Brits urged to check avoid fines by checking vehicle's compliance

15 December 2023 , 09:47

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Brits urged to check avoid fines by checking vehicle's compliance

If you drive a car or a van in any of the UK’s bigger metropolitan areas, it’s key to check your compliance with emissions regulations. Greater London’s ULEZ and the other charging Clean Air Zones (CAZs) around the country mostly all have the same compliance standards for your vehicle, but they’re operated separately, requiring you to register to pay a daily charge each time you drive through them.

Although ULEZ has fuelled a lot of headlines in 2023, it’s far from the only charging zone that could leave you surprised with a fine, or having to pay a daily fee. Read on to learn how can help you plan your journeys around the country, and decide whether to sell your vehicle.

Where could you be charged for driving?

If you and your vehicle clock up a lot of mileage driving around the country, it’s key to check your compliance to ensure you’re prepared for any Clean Air Zones and Low Emission Zones you may drive through.

will indicate whether your vehicle is compliant with all of the following zones, apart from Oxford. Oxford has the only regulated zone where you may be charged even if you have a car or van that registers as compliant with the Euro standards required for its engine type.

Location Pet owners driving with dogs face £5,000 fine if they break these rules	Vehicles affected	Daily charge	Penalty fine
Aberdeen	Cars, vans, bigger vehicles	N/A	£60 first fine, reduced to £30 when paid within a fortnight. Each sequential fine doubles in value to a cap of £480
Bath	Vans, bigger vehicles	£9 for small vehicles, £100 for large 'Dangerous' driver sparks fury after placing 'insane' note on back window	£120, reduced to £60 when paid within a fortnight
Birmingham	Cars, vans, bigger vehicles	£8 for small vehicles, £50 for large	£120, reduced to £60 when paid within a fortnight
Bristol	Cars, vans, bigger vehicles	£9 for small vehicles, £100 for large	£120, reduced to £60 when paid within a fortnight
Bradford	Vans, bigger vehicles	£9 for small vehicles, £50 for large	£120, reduced to £60 when paid within a fortnight
Dundee	Cars, vans, bigger vehicles	N/A	£60 first fine, reduced to £30 when paid within a fortnight. Each sequential fine doubles in value to a cap of £480
Edinburgh	Cars, vans, bigger vehicles	N/A	£60 first fine, reduced to £30 when paid within a fortnight. Each sequential fine doubles in value to a cap of £480
Glasgow	Cars, vans, bigger vehicles	N/A	£60 first fine, reduced to £30 when paid within a fortnight. Each sequential fine doubles in value to a cap of £480
London (ULEZ)	Cars, vans, bigger vehicles	£12.50	£180, reduced to £90 when paid within a fortnight.
Oxford (ZEZ)	Motorcycles, mopeds, cars, vans, bigger vehicles	£2 for ultra-low emission vehicles, £4 for low emission vehicles, £10 for non-compliant vehicles	£60, reduced to £30 when paid within a fortnight
Newcastle	Vans, bigger vehicles	£12.50 for small vehicles, £50 for large	£120, reduced to £60 when paid within a fortnight
Sheffield	Vans, bigger vehicles	£10 for small vehicles, £50 for large	£120, reduced to £60 when paid within a fortnight

The boundaries of London’s ULEZ have expanded to cover the whole of Greater London, more or less following the shape of the M25 motorway

Should you sell your non-compliant vehicle?

If your vehicle is non-compliant, there are several options you can look into to avoid excess charges and fines.

As a resident living within one of these charging zones, such as Greater London’s ULEZ, you may be eligible for a local scrappage scheme, where you turn in your vehicle in exchange for money. Every Londoner is now eligible for the Greater London ULEZ scrappage scheme, which pays £2,000 for non-compliant cars, and more for vans or minibuses.

Using Motorway’s ULEZ Checker is an easy, free way to check your compliance

If you’re very attached to your non-compliant vehicle, you could look into getting it retrofitted by a mechanic certified by the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme, or CVRAS. If you’re a resident within a Clean Air Zone, you may even be eligible for funding to cover some or all of the cost of retrofitting. This is a fairly costly approach, but should reduce your emission-related running costs (like Clean Air Zone compliance, and your car tax bracket) for years to come.

No matter where you live, you may find that you get a much better deal for your non-compliant car or van by . It’s possible to have a non-compliant car that’s still fairly low mileage, and dealers around the UK are looking to buy privately-owned vehicles in good condition, whether or not they are compliant with emissions standards in urban areas.

When you sell your non-compliant car or van on Motorway, more than 5,000 verified dealers have the opportunity to compete to give you their best price. Just enter your reg on the homepage and you’ll be provided with an instant estimated sale price based on up-to-the-minute market data. We’ll then ask you a few easy questions about your vehicle and guide you through vehicle profiling. It can be done right from your phone – in a matter of minutes.

In as little as 24 hours, you’ll receive your best offer – and, if you choose to go ahead with the sale, your car will be collected for free by the dealer and the money will be quickly and securely transferred to your bank account. If your vehicle has outstanding finance, your buyer on Motorway can clear this directly with your lender, paying you any surplus.

Get started with a to see what you could fetch for your vehicle, whether it’s compliant or not.

Motorway team