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Clean air zones

Pay a clean air zone charge or challenge a penalty

In 2026, pay Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside charges through GOV.UK, London through TfL and Oxford through Oxfordshire County Council. Scottish LEZs have no daily charge. Challenge a postal penalty by making formal representations to its issuer by the date on the notice.
6 days
Central CAZ payment allowed before and after travel
GOV.UK, Clean Air Zones: check and pay a charge (as of 12 February 2026)
£13
London ULEZ daily charge for a non-compliant car
Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone (as of 8 April 2019)
£60
First Scottish LEZ penalty
mygov.scot, Fines for Low Emission Zones (as of 26 June 2026)

Checked on 7 September 2026.Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone (as of 8 April 2019)

Where do I pay a clean air zone charge?

Pay the seven charging Clean Air Zones outside London through the central GOV.UK service, London ULEZ, LEZ and Congestion Charge through TfL, and Oxford ZEZ through Oxfordshire County Council. Scottish low emission zones have no daily charge because non-compliant vehicles are prohibited.

Pay through the operating authority's official service. Some third party sites resell the same payment with an added fee.

The central GOV.UK window runs from 6 days before travel to 11:59pm on day 6 after. London has separate TfL periods and Oxford has its own council service. A payment is for the selected zone, vehicle and charge day, so check every field before confirming.

Which clean air zone payment service should I use?

Official clean air and low emission zone payment routes
SchemeWhere to payTiming
Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and TynesideCentral GOV.UK Clean Air Zone serviceUp to 6 days before, through 11:59pm on day 6 after
London ULEZ, LEZ and Congestion ChargeTransport for London Pay to drive serviceUse the TfL period shown for the selected scheme
Oxford Zero Emission ZoneOxfordshire County CouncilUse the journey and payment dates on the council service
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee LEZNo daily paymentCheck compliance or exemption before entry

Sources: GOV.UK, TfL, Oxfordshire County Council and mygov.scot, checked September 2026.

On the central service, a scheme day runs from midnight to midnight. A vehicle entering before midnight and leaving after it uses two charge days. A business with 2 or more UK-registered vehicles can create an account, upload its number plates and add up to 10 team members, which reduces registration-entry mistakes but does not remove the need to select the correct journey dates.

London drivers should select the actual scheme. A heavy vehicle may fall under the LEZ rather than ULEZ, while the Congestion Charge is a separate charge with a different purpose and boundary. Paying one does not automatically pay another. Oxford's pilot is also separate from the national CAZ service.

GOV.UK, Clean Air Zones: check and pay a charge (as of 12 February 2026); Transport for London, Pay to drive in London (as of 10 September 2026)

How do I pay a clean air zone charge step by step?

  1. Identify the city, scheme and charge day. Check whether the trip crossed midnight and created a second day.
  2. Use the official GOV.UK, TfL or Oxfordshire service. For a Scottish LEZ, check compliance because there is no pass to buy.
  3. Enter the registration exactly and confirm the service has identified the expected vehicle and charge class.
  4. Select every travel date and scheme required. A payment for one zone does not settle another city's charge.
  5. Pay by the service deadline and save the receipt, reference, registration, zone and dates together.
  6. For a business fleet, reconcile the account against journey records before the post-payment window closes.

Do not rely only on a sat-nav warning. The legal question is whether the vehicle entered the signed boundary during the scheme's operating period. Check the official map and vehicle checker before travel. A compliant private car can be free in one city while the same vehicle class is charged in another, because English zones have different classes.

Foreign-registered vehicles may need separate registration with the authority, particularly in London. A hire vehicle can also appear under the hire company's account. Keep evidence of any exemption, registration or fleet payment because the PCN system normally starts from keeper and camera records.

How much is the penalty in each clean air zone?

