Clean air zones: Is my Toyota eligible?

Toyota bZ4X reviews

Whether it is called a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), Clean Air Zone (CAZ) or Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ), there are a growing number of urban areas in the United Kingdom where vehicle use is restricted. Indeed, as the criteria for exemption tightens and the area boundaries increase in size, the vehicles that qualify for exemption have altered over the years.

Have you ever wondered whether your Toyota meets or exceeds the minimum emissions standards for use in these areas? Similarly, have you ever wondered whether you are required to pay an additional fee for driving in a city, such as that associated with the London Congestion Charge or expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone?

If so, the following is a straightforward guide to the key charge zones that are operational within the UK. We will also explain how these relate to you as a Toyota owner.

Toyota Yaris Cross

What is the Ultra Low Emission Zone?

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is a large area that encompasses every London borough and requires vehicles entering it to meet minimum emissions standards. The purpose of this zone is to reduce pollution in the capital and improve air quality.

Passenger cars that do not meet these standards are required to pay a £12.50 daily surcharge. This fee applies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except Christmas day.

The boundaries of the ULEZ are set and monitored by Transport for London (TfL), and are clearly indicated by road signs and carriageway markings. Since 29 August 2023, the boundaries were extended to include all London boroughs as well as the City of London (see image below). A small number of postcodes cross the zone boundary, so we recommend using TfL’s postcode checking tool to see if your destination is within the charging zone. Please note that the zone does not include the M25.

Approximately 80% of the vehicles on UK roads already meet minimum ULEZ emissions standards: Euro 4 for petrol (from January 2006) and the tougher Euro 6 for diesel (from September 2015).

This means that every petrol or petrol-electric hybrid Toyota produced since January 2006 is ULEZ compliant and therefore exempt from paying this surcharge.

Check if your older Toyota model is ULEZ compliant by using TfL’s vehicle checking tool.

Toyota C-HR

What is the London Congestion Charge?

The London Congestion Charge is an additional daily fee for driving a vehicle through the very centre of the capital. The aim of this charge is to further reduce traffic and pollution levels within the heart of the Ultra Low Emission Zone during the busiest times of the day.

The boundaries of the London Congestion Charge zone are also set and monitored by TfL and clearly indicated by road signs and carriageway markings. The precise area can be seen in the map below.

London Congestion Charge

The £15.00 daily charge for passenger cars applies between 07:00 and 18:00 Monday to Friday, and between 12:00 and 18:00 weekends and bank holidays. No charges are applied in the eight days between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

TfL does allow certain discounts and exceptions for driving through London’s Congestion Charge zone. Among these, the Cleaner Vehicle Discount allows free travel for zero emission battery electric vehicles like the Toyota bZ4X, Toyota Proace Electric and Toyota Proace City Electric, as well as the hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai. You have to pay an annual fee of £10 to register each vehicle for this discount.

© Transport for London

Clean air zones: What about other UK cities?

To improve air quality in line with UK government mandates, the following cities in England and Scotland contain zones where daily emissions charges are levied for certain vehicles.

  • England: Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Oxford, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside
  • Scotland: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow

Currently, the cities of BirminghamBristolGlasgow and Oxford are the only ones enforcing charges for car drivers. Oxford is the first city in the UK to create a zero emission zone, which means that only zero emission Toyota models like the bZ4X, Proace Electric, Proace City Electric and hydrogen fuel cell Mirai are granted free access. The remaining cities charge a fee for cars that do not meet the minimum nationwide emission standard: Euro 4 for petrol (from January 2006) and the tougher Euro 6 for diesel (from September 2015).

This means that every petrol or petrol-electric hybrid Toyota produced since January 2006, as well as every zero emission Toyota model, is compliant with the published standards and therefore exempt from paying these surcharges.

Check the emissions status of older Toyota models for potential use in Clean Air Zones (England) and Low Emission Zones (Scotland) by typing the vehicle registration number into the DVLA database or the website of the respective local authority.

84 comments

  1. I am planning to purchase a Toyota Rav 4 Diesel car 2011 checked ULEZ checker says exempt
    But my worry is being 2011 will it be changed soon so that the car I hope to buy may not be ULEZ complaint in the near future. This car could be Euro 5 now cars are Euro 6
    Thanks

  2. I have a Toyota Yaris YB03 OGD. Jemca Edgware Rd told me a long time ago that this was an import which was mispecified by the importers Twinsparks as a Yaris S but is actually a CDX 1.3l. On the ULEZ check it comes up as non-compliant and because of this and the probable extension of ULEZ to all London boroughs I am looking into replacing it with a similar model. Looking at car sales sites I have noted two for sale, RF02 CHO and RF52 YGL, which are identical to mine except for colour and they are ULEZ compliant. I therefore think that it is likely that my car is ULEZ compliant but the incorrect recording of the specification is causing my car to be classified noncompliant. Can anything be done to correct the specification and inform DVLA please?

      1. I Came from the EU to visit my Daughter in my PRO ACE 2018 Verso 2.0 D 180 Family CO2 (NEFZ)151g/km.I was Driving on the North Circular and went inti a ULEZ. Was I allowed in there?

      2. Hi there. I wonder if you can help me. I have an 02 RAV4 reg YE52LRX and checking online I’m told it is not ULEZ compliant. A friend has the same car but it is a 2003 model reg AY53YKR and she does not have to pay the ULEZ. Would you be able to confirm for me that this is correct or if by any chance mine is ULEZ compliant too. Many thanks. Kerry Flynn.

      3. Hi Kerry,
        Thanks for your question.
        We would recommend contacting TfL for further assistance with this query.
        Thanks.

  3. Hi I have just purchased a 2019 Toyota Aygo YW19EUA can you tell me if it qualifies for none-payment of the ULEZ ZONES IN LONDON please

  4. Dear sirs.madam