UK Clean Air Zones 2026: Every ULEZ & CAZ Checker Guide by City

UK Clean Air Zones: Every City ULEZ & CAZ Checker Guide (2026)

UK Clean Air Zones are charging schemes that apply to certain vehicles entering a defined area of a city. They exist in several forms: Clean Air Zones (CAZs) in England, the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London, and Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in Scotland. Each has its own rules, its own charges and its own enforcement, but they all share one thing: a minimum emission standard based on the vehicle's Euro rating. See our full ULEZ and emissions guides for more.

This guide covers every charging zone in the UK city by city, in order of search interest, with the scheme type, whether private cars are charged, the charge or penalty where known, and how to check your own vehicle using the official GOV.UK clean air zone service. It also clears up two of the most persistent sources of confusion: Manchester and Leeds.

Is My Car ULEZ Compliant? Checking Your Euro Emission Standard

Before looking at individual cities, it helps to answer what is ULEZ compliant, because the same threshold applies everywhere in the UK. A vehicle is ULEZ compliant if it meets the minimum emission standard for its fuel type. For petrol vehicles that means Euro 4, which generally covers vehicles registered from 2006 onwards. For diesel vehicles it means Euro 6, which generally covers vehicles registered from September 2015 onwards. Electric vehicles are always compliant. If you are wondering how to check if car is ULEZ compliant, our free checker gives an instant answer by registration plate.

This is the single most important point in this guide: the minimum emission standard is identical across every UK scheme. The ULEZ, all seven English Clean Air Zones and all four Scottish Low Emission Zones use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel threshold. What differs between cities is not the standard but the vehicle classes that are actually charged.

So when people search for a ULEZ compliant check, or ask "is my vehicle ULEZ compliant", the answer always comes down to that same Euro standard rather than the city, though whether a non-compliant vehicle is actually charged still depends on the zone's class and the vehicle type.

Some common questions resolve quickly. Is Euro 5 ULEZ compliant? No. Euro 5 diesel does not meet the Euro 6 requirement, so a Euro 5 diesel car is non-compliant. Is Euro 6 ULEZ compliant? Yes, for diesel vehicles. Is Euro 4 ULEZ compliant? Yes, for petrol vehicles. ULEZ compliant simply means the vehicle meets the Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel threshold.

You can check your own vehicle's Euro emission standard using our free vehicle Euro emission standard checker. It looks up the standard by registration plate. Because the same Euro 4 and Euro 6 threshold applies to every UK scheme, the result is accurate for any city's zone, not only London. It is a general compliance check, not a city-specific tool, but the underlying standard it reports is the one every UK scheme uses.

All schemes use the same minimum emission standard: Euro 4 for petrol, Euro 6 for diesel.

1. Bristol Clean Air Zone

Bristol operates a Class D Clean Air Zone, which means private cars are charged if they are non-compliant. This is one of only two English CAZs where private car drivers face a charge. The zone is administered through the GOV.UK "Drive in a clean air zone" service, where you can pay Bristol clean air zone charges and view the zone boundary. Drivers commonly search for the Bristol clean air zone map to check whether a route or destination falls inside the boundary, and for a Bristol clean air zone checker to confirm their vehicle's status before travelling. The charge applies to non-compliant vehicles entering the zone, and payment is made through the official GOV.UK service. For the full breakdown of charges and exemptions across every zone, see our ULEZ rules guide, or Clean Air for Bristol for the council's own city-specific detail.

2. Birmingham Clean Air Zone

Birmingham also operates a Class D Clean Air Zone, so private cars are charged if they do not meet the emission standard. Drivers can pay Birmingham clean air zone charges through GOV.UK, and the same service lets you check a vehicle before you travel. The Birmingham clean air zone map shows the boundary, which covers the area inside the A4540 Middleway ring road. Because private cars are charged here, the Birmingham clean air zone checker is one of the most used tools on the GOV.UK service. If you receive a penalty and believe it was issued in error, there is a formal Birmingham clean air zone fines dispute process through the council. Birmingham drivers disputing a penalty may also want to read our guide to ULEZ charges and exemptions, or visit Brum Breathes, the council's own Clean Air Zone site.