Penalty for non payment, in the operating authority's own words
ZonePenalty
Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)£180 for each day of contravention, reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days.
Low Emission Zone (LEZ)£1,000 for a lorry, bus or coach and £500 for a larger van or minibus, each halved to £500 or £250 if you pay within 14 days. Left unpaid after 28 days they rise to £1,500 and £750.
Congestion Charge£180, reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days. If the penalty is still unpaid after 28 days a charge certificate raises it by half, to £270.
Bath Clean Air Zone£120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days of the date of service. The unpaid daily charge, £9 or £100, is still owed on top of the penalty.
Birmingham Clean Air Zone£120, with 28 days to pay from the date the notice was issued, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days.
Bristol Clean Air Zone£120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days of the date of service. The daily charge is payable on top, and you have 28 days in total to settle both.
Bradford Clean Air Zone£120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days, plus the daily charge of £7, £9 or £50 depending on the vehicle. If nothing is paid or challenged within 28 days a charge certificate raises the penalty by half, to £180.
Portsmouth Clean Air Zone£60 if you pay within 14 days, rising to £120 after that. You can challenge a notice within 28 days. There is also a six day window to pay the daily charge before a notice is issued at all.
Sheffield Clean Air Zone£120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days of receiving the notice. Unpaid after 28 days it rises to £180.
Tyneside Clean Air Zone£120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days of receiving the notice. Unpaid beyond 28 days it increases by half and becomes recoverable as a civil debt.
Glasgow Low Emission Zone£60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days. The amount doubles for each further contravention by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days, capped at £480 for a car or light goods vehicle and £960 for a minibus, bus, coach or HGV. Once 90 days pass with no contravention the rate resets to £60.
Edinburgh Low Emission Zone£60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days. The amount doubles for each further contravention by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days, capped at £480 for a car or light goods vehicle and £960 for a minibus, bus, coach or HGV. Once 90 days pass with no contravention the rate resets to £60.
Aberdeen Low Emission Zone£60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days. The amount doubles for each further contravention by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days, capped at £480 for a car or light goods vehicle and £960 for a minibus, bus, coach or HGV. Once 90 days pass with no contravention the rate resets to £60.
Dundee Low Emission Zone£60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days. The amount doubles for each further contravention by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days, capped at £480 for a car or light goods vehicle and £960 for a minibus, bus, coach or HGV. Once 90 days pass with no contravention the rate resets to £60.
Oxford Zero Emission Zone pilot£60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days of the date of service. You have 28 days to pay in full or to challenge it.

Sources

Penalty amounts and deadlines come from the operating authority for each zone.

What does a missed clean air charge cost in practice?

Example

A non-compliant car enters Bristol and the £9 charge is missed

Bristol daily charge
£9
Published penalty
£120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days of the date of service. The daily charge is payable on top, and you have 28 days in total to settle both.
Payment service
Central GOV.UK service
  1. The driver should have paid £9 for the charge day.
  2. The deadline of 11:59pm on day 6 after the journey passes without payment.
  3. Bristol City Council issues a PCN to the registered keeper. The council says the PCN is in addition to the outstanding daily charge, and that the prompt payment discount applies to the PCN only.

Settled promptly, the bill is the discounted penalty plus the £9 charge. The published terms are: £120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days of the date of service. The daily charge is payable on top, and you have 28 days in total to settle both.

Example

A Birmingham clean air zone PCN left unpaid until an enforcement agent calls

Birmingham daily charge for a car
£8
Penalty, paid within 14 days
£60
Penalty, full
£120
After a charge certificate
£180
  1. Birmingham gives 28 days to pay or make a formal representation. Neither happens, so it may issue a charge certificate, which it says adds 50 per cent: £120 becomes £180.
  2. Registering the unpaid charge at the Traffic Enforcement Centre adds the £11 court fee.
  3. No payment or witness statement within 21 days of the Order for Recovery leads to a warrant.
  4. The enforcement agent adds £79 at the compliance stage and £247 on the first visit.

The debt reaches £517, against £60 for paying the penalty in the first 14 days. The figures after the charge certificate are derived from the published rates.

Example

A non-compliant car enters the London ULEZ without payment

ULEZ daily charge
£13
Published penalty
£180 for each day of contravention, reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days.
Payment service
Transport for London
  1. The driver checks the vehicle and finds it did not meet the ULEZ standard.
  2. The £13 charge was not paid through TfL within its payment period.
  3. TfL can issue the registered keeper with a ULEZ PCN for that charge day.

The current data states: £180 for each day of contravention, reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days. The unpaid daily charge is separate from the penalty.

