ULEZ checker
2026 petrol car: clean air zone verdict
Computed from the Euro standard a petrol car first registered in 2026 had to meet when it was new, then applied to every UK charging zone.
Compliant
No Euro figure is recorded, so we have read it from the first registration date of 1 January 2026. New cars had to meet Euro 6 from 1 September 2015. Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) asks Euro 4 of a petrol car, so there is nothing to pay.
Euro 6
1
Source not published
Compliant
Source not published
Checked on 7 September 2026.Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone (as of 8 April 2019)
Does a 2026 petrol car meet the ULEZ standard?
Yes. A petrol car registered new in 2026 had to meet Euro 6, and every UK zone that charges cars asks for Euro 4 from a petrol car. It pays nothing on emissions grounds anywhere in the country.
The standard comes from the registration date read against the dates each Euro stage became compulsory for new car registrations. It is an inference, and the V5C is the authority: section D.2 carries the Euro status DVLA holds, and the zone cameras are matched against that record.
Every UK zone, one row each
| Zone | Verdict | A day | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) | Compliant | No charge | No Euro figure is recorded, so we have read it from the first registration date of 1 January 2026. New cars had to meet Euro 6 from 1 September 2015. Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) asks Euro 4 of a petrol car, so there is nothing to pay. |
| Low Emission Zone (LEZ) | Exempt | No charge | Low Emission Zone (LEZ) does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. The charge here applies to van, minibus or specialist diesel vehicle over 1.205 tonnes unladen up to 3.5 tonnes, or minibus up to 5 tonnes, lorry or specialist heavy vehicle over 3.5 tonnes, bus or coach over 5 tonnes, meeting euro iv for particulates but not euro vi and lorry or specialist heavy vehicle over 3.5 tonnes, bus or coach over 5 tonnes, not meeting euro iv for particulates. |
| Congestion Charge | Charged | £18.00 | Congestion Charge applies to every vehicle in the zone during charging hours. The Euro standard makes no difference to it. |
| Bath Clean Air Zone | Exempt | No charge | Bath Clean Air Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. The charge here applies to taxi or private hire vehicle, van or light goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes, minibus up to 5 tonnes, bus or coach, hgv over 3.5 tonnes and private hgv such as a motorhome or horsebox over 3.5 tonnes. |
| Birmingham Clean Air Zone | Compliant | No charge | No Euro figure is recorded, so we have read it from the first registration date of 1 January 2026. New cars had to meet Euro 6 from 1 September 2015. Birmingham Clean Air Zone asks Euro 4 of a petrol car, so there is nothing to pay. |
| Bristol Clean Air Zone | Compliant | No charge | No Euro figure is recorded, so we have read it from the first registration date of 1 January 2026. New cars had to meet Euro 6 from 1 September 2015. Bristol Clean Air Zone asks Euro 4 of a petrol car, so there is nothing to pay. |
| Bradford Clean Air Zone | Exempt | No charge | Bradford Clean Air Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. The charge here applies to hackney carriage or private hire vehicle, van, light goods vehicle or minibus, campervan or motorhome up to 3.5 tonnes, campervan or motorhome over 3.5 tonnes and bus, coach or hgv. |
| Portsmouth Clean Air Zone | Exempt | No charge | Portsmouth Clean Air Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. The charge here applies to taxi or private hire vehicle, bus or coach and heavy goods vehicle. |
| Sheffield Clean Air Zone | Exempt | No charge | Sheffield Clean Air Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. The charge here applies to taxi or private hire vehicle, van or light goods vehicle, campervan or motorhome and bus, coach or hgv. |
| Tyneside Clean Air Zone | Exempt | No charge | Tyneside Clean Air Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. The charge here applies to taxi or private hire vehicle, van or light goods vehicle and bus, coach or heavy goods vehicle. |
| Glasgow Low Emission Zone | Exempt | No charge | Glasgow Low Emission Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. |
| Edinburgh Low Emission Zone | Exempt | No charge | Edinburgh Low Emission Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. |
| Aberdeen Low Emission Zone | Exempt | No charge | Aberdeen Low Emission Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. |
| Dundee Low Emission Zone | Exempt | No charge | Dundee Low Emission Zone does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. |
| Oxford Zero Emission Zone pilot | Exempt | No charge | Oxford Zero Emission Zone pilot does not charge cars, whatever they are registered as. The charge here applies to ultra low emission vehicle, low emission vehicle and any other petrol or diesel vehicle, including hybrids. |
What that means in practice
- 1 of the 15 zones would charge this car. The dearest of them is £18.00 a day.
- 3 zones treat it as compliant, so it can be driven into them without paying anything.
- Every zone gives a definite answer for this car.
- A charge is a daily charge, not a fine. Paying it lets you drive in. Missing the deadline turns it into a penalty many times larger.
Common questions
- Is a 2026 petrol car ULEZ compliant?
- Yes. A petrol car first registered in 2026 had to meet Euro 6, which is at or above the Euro 4 pass mark every UK zone applies to petrol cars. It pays nothing in the London ULEZ.
- What if the V5C shows a different Euro standard?
- The V5C wins. Some manufacturers certified models to the next standard ahead of the deadline, so a car can hold a higher standard than its registration year implies. The zone cameras are matched against the record, not against the year.
- Does the Congestion Charge work the same way?
- No. The Congestion Charge is a charge for entering the zone rather than for what the vehicle emits, so the Euro standard makes no difference to it. A brand new car pays it exactly like a twenty year old one.
- What about the Scottish zones?
- There is no charge to pay in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee or Aberdeen. A non compliant vehicle is not allowed in at all, and the first camera capture is a penalty rather than a daily charge, which doubles for each repeat inside 90 days.
Sources
Charges and standards come from the operating authority for each zone.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone (as of 8 April 2019)
- Transport for London, ULEZ: where and when (as of 30 July 2026)
- Transport for London, Ways to meet the ULEZ standard (as of 8 April 2019)
- Transport for London, Penalty charges for ULEZ (as of 30 July 2026)
- Transport for London, ULEZ discounts and exemptions (as of 30 July 2026)
- Transport for London, Low Emission Zone (as of 4 February 2008)
- Transport for London, How to pay a LEZ charge (as of 1 March 2021)
- Transport for London, HGVs, lorries, vans, buses, minibuses, coaches and specialist heavy vehicles (as of 1 March 2021)
- Transport for London, Vans, minibuses and specialist diesel vehicles (as of 30 July 2026)
- Transport for London, Penalty charges for the LEZ (as of 30 July 2026)
- Transport for London, Congestion Charge (as of 2 January 2026)
- Transport for London, Congestion Charge discounts and exemptions (as of 2 January 2026)