How do I pay the ULEZ charge, and what if I forget?
Pay the £12.50 daily charge on TfL’s website or app, by phone or through Auto Pay, up to 90 days ahead or by midnight on the third day after the journey. If you forget, TfL can issue a £180 penalty, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. It applies to cars that fail the emissions standard.
Last reviewed . The official sources it draws on, and the date each was read, are listed at the foot of the page.
How and when to pay
You can pay with Auto Pay, which bills you automatically each month for any charges you owe, or online, on TfL’s Pay to drive in London app or by phone. You can pay up to 90 days in advance, or by midnight on the third day after the journey. TfL warns against paying through unofficial websites, which may mislead you.
What happens if you forget
TfL can issue a Penalty Charge Notice if your car does not meet the standard and you have not paid the correct charge by midnight on the third day, or if you paid for the wrong number plate or the wrong day. The penalty is £180 for a car, reduced to £90 if you pay within 14 days. You can get a separate notice for each charging day.
Who has to pay
The charge is £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the ULEZ emissions standard, which is Euro 4 for petrol cars and Euro 6 for diesel cars. It is enforced on the declared emissions of the vehicle rather than its age. Transport for London (TfL) says petrol cars that meet it are generally those first registered after 2005, and diesel cars those first registered after September 2015. A car that meets the standard pays nothing.
When and where it applies
The ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day, across all London boroughs and the City of London. The M25 is not in the zone.
Charging days run from midnight to midnight, so a trip that crosses midnight inside the zone means two daily charges. Residents of the zone pay too, but you do not pay on a day when your car is parked in the zone and not driven.
Other London charges
The ULEZ charge is in addition to any Congestion Charge or Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge that applies.
Sources
- TfL: Paying the ULEZ chargeRead on 1 October 2026. Auto Pay, online, app and phone; paying up to 90 days ahead or by midnight on the third day after travel.
- TfL: Penalty charges for ULEZRead on 1 October 2026. When a penalty notice can be issued and the £180 and £90 amounts.
- TfL: ULEZ for carsRead on 1 October 2026. The standards (Euro 4 petrol, Euro 6 diesel), the daily charge and the registration-year guide.
- TfL: ULEZ where and whenRead on 1 October 2026. Hours, the area, residents, parked cars and the midnight-to-midnight charging day.
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