3. Bath Clean Air Zone

Bath operates a Class C Clean Air Zone. Private cars are exempt regardless of their Euro standard, so only taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches, HGVs and vans are charged if non-compliant. A Bath clean air zone check can be run through the GOV.UK service, and the Bath clean air zone map shows the boundary covering the city centre. The Bath clean air zone charge applies to the vehicle classes listed, and you can pay Bath clean air zone charges through the same service. Because private cars are not charged, many Bath residents and visitors do not need to take any action, but owners of vans and commercial vehicles should check before entering. See our ULEZ and CAZ rules explained for how exemptions work in full, or Bath and North East Somerset Council's own CAZ page for local detail.

4. Bradford Clean Air Zone

Bradford operates a Class C Clean Air Zone, so private cars are exempt and only taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches, HGVs and vans are charged if non-compliant. The Bradford clean air zone map shows the boundary, and drivers of chargeable vehicles can run a Bradford clean air zone check and pay Bradford clean air zone charges (a Bradford clean air zone payment) through the GOV.UK service. Some vehicle classes and circumstances qualify for a Bradford clean air zone exemption, and these are set out on the official GOV.UK pages. As with all Class C zones, the private car exemption applies regardless of the vehicle's Euro standard. Full exemption criteria for every class are covered in our guide to clean air zone charges and exemptions, or on Bradford Council's own Clean Air Zone page.

5. Sheffield Clean Air Zone

Sheffield operates a Class C Clean Air Zone covering the city centre. Private cars are exempt, and charges apply only to non-compliant taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches, HGVs and vans. Drivers of chargeable vehicles can run a Sheffield clean air zone check and pay Sheffield clean air zone charges through GOV.UK, and the Sheffield clean air zone map shows the boundary. A Sheffield clean air zone vehicle checker is available through the same GOV.UK service, which confirms whether a specific registration is liable. Sheffield clean air zone exemptions apply to certain vehicle types and are listed officially. Private car drivers do not need to pay or register. Our clean air zone charges and exemptions guide explains how this compares with other cities.

6. Edinburgh Low Emission Zone

Edinburgh operates a Low Emission Zone covering specific roads in the city centre, enforced 24 hours a day including public holidays. Unlike the English CAZs, Scotland's LEZs have no pre-pay option at all: a non-compliant, non-exempt vehicle entering the zone simply receives a Penalty Charge Notice. The Edinburgh low emission zone map shows the affected streets, and a Edinburgh low emission zone checker is available through the official Scottish service. There is no Edinburgh low emission zone pay online facility, because payment in advance is not part of the Scottish system. Enforcement is by ANPR cameras operated by the council, as set out on mygov.scot. Scotland's devolved vehicle tax and driving rules differ from the rest of the UK in other ways too — see our guide to car tax rules across the UK's nations. The City of Edinburgh Council's own LEZ page has the full local detail.

7. Newcastle & Gateshead Clean Air Zone

Tyneside, covering Newcastle and Gateshead, operates a Class C Clean Air Zone. Private cars are exempt, and charges apply to non-compliant taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches, HGVs and vans. A Newcastle clean air zone check can be run through the GOV.UK service, and the Newcastle clean air zone map shows the boundary. Owners of chargeable vehicles can pay Newcastle clean air zone charges through GOV.UK, and a Newcastle clean air zone vehicle checker online confirms liability by registration. Because private cars are exempt, most residents and visitors driving cars are unaffected, but commercial vehicle operators should check before entering. For a wider look at how zones and charges work, read our ULEZ rules explainer.

