://www.breathe-cleanair.com/exemptions)
Refunds

You may be able to claim a refund if you paid the charge when you did not need to. Find out more about claiming a refund in:
- Bath (https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/CAZrefunds)
- Birmingham (https://www.brumbreathes.co.uk/info/32/charges-operation/34/paying-drive-clean-air-zone/3)
- Bristol (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/bristols-caz/apply-clean-air-zone-charge-refund)
- Portsmouth (https://cleanerairportsmouth.co.uk/charges/#refunds)
- Sheffield (https://refunds.sheffield.cazportal.com/)
- Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) (https://www.breathe-cleanair.com/faqs-refunds)
Get support to reduce your emissions

You can get support to reduce your emissions and stop paying clean air zone charges:
- the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-zero-emission-vehicles) offers a range of grants to help you choose cleaner vehicles
- find out how much money you can save on fuel by switching to an electric vehicle – make your next car electric (https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/electric-vehicles/)
- the Clean Air Fund provides support to individuals and businesses, for example local travel discounts, cycling to work schemes or vehicle upgrades – you can access it through your local authority
Your local authority may provide support to help you upgrade or replace your vehicle:
- Birmingham (https://www.brumbreathes.co.uk/homepage/7/financial-incentives)
- Bradford (https://www.bradford.gov.uk/breathe-better-bradford/what-help-is-available/what-help-is-available/)
- Bristol (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/bristol-caz/financial-support)
- Sheffield (https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/campaigns/clean-air-zone-sheffield#FinancialSupport)
- Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) (https://www.breathe-cleanair.com/vehicle-upgrade-grants)
Your local authority may also provide information about cycling and public transport options in clean air zones for:
- Birmingham (https://www.brumbreathes.co.uk/info/1/welcome/46/alternative-travel-options)
- Bradford (https://www.bradford.gov.uk/breathe-better-bradford/news-events-and-other-projects/what-else-is-being-done-to-improve-air-quality/)
- Bristol (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/get-free-active-travel-support)
- Portsmouth (https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/parking-roads-and-travel/travel/public-transport-information/)
- Sheffield (https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/travel-transport)
- Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) (https://newcastlegateshead.com/plan-your-visit/getting-around-newcastlegateshead)
Contact clean air zone support

You can get support if you cannot use the online service.

Clean air zone support Online contact form (https://contact.drive-clean-air-zone.service.gov.uk/) Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service (https://connect.interpreterslive.co.uk/vrs?ilc=DVLA) if you’re on a computer or to use the BSL service on a mobile or tablet you can download the Interpreters Live app from your app store Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm (except bank holidays) Saturday, 8am to 2pm Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Complaints

If you’re unhappy with the service provided, contact the department you’ve been dealing with.

If you’ve spoken to the department but your issue has not been resolved, find out how to complain (https://multiple-vehiclecheck-pay.drive-clean-air-zone.service.gov.uk/complaints_procedure).