Example

A non-compliant diesel enters Glasgow's LEZ

Daily charge
None available
Published penalty
£60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days. The amount doubles for each further contravention by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days, capped at £480 for a car or light goods vehicle and £960 for a minibus, bus, coach or HGV. Once 90 days pass with no contravention the rate resets to £60.
Alternative before travel
Comply, qualify for an exemption or avoid the zone
  1. The vehicle does not meet the Scottish LEZ emissions standard.
  2. There is no daily fee that can authorise entry.
  3. The camera record can lead to a penalty, with escalation for repeat contraventions under the Scottish rules.

The first contravention begins with the penalty described in the published data: £60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days. The amount doubles for each further contravention by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days, capped at £480 for a car or light goods vehicle and £960 for a minibus, bus, coach or HGV. Once 90 days pass with no contravention the rate resets to £60.

Bristol City Council, Pay a Clean Air Zone Penalty Charge Notice (as of 30 July 2026); Birmingham City Council, Clean Air Zone (CAZ) penalty charge notices (as of 30 July 2026); Transport for London, Penalty charges for ULEZ (as of 30 July 2026); mygov.scot, Fines for Low Emission Zones (as of 26 June 2026); legislation.gov.uk, Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008, Schedule 1, fee 8.10, as substituted from 13 July 2026 (as of 13 July 2026); legislation.gov.uk, Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014, Schedule, Table 1, as substituted from 1 May 2026 (as of 1 May 2026)

How do I pay a clean air zone penalty charge notice?

The penalty is paid to the authority that issued it, not through the GOV.UK daily charge service. That service is only for the charge itself. A PCN from an English zone is sent by post to the registered keeper after a camera records the vehicle, and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal says it can include the outstanding daily charge as well as the penalty, with a 50 per cent discount on the penalty if it is paid within 14 days.

Bristol shows how the two parts work. Its PCN number starts BS5 or BS6, you pay the penalty and the missed daily charge together within 28 days, and the half price discount within the first 14 days from the date of service applies to the penalty only. The council also takes payment through a 24 hour automated phone line and by cheque, both listed on the notice, and it issues PCNs to vehicles registered outside the UK.

Birmingham adds a rule that catches people out. It says the reduced rate is only available within the period printed on the PCN, whether or not you challenge, so a formal representation does not hold the discount open there. Only the registered keeper, or someone with their written permission, can make the representation, and an online challenge has to be made separately for each PCN number.

A ULEZ, LEZ or Congestion Charge PCN is paid to Transport for London, an Oxford ZEZ penalty to Oxfordshire County Council, and a Scottish LEZ penalty to the council that runs the zone, through the links on mygov.scot.

Where a clean air penalty is paid, compared with the daily charge
What you owePay it toDeadline
Daily charge in an English CAZGOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service11:59pm on day 6 after the journey
PCN from an English CAZThe council named on the PCN28 days, half price in the first 14
London ULEZ, LEZ or Congestion Charge PCNTransport for LondonAs printed on the PCN
Oxford ZEZ penaltyOxfordshire County CouncilAs printed on the penalty notice
Scottish LEZ penaltyThe council running the zone£60, or £30 within the prompt payment period on the notice

Sources: GOV.UK, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, Bristol and Birmingham city councils, TfL, Oxfordshire County Council and mygov.scot, checked September 2026.

Traffic Penalty Tribunal, PCN and appeal process, including Clean Air Zone PCNs (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, Clean Air Zones: check and pay a charge (as of 12 February 2026); Bristol City Council, Pay a Clean Air Zone Penalty Charge Notice (as of 30 July 2026); Birmingham City Council, Clean Air Zone (CAZ) penalty charge notices (as of 30 July 2026)

How do I challenge a clean air zone PCN?

Make formal representations to the authority named on the postal PCN within its stated period. Clean-air penalties do not normally use the informal windscreen-ticket stage. Select the statutory ground that matches the facts, give a short chronology and upload the evidence. Keep the complete submission and receipt.

If the authority rejects the representations, the Notice of Rejection identifies the independent adjudicator and gives the appeal code and deadline. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal handles the charging CAZs outside London and Oxford cases within its jurisdiction. London road-user charging appeals go to London Tribunals. Scotland uses the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland after council rejection.