8. Portsmouth Clean Air Zone

Portsmouth operates a Class B Clean Air Zone, the most limited class in England. Private cars are exempt, and charges apply only to non-compliant taxis, buses, coaches and HGVs. Vans are not charged in a Class B zone. A Portsmouth clean air zone check can be run through the GOV.UK service, and the Portsmouth clean air zone charges apply to the vehicle classes listed. A Portsmouth clean air zone vehicle checker online confirms whether a specific vehicle is liable, and Portsmouth clean air zone exemptions cover certain vehicle types. Private car drivers do not need to pay. Compare this with other classes of zone in our guide to ULEZ and CAZ charges.

9. London Clean Air Zone (ULEZ)

London's scheme is the Ultra Low Emission Zone, which is separate from the English CAZ system and is administered by Transport for London rather than through the GOV.UK CAZ service. The ULEZ covers all of Greater London. The daily charge for non-compliant vehicles is £12.50, and the ULEZ fine amount for non-payment is £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. Enforcement is by ANPR cameras. Drivers can check a vehicle through tfl.gov.uk, where London clean air zone pay options are available, and the London clean air zone map on the TfL site shows the boundary. Because the ULEZ covers the whole of Greater London, the London clean air zone check is relevant to anyone driving within the M25 area, not just central London. Read our full ULEZ charges and exemptions guide for everything the daily charge covers.

10. Glasgow Low Emission Zone

Glasgow was Scotland's first Low Emission Zone and covers specific roads in the city centre, operating 24 hours a day including public holidays. As with all Scottish LEZs, there is no pre-pay option: a non-compliant, non-exempt vehicle entering the zone receives a Penalty Charge Notice. The Glasgow low emission zone map shows the affected streets, and a Glasgow low emission zone map pdf is available from the council and mygov.scot. A Glasgow low emission zone checker confirms whether a vehicle is compliant, and there is no Glasgow low emission zone payment facility because advance payment is not part of the system. Drivers often ask what cars are allowed in the Glasgow low emission zone; the answer is any vehicle meeting the Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel standard, plus exempt vehicles. For how Scotland's rules differ from England and Wales more broadly, see our UK nations car tax guide. Glasgow City Council's own LEZ page has the full local detail.

11. Aberdeen Low Emission Zone

Aberdeen operates a Low Emission Zone covering specific roads in the city centre, enforced 24 hours a day including public holidays. There is no pre-pay option, and non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles receive a Penalty Charge Notice. The Aberdeen low emission zone map shows the affected streets, and an Aberdeen low emission zone checker is available through the official Scottish service. Enforcement is by ANPR cameras operated by the council, as set out on mygov.scot. Private cars are not exempt in the way they are in Class C English CAZs; the Scottish LEZs apply the emission standard to all vehicle types, so a non-compliant private car will be penalised. See our guide to car tax and driving rules across the UK's nations for more on Scotland's distinct system.

12. Dundee Low Emission Zone

Dundee operates a Low Emission Zone covering specific roads in the city centre, enforced 24 hours a day including public holidays. As with the other Scottish LEZs, there is no pre-pay option and non-compliant, non-exempt vehicles receive a Penalty Charge Notice. The Dundee low emission zone map shows the affected streets, and a Dundee low emission zone checker confirms a vehicle's status. Enforcement is by ANPR cameras operated by the council, as set out on mygov.scot. Drivers should check before entering the city centre, because the Scottish system does not allow payment in advance. Our UK nations driving rules guide covers more of these Scotland-specific differences. Dundee City Council's own LEZ page has the full local detail.

Does Manchester or Leeds Have a Clean Air Zone?

No. Manchester's proposed Clean Air Zone was paused and shelved and never went live, despite earlier government approval, so it does not currently charge any vehicles. Leeds similarly scrapped its own proposed Clean Air Zone in 2020 after concluding that air quality targets could be met without charging. Both remain common sources of confusion because of lingering news coverage, and people still search for a Manchester clean air zone checker or a Leeds clean air zone checker expecting to find a live scheme. Neither city operates a charging zone, so there is nothing to check or pay. If you see older articles referring to these schemes, they describe proposals that did not proceed.