Emissions standard
Euro 3
Compulsory for new car registrations from 1 January 2001.
1 January 2001
0.5 g/km
0.05 g/km
Checked on 13 October 1998.EUR-Lex, Directive 98/69/EC, table at section 5.3.1.4: Euro 3 (row A) and Euro 4 (row B) limit values (as of 13 October 1998)
Clean air zone verdict for a car at this standard
Charged
A petrol car at Euro 3 is below the Euro 4 pass mark, so it pays the daily charge.
Charged
A diesel at Euro 3 is below the Euro 6 pass mark, so it pays the daily charge.
What is Euro 3?
The stage that separated nitrogen oxides from hydrocarbons on petrol, so a limit could be set on each. It also removed the engine warm up period from the test, which made a cold start count for the first time. This is the standard most 2001 to 2005 cars hold, and it is the one that fails a London ULEZ check on a petrol car.
Euro 3 limits, in g/km
| Pollutant | Petrol | Diesel | Change from Euro 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | 2.3 | 0.64 | 36 per cent lower on diesel |
| Hydrocarbons (HC) | 0.2 | No limit set | |
| Hydrocarbons and NOx combined | No limit set | 0.56 | 20 per cent lower on diesel |
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | 0.15 | 0.5 | New at this stage |
| Particulate matter (PM) | No limit set | 0.05 | 38 per cent lower on diesel |
Common questions
- When did Euro 3 come in?
- It applied to new car registrations from 1 January 2001, having applied to new type approvals from 1 January 2000. The registration date is the one that matches a DVLA record, so it is the one to use when reading a car's age against a standard.
- Is a Euro 3 car allowed in a clean air zone?
- A petrol car does not meet the Euro 4 pass mark and a diesel does not meet the Euro 6 pass mark, so a Euro 3 car of either fuel pays the daily charge.
- What does Euro 3 actually limit?
- The stage that separated nitrogen oxides from hydrocarbons on petrol, so a limit could be set on each. It also removed the engine warm up period from the test, which made a cold start count for the first time. This is the standard most 2001 to 2005 cars hold, and it is the one that fails a London ULEZ check on a petrol car.
- Where is the standard written on my car?
- Section D.2 of the V5C. It is also on the certificate of conformity the manufacturer issued, which is the document an operating authority will accept if a zone has the wrong figure on record for your car.