Clean Air Zone & ULEZ Check
Clean Air Zone Checker
Enter a registration and our free clean air zone checker tells you the emission standard recorded for that vehicle, so you can work out whether it faces a daily charge in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow or any other UK zone.
What our clean air zone check shows you
Charges are decided by the emission standard your vehicle was built to, not by its age or how clean it looks. That standard is what a low emission zone checker needs to establish, and it is the same figure every emission zone checker in the country relies on.
Euro emission standard
Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel are the thresholds that matter across most UK zones. Get this one number and you have your answer almost everywhere.
Fuel type and engine size
Petrol and diesel are held to different standards, and the gap between them is wide. A 2014 diesel is usually charged. A 2006 petrol often is not.
CO2 and date of first registration
Registration date is the fallback when the Euro standard is not recorded. Full specification detail sits on the car spec check page.
Vehicle type
Cars, vans, motorcycles and larger vehicles are charged differently, and some zones only charge commercial vehicles.
Is my car clean air zone compliant?
Run the check and compare the Euro standard against the rule for the zone you are driving into.
The general rule
• Petrol: Euro 4 or newer, which is broadly cars registered from 2006.
• Diesel: Euro 6 or newer, which is broadly cars registered from September 2015.
• Motorcycles: Euro 3 or newer.
Those dates are a guide, not a guarantee. Some manufacturers met the standard early and some late, which is why the recorded Euro standard beats guessing from the year.
Why two similar cars get different answers
Two 2015 diesels can sit on opposite sides of the line depending on the month of registration and the engine. This is the single most common surprise buyers get, and it is worth checking before you commit rather than after.
UK zones and what they charge
Charging zones are not one national scheme. Each is set locally, and the rules differ.
London ULEZ and congestion charge
Two separate charges that people constantly merge into one. The ULEZ is based on emissions and applies across most of Greater London. The congestion charge is based on being in central London at certain times and applies regardless of how clean the vehicle is. A compliant car still pays the congestion charge.
So a london clean air zone check answers the emissions question only. If you are checking congestion charge zone boundaries or times, that is a TfL question, not a vehicle one.
Clean Air Zones in England
Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Bradford, Sheffield, Newcastle, Tyneside and Portsmouth all operate CAZ schemes. Classes differ, and several charge only commercial vehicles rather than private cars.
Low Emission Zones in Scotland
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen run LEZs. These work differently from a charge. Non compliant vehicles face a penalty rather than a daily fee, so the cost of getting it wrong is higher.
A caz checker gives you the vehicle side of the answer. For zone boundaries, times and payment you need a congestion zone checker or a congestion zone postcode checker from the operator, which is TfL for London and the local authority elsewhere. We do not duplicate those tools and we would rather point you at the right one.
Why this matters when you are buying
A non compliant diesel is worth less than a compliant one, and the gap widens every time another city announces a scheme.
Daily charges add up fast
A vehicle charged every working day costs more per year than most people expect. If you commute into a zone, run this check before you agree a price, not after.
It affects resale value
Compliance is now part of what a used car is worth. Run a car valuation alongside this check so you can negotiate on the real figure rather than the advert price.
Sellers rarely mention it
Emission standard almost never appears in a listing. Take the reg, run a low emission zone car checker before you travel, and add a free car check for the MOT and mileage while you are there.
How to check clean air zone compliance
1. Enter the registration
Any UK reg. No account, no card.
2. Read the emission standard
The check returns the Euro standard, fuel type and registration date held on record.
3. Compare against the zone
Match it to the rule for the city you are driving into. If the standard is not recorded, the registration date and fuel type give you a reliable indication.
4. Confirm with the operator
For a definitive answer on charges and boundaries, check with TfL or the local authority. We tell you about the vehicle. They tell you about the zone.
Where our data comes from
Emission standards, fuel type and registration dates come from DVLA and DVSA records. REGUP is an independent vehicle checking service and does not claim to be DVLA, DVSA, TfL or GOV.UK, and we do not process charge payments. More on how we work is on our about REGUP page.
Zone rules change. Always confirm current charges with the operating authority before you travel.
Clean Air Zone & ULEZ Check FAQs
How do I check if my car is clean air zone compliant?
Enter your registration above. The clean air zone check returns the Euro emission standard and fuel type on record, which is what every UK zone bases its charge on.
Is a ULEZ check the same as a clean air zone check?
Broadly yes, for the vehicle side. ULEZ is London's scheme, CAZ is used in English cities and LEZ in Scotland. All of them look at the same Euro emission standard, so one check answers all three.
Do you have a congestion charge zone checker?
No. We check the vehicle, not the map. For a congestion zone check covering boundaries and times, use TfL. Our emissions zone checker tells you the part TfL assumes you already know, which is what your vehicle is.
Is the clean air zone checker free?
Yes. Emission standard, fuel type, registration date, MOT history and tax status cost nothing and need no account.
Does a compliant car still pay the London congestion charge?
Yes. The congestion charge is about where and when you drive, not about emissions. It is a separate charge from the ULEZ and being compliant does not exempt you.
What are the clean air zone exemptions?
Exemptions vary by zone but commonly include historic vehicles, some disabled tax classes, and certain local resident or business schemes. Check with the operating authority, since these are set locally rather than nationally.
My car is a 2015 diesel. Is it charged?
It depends on the month and the engine. Diesels registered from September 2015 are usually Euro 6, but plenty of earlier 2015 cars are not. Run the check rather than going by the year.
Can I check a van or motorcycle?
Yes. Any vehicle with a UK registration can be checked, and vehicle type matters because several zones charge commercial vehicles only.
Can I pay a charge through REGUP?
No. We tell you what the vehicle is. Payment goes to TfL for London or to the relevant local authority elsewhere.
Run a free clean air zone check
Enter any UK registration to see the emission standard on record. If you are buying, follow it with a free car check and a full vehicle history report before you pay a deposit.