Birmingham says that where it receives a representation within 28 days it has 56 days to consider it, and a Notice of Rejection then gives 28 days to pay or appeal. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal says an appeal to it is free, and it can be decided on documents, with hearing options under the service's process. Address the authority's evidence and show why the statutory ground is made out. If the real request is mercy rather than legal liability, say so to the authority, because an adjudicator may have less power to cancel on mitigation alone.

  1. Check the PCN number, registration, scheme, charge day and camera image.
  2. Download the official payment and vehicle-compliance records, plus the V5C, sale, hire or exemption documents relevant to liability.
  3. Submit formal representations through the authority's stated online or postal route before the deadline.
  4. If rejected, use the Notice of Rejection to appeal to the named tribunal within its stated period.
  5. If the appeal is refused, pay by the decision date or use only a review or court route that genuinely applies.

Traffic Penalty Tribunal, PCN and appeal process, including Clean Air Zone PCNs (as of 10 September 2026)

What is worth challenging?

A factual error in the notice or vehicle record can support a challenge. Examples include a vehicle outside the zone, an incorrect compliance record, a sale before the journey, a charge already paid or a registered exemption.

Where the record is wrong rather than the notice, fix the record first. A vehicle whose Euro status is missing from the DVLA record will keep generating charges until the manufacturer's certificate of conformity is submitted to the operating authority.

What evidence can win a clean air zone appeal?

Payment cases need the receipt showing registration, zone and date. A bank transaction alone may show money left the account but not which vehicle or scheme received it, so obtain the service confirmation. If the registration was mistyped, include the entry used and ask the authority to trace it.

Vehicle-status cases need official technical evidence. A V5C may show fuel type and dates but not every Euro standard. A manufacturer certificate of conformity or authority correspondence can prove an emissions record. Register the correction through the scheme's process, because one cancelled PCN does not necessarily repair the database for the next journey.

Liability cases need dated documents. A sale receipt and DVLA confirmation can show that you were not keeper on the charge day. A hire agreement can support transfer to the hirer. A cloned plate case needs photographs distinguishing the vehicles and a police or DVLA report. A foreign vehicle should provide its registration and compliance evidence through the scheme's required service.

Evidence for common clean air PCN disputes
DisputeEvidenceWhat it proves
Charge paidOfficial receipt with zone, date and registrationThe correct liability was settled on time
Vehicle compliantAuthority record or manufacturer evidenceNo daily charge was due
Vehicle soldSale record and DVLA confirmationThe recipient was not keeper on the charge day
Hire or lease vehicleSigned agreement and liability documentsWho was responsible for the journey
Cloned registrationVehicle photos and police or DVLA reportThe camera captured a different vehicle
ExemptionApproval reference valid for that dateThe scheme exemption applied

Use the statutory grounds and evidence instructions printed on the PCN. Tribunal guidance checked 10 September 2026.

What happens if I ignore a clean air zone PCN?

The reduced period expires first. If the full penalty is neither paid nor formally challenged, the authority can issue a charge certificate that increases the amount; Birmingham, for example, says its certificate adds 50 per cent. In England and Wales, continued non-payment can lead to debt registration, which adds a £11 court fee, and an Order for Recovery. The order gives 21 days to pay or file the appropriate statement on a permitted procedural ground.

If neither response is made, the authority can obtain a warrant and use enforcement agents. Their fees are set by regulation, £79 at the compliance stage and £247 once an agent visits, and are added to the scheme penalty. A witness statement can address a missing PCN, an unanswered timely representation, an unresolved tribunal appeal or payment already made. It is not a way to argue the emissions standard after deliberately missing every earlier deadline.

Scotland uses its own reminders, increased penalties and court recovery. Repeated Scottish LEZ contraventions by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days can double until the published vehicle cap is reached. Avoiding the next entry matters as much as resolving the existing notice.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service, Appeal against a penalty charge notice: if you get a court order (as of 10 September 2026); legislation.gov.uk, Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008, Schedule 1, fee 8.10, as substituted from 13 July 2026 (as of 13 July 2026); legislation.gov.uk, Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014, Schedule, Table 1, as substituted from 1 May 2026 (as of 1 May 2026); Birmingham City Council, Clean Air Zone (CAZ) penalty charge notices (as of 30 July 2026)

What mistakes cause clean air zone penalties?

