Some drivers and vehicles qualify for at least a temporary 100% discount from the Ultra Low Emission Zone charge (ULEZ). Others are entirely exempt.

If none of these apply to you, you can also explore ways to meet the standards.

Vehicles for disabled people

Blue Badge holders need to pay the ULEZ charge unless their vehicle meets the ULEZ emissions standards or is registered for one of the following three grace periods (temporary exemptions):

1. 'Disabled' and 'Disabled Passenger Vehicle' Tax Class grace period

Disabled people whose vehicles are registered with the DVLA as having 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle' tax class benefit from a grace period which exempts them from paying the ULEZ charge until 24 October 2027. This is valid as long as their vehicle doesn't change tax class. Read the eligibility criteria for the disabled tax class exemption.

If your 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle' tax class vehicle is registered in the UK, you don't need to register with us to benefit from the grace period. If your vehicle is registered outside the UK, you are still exempt from paying the ULEZ charge during the grace period, but you will need to register with us.

You can apply for this grace period if you are a disabled person over state pension age who receives Attendance Allowance but your vehicle does not have a 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle' tax class. You can apply for your own vehicle or one belonging to your nominated driver.

You'll need to upload copies of:

  • Your most recent Attendance Allowance award letter
  • The first 2 pages of the non-compliant vehicle's V5C log book (DVLA registration document)
  • Your photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence

If the vehicle is registered with the DVLA to your nominated driver, you'll also need to provide a letter confirming that the registered keeper is your nominated driver, and that they use the vehicle solely for your personal needs. This must be signed by both you and your nominated driver.

The quickest way to apply is to sign into your Road User Charging account and attach your supporting documents to an enquiry. If you don't have a Road User Charging account, you can use the button below to apply for this grace period.

2. Wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) grace period

This grace period is open to wheelchair accessible cars and vans that do not meet ULEZ emissions standards and that have been converted by mobility experts to allow a disabled person to access the vehicle as driver or passenger. To be eligible, the WAV needs to be fitted with one of the following adaptations:

  • A permanently fitted foldable ramp or a powered lift allowing the wheelchair user to enter the vehicle
  • An electric or hydraulic hoist to lift a person or wheelchair into the vehicle
  • A swivel seat on either the passenger or driver side of the vehicle
  • An accelerator ring permanently fitted to the steering wheel of the vehicle

The vehicle must be registered with the DVLA (or equivalent EEA body) in the name of the applicant. To apply for this grace period, you will need to provide images of your vehicle's logbook (V5C), a photo ID of the applicant and three images of your vehicle's permanent conversion for a disabled person's use.

You can only apply for a grace period for one WAV. Successful applicants will not need to pay the ULEZ charge for their vehicle until 25 October 2027.

3. Disabled Benefits grace period

This grace period is for people receiving certain disability benefits or those that meet the outlined medical criteria.

Applicants will need to be receiving one of the following benefits:

  • Standard or enhanced mobility rate of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Higher mobility rate of Disability Living Allowance
  • Higher mobility rate of Child Disability Payment
  • War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • Standard or enhanced rate of Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

Or, meet one of the following criteria:

  • Be a parent or guardian of a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
  • Be a parent or guardian of a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
  • Have a terminal illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult
  • Be registered blind (severely sight impaired)

Applications must be made through a RUC account in the name of the applicant (you).

The vehicle must be registered with the DVLA (or equivalent EEA body) in your name or in the name of your nominated driver, and must not meet the ULEZ emissions standards.

If the vehicle is registered with the DVLA in the name of your nominated driver, you will also need to provide a letter, signed by both the applicant (you) and the nominated driver, confirming that the vehicle is used solely for the personal needs of the disabled person. 

You can only apply for this grace period for one vehicle. Successful applicants will not need to pay the ULEZ charge for their vehicle until 25 October 2027.

