The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for London (2024)

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is improving London’s air quality, benefiting public health and helping to combat climate change.

The ULEZ is the largest clean air zone in the world. It covers every borough of London, helping the capital’s nine million residents breathe cleaner air. Drivers of vehicles that don’t meet certain emission standards need to pay a daily charge to drive in the zone.  

The ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year, except Christmas Day (25 December).

To help clean London's air, the ULEZ was expanded on 29 August 2023 to cover all London boroughs.

Key findings from the London-wide ULEZ First Month Report indicate that the London-wide ULEZ has already been highly effective at reducing the number of older, more polluting vehicles in London. The number of non-compliant vehicles seen driving in London on an average day has been cut by nearly half since June 2023.

95 per cent of vehicles seen driving in London on an average day now meet the ULEZ emission standards, up from just 39 per cent in 2017. This means that the vast majority of drivers are not affected by the ULEZ and do not need to pay the daily charge.

Each year air pollution causes thousands of Londoners to die prematurely and is associated with an increased risk of Londoners developing life-changing illnesses like cancer, lung disease, dementia and asthma.  

Every borough of London exceeds the World Health Organization’s guideline limits for air pollution, putting Londoners’ health at risk. That’s why it was necessary to expand the ULEZ London-wide. 

Any net revenue raised through the ULEZ is reinvested back into running and improving London’s public transport network. The ULEZ is expected to stop making a surplus by 2027 as the percentage of compliant vehicles continues to rise.

Key findings from the Inner London Ultra Low Emission Zone Expansion One Year Report indicate that the Mayor’s air quality policies, and in particular the ULEZ and LEZ schemes, are having a significant impact by reducing the number of older, more polluting vehicles seen driving in London and the levels of harmful air pollution that Londoners are exposed to. 

Nineteen out of 20 cars seen driving in London on an average day now meet the ULEZ emission standards. This means the vast majority of drivers are not affected by the ULEZ and do not need to pay the daily charge.

For those who still are, the Mayor of London has funded a £160m scrappage scheme to help Londoners, small businesses, sole traders and charities switch to cleaner, greener modes of transport. Any Londoner with an eligible non-compliant car or motorcycle can apply for funding. Small businesses (with fewer than 50 employees), sole traders and charities registered in London are also eligible for support.  

Applications for the scrappage scheme will be available until all funds are allocated.

There are also some temporary exemptions from the charge. You must apply directly to TfL for these exemptions.

• Community transport minibuses run by not-for-profit organisations: exempt until October 2025. 
• Recipients of certain disability-related benefits and wheelchair accessible vehicles: exempt until October 2027.   
• London-registered sole traders, businesses with fewer than 50 employees and charities that are waiting on delivery of a new compliant vehicle or a retrofit appointment: exempt until May 2024.