  • Paying the right vehicle for the wrong city or wrong charge day.
  • Treating the ULEZ, London LEZ and Congestion Charge as one payment.
  • Crossing midnight and buying only one daily charge.
  • Assuming a newer-looking vehicle meets the standard without using the official checker.
  • Believing a Scottish LEZ sells a pass after entry.
  • Changing the driving-licence address but leaving the V5C at an old address.
  • Waiting for an informal challenge stage when the postal PCN already invites formal representations.
  • Relying on a hire company, employer or payment app without keeping the receipt and journey record.

Common questions

How long do I have to pay a clean air zone charge?
For the charging Clean Air Zones on the central GOV.UK service, you can pay up to 6 days before travel and must pay by 11:59pm on day 6 after driving in the zone. London uses TfL and its own payment periods. Oxford's zero emission zone uses Oxfordshire County Council. Scottish low emission zones have no daily charge to pay because a non-compliant vehicle is prohibited. Always choose the correct service before entering the journey date and registration.
What happens if I do not pay?
A penalty charge notice is sent to the registered keeper, who is liable for it even if somebody else was driving. Most schemes offer a reduced penalty for prompt payment and can increase it after the ordinary payment or representation period. In England and Wales, an unpaid charge certificate can lead to debt registration, an Order for Recovery and enforcement agents. Scotland uses its own reminder and court recovery process. The original daily charge can also remain due, and Bristol says its prompt payment discount applies to the penalty only, not to the charge you missed.
Can I appeal a clean air zone penalty?
Yes. A clean-air-zone PCN arrives by post, so the first statutory challenge is normally formal representations to the issuing authority, not the informal stage used for a windscreen parking ticket. Use the method and deadline on the PCN and attach the payment, vehicle, sale, hire, exemption or location evidence. If the authority rejects the representation, eligible English cases outside London go to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, London cases to London Tribunals and Scottish cases to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland.
What grounds actually work?
Strong grounds are factual and supported: the vehicle was not in the zone, no charge was payable, the correct charge was paid on time, the recipient was not liable, the vehicle had been sold or hired out, the registration was cloned, or a valid exemption applied. A wrong emissions record may require manufacturer evidence or a certificate of conformity. Not seeing a sign or not knowing about the scheme is rarely enough on its own. Use the exact grounds listed on the PCN.
Where do I pay the Birmingham or Bristol clean air charge?
Use the central GOV.UK Clean Air Zone service for Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal stresses that the charge is paid there, not to the council directly. The service checks the registration and zone, accepts individual payments and offers accounts for businesses managing 2 or more UK-registered vehicles. One charge covers the scheme day for that zone, but crossing midnight creates another day. London and Oxford are not paid through this service, so do not assume one UK portal covers every scheme.
Can I pay a Scottish LEZ charge after driving in?
No. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee low emission zones do not sell a daily pass. A vehicle either meets the emissions standard, qualifies for an exemption or risks a penalty for entering. The penalty is set nationally: £60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days. The amount doubles for each further contravention by the same vehicle in the same zone within 90 days, capped at £480 for a car or light goods vehicle and £960 for a minibus, bus, coach or HGV. Once 90 days pass with no contravention the rate resets to £60. Check compliance or register any available exemption before the journey, because repeat entries within 90 days double the penalty until the cap is reached.
What if I paid for the wrong clean air zone or date?
Contact the payment service or authority immediately with the receipt, registration, selected zone and journey date. A payment for one city does not cover another, and a charge day generally runs from midnight to midnight. Do not make repeated speculative payments without checking the correction or refund policy. If a PCN has already arrived, submit formal representations by its deadline and attach both the payment receipt and the authority's response about the error.
Who is responsible for a clean air charge on a hire vehicle?
The driver or business should arrange the daily charge under the hire agreement, while a later PCN is normally first sent using keeper records. A hire or leasing company may transfer liability where the scheme permits and the documents support it, and it may charge a separate administration fee under the contract. Keep the signed hire agreement, journey record and payment receipt. If a PCN is reissued in your name, use the new document's own deadline rather than the date on an earlier notice.

Sources

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