To apply for this grace period, you will need to provide:

  • Images of the vehicle's V5C (log book)
  • An image of your photo ID

And one of the following:

  • Your benefit award letter (no older than 12 months)
  • A letter on headed paper, signed by your GP or paediatrician, confirming your child's medical condition and age (where applicant is the parent or guardian of a child under 3 who needs bulky medical equipment/access to a vehicle)
  • Your SR1 form [previously called a DS1500 form] (where applicant is terminally ill)
  • Your Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) (where applicant is registered blind)

NHS patient reimbursement

If you are clinically assessed as too ill to travel to an appointment on public transport, you may be eligible to claim back any ULEZ charge and/or Congestion Charge you paid from your treating hospital. Your hospital will tell you if you are eligible.

Taxis

London-licensed taxis are exempt from ULEZ charges. Older, more polluting taxis are subject to a 12 year age limit, with newer, cleaner taxis extended to 15 years.

All newly licensed taxis must be zero emission capable (ZEC) vehicles. Find out more about how we plan to have the cleanest taxi fleet in the world.

Business and charity short-term grace period

This ULEZ short-term grace period is open to small businesses (under 50 employees), micro businesses (up to 10 employees), charities and sole traders with a registered address in one of the 32 London boroughs or the City of London, who have either:

  • Ordered a newly manufactured light van or minibus that meets the ULEZ emissions standards or
  • Booked their light van or minibus, that does not meet the ULEZ emissions standards, to be retrofitted by a Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) approved fitter to meet the ULEZ emissions standards

Eligible organisations can apply for a short-term exemption from the ULEZ daily charge for their current non-compliant vehicle, if they have a new vehicle or retrofit ordered before the 29 November 2023.

There is no limit to the number of vehicles you can apply for, but each vehicle will need a separate application.

The short-term exemption will start from the date of successful application. The applicant will need to provide proof of the delivery date for their new compliant vehicle or the date that their current vehicle will be retrofitted to meet ULEZ emissions standards.

Applications for this grace period can be submitted at any time before 29 May 2024, but the new vehicle order or retrofit booking needs to have been made before 29 November 2023 to be eligible. 

Successful applicants won't need to pay the ULEZ daily charge for their non-compliant vehicle from the date their application is accepted until the date they have told us their new vehicle is being delivered or their non-compliant vehicle is being retrofitted (up to 29 May 2024 - whichever is earliest).

There will be no exemption from the charges beyond 29 May 2024. If your non-compliant vehicle hasn't been replaced or retrofitted by the time your grace period ends, then you will need to pay the ULEZ daily charge.

If your vehicle is retrofitted, it can take up to 7 days for our system to show that it meets the ULEZ emissions standards. You must pay the ULEZ daily charge from the end of your grace period until our vehicle checker shows your vehicle is compliant. These charges are non-refundable.

The non-compliant vehicle you are replacing or retrofitting must be:

  • A light van (up to and including 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, GVW) or minibus (up to and including 5 tonnes GVW)
  • Registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the name of the business, sole trader or charity (if the vehicle is registered to an employee, director of the small / micro business or trustee of a charity you will need to provide confirmation of their link to the organisation)
  • Insured for business use

The newly manufactured vehicle must be:

  • Ordered before 29 November 2023
  • The same body type as the vehicle that you are replacing

The vehicle retrofit must be:

  • Booked with a CVRAS fitter before 29 November 2023

To apply for the short-term grace period from the ULEZ daily charge, you will need to provide the following evidence:

  • Photo ID of the applicant, showing their full name
  • The ULEZ non-compliant vehicle's V5C (the front and second page)
  • Current motor insurance for the non-compliant vehicle for business use
  • Businesses will need to provide their Companies House or VAT registration number
  • Charities will need to provide their Charity Commission number
  • Sole traders will need to provide proof of Sole Trader status

For newly manufactured vehicles - an invoice, on manufacturer or dealership-headed paper showing:

  • The name of the organisation
  • The make and model of the vehicle on order
  • The date the vehicle was ordered and the expected delivery date (where the invoice doesn't show these dates, a letter from the manufacturer or dealership confirming the order and delivery date should also be submitted)

For vehicles with a retrofit booking - a retrofit booking on CVRAS-headed paper showing:

  • The name of the organisation
  • The details of the vehicle being retrofitted
  • The date of booking and the expected fitting date (where the invoice doesn't show these dates a letter from the CVRAS fitter confirming the order and delivery date should also be submitted)

If the invoice for the new vehicle purchase or retrofit is in the name of an employee, director of the small/micro business or trustee of a charity, you will also need to provide confirmation of their link to the organisation, such as a letter on organisation-headed paper.

Minibuses used for community transport

Many not-for-profit organisations that operate minibuses used for community transport can register for a temporary 100% discount of the ULEZ charge until 26 October 2025. These are minibuses that carry passengers on a not-for-profit basis. For example, for educational, religious, social welfare reasons, or other activities that benefit the community.

Once you have registered your vehicle and your eligibility has been confirmed, you will not be charged the ULEZ charge until after the end date of the grace period on 26 October 2025. After this date, all minibuses will need to meet the ULEZ emissions standards or pay the daily ULEZ charge.

You can register your minibus now.

Check if your organisation is eligible

To apply, your organisation must be a:

  • Charity
  • School (excluding private schools)
  • Further Education institution getting funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (excluding Higher Education institutions who get this funding)
  • 16 to 19 Academy
  • Local authority
  • Other not-for-profit organisation

Check if your vehicle is eligible

The vehicle must meet these conditions:

  • Able to carry more than 8 but no more than 16 passengers and weigh 5 tonnes or less (gross vehicle weight)
  • Owned, leased or hired by a not-for-profit organisation, and used mainly for community transport
  • Owned, leased or hired on or before 25 November 2022, and continually since then
  • Does not already meet the ULEZ standards

Documents you will need

Application form

PDF 154KB

To apply, you need to download the application form, fill it in, sign it and upload. You will also need to upload copies of the required documents listed in the form.

Wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles (PHVs)

Designated wheelchair accessible PHVs used to carry out a private hire booking will be granted a grace period until 24 October 2027, during which they will be exempt from the ULEZ daily charge.

These vehicles will only be exempt when carrying out a private hire booking for a TfL-licensed PHV operator. At all other times PHV owners will have to pay the charge if their designated wheelchair accessible PHV does not meet the emissions standards and is not in the 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle' tax class.

See a list of designated wheelchair accessible PHVs licensed by TfL on the Passengers and accessibility page.

If you believe that your vehicle should be on the list please email tph.enquiries@tfl.gov.uk.`

PHVs that do not meet the emissions standards and are not wheelchair accessible must pay the full ULEZ charge to drive within the zone.

Historic vehicles

Two categories of historic vehicles are exempt from ULEZ:

  1. All vehicles built before 1 January 1973
  2. Vehicles over 40 years old that have been successfully registered with the DVLA for a historic vehicle tax class

If your vehicle meets the above criteria but is registered outside the UK, it is also exempt, but you will need to register it with us before travelling in the zone.

Other exempt vehicles

A small number of vehicle types currently exempt from the LEZ are also exempt from the ULEZ charge. These include:

  • Specialist agricultural vehicles
  • Military vehicles
  • Non-road going vehicles which are allowed to drive on the highway (for example, excavators)
  • Certain types of mobile cranes

If your vehicle meets any of the above criteria and is registered in the UK, it is automatically exempt and you do not need to register with us. If your vehicle meets any of the above criteria but is registered outside the UK, it is also exempt, but you will need to register it with us. Check if you need to register.

Discount for showman's vehicles

Some showman's vehicles are eligible for a 100% discount from the ULEZ daily charge if they are registered to a person following the business of a travelling showman and have been modified or specially constructed. Trailers and semi-trailers which have been modified or specially constructed are not eligible for the 100% discount.

For a vehicle to be eligible for the discount, modifications or special constructions for the purpose of the show must be either:

  • Used during the performance, or
  • Used for the purpose of providing the performance, or
  • Used for carrying performance equipment, or
  • Used for displaying animals to the public, or
  • Below the chassis level, such that it isn't possible to fit emission abatement equipment

If your vehicle meets the above criteria, you need to register with us to qualify for the discount. (Vehicles that are already registered with TfL for a LEZ showman's discount do not need to be registered again for ULEZ). This applies to both UK and non-UK vehicles.

If you receive any other discounts or exemptions for the Congestion Charge you still need to pay the ULEZ charge if you drive within the zone in a vehicle that does not meet the ULEZ standards.