ULEZ Checker by Reg

Enter any UK registration to see if the car likely meets ULEZ standards. Free and instant, worked out from DVLA records.

How do I check if a car meets ULEZ?

Enter the registration above. We use the fuel type, the Euro emissions standard and the first registration date from DVLA records to say whether the car likely meets the ULEZ standard. It is a guide, so confirm it with TfL's official vehicle checker before you drive into London.

What is ULEZ?

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is a London zone where vehicles must meet an exhaust emissions standard, or the driver pays a daily charge. TfL says it operates across all London boroughs, 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. The daily charge was £12.50 when we checked the TfL ULEZ page on 19 October 2026, so confirm the current amount there.

The rule of thumb

  • Petrol cars need Euro 4, which applies to most petrol cars registered from 2006.
  • Diesel cars need Euro 6, which TfL says diesel cars that meet the standard are generally those first registered as new after September 2015.
  • Vehicles built before 1 January 1973 are exempt, and so are some over 40 years old in the historic vehicle tax class.
  • Motorcycles need Euro 3, which bikes registered from July 2007 generally meet.
  • Fully electric vehicles meet the standard.

Cars from the years either side of those dates can go either way, which is when this page says it cannot tell from the records. TfL's vehicle checker gives the definitive answer.

Other clean air zones

London is not the only place with an emissions zone, and the others have different rules. In England, GOV.UK lists Clean Air Zones in Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside. Birmingham and Bristol are Class D zones that can charge older cars. Bath, Bradford, Sheffield and Tyneside are Class C zones that cover taxis, private hire vehicles, minibuses, vans, buses and lorries but not private cars, and Portsmouth is Class B (taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches and lorries). Scotland's low emission zones in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow apply to cars, with penalty charges for non-compliant vehicles. This checker covers the London ULEZ only, so check the local council's rules for any other city you plan to drive into.

Thinking of buying? A ULEZ pass is one thing. Run a free car check for MOT history, a free car tax check, or a full history check for finance, write-off and stolen records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ULEZ checks on Carhealth

Enter the registration number above. We read the fuel type, Euro emissions standard (when DVLA holds one) and first registration date from DVLA records and tell you whether the car likely meets the ULEZ standard. For the definitive answer, use the official vehicle checker on the Transport for London (TfL) website.

No. It is a guide worked out from DVLA records. Some cars do not match the usual rule for their age, and some are exempt or have a discount. TfL's vehicle checker is the one that decides whether you pay the charge, so check there before you drive into the zone.

As a rule of thumb, petrol cars need Euro 4, which applies to most petrol cars registered from 2006. Diesel cars need Euro 6, which TfL says diesel cars that meet the standard are generally those first registered as new after September 2015. Motorcycles need Euro 3, which bikes registered from July 2007 generally meet. Fully electric vehicles meet the standard. Vehicles built before 1 January 1973 are exempt.

TfL says the zone operates across all London boroughs, every day of the year except Christmas Day, and does not include the M25. Other UK cities have their own clean air zones or low emission zones with different rules, so check the local council's rules for any city you drive into.

Either the fuel type or registration date is not held, or the vehicle was registered in a period when some met the standard and some did not (for example petrol cars from 2001 to 2005, diesel cars from 2014 to 2016, or diesel vans up to about September 2017). Hybrids that do not say whether the engine is petrol or diesel also need checking. In those cases TfL's checker is the way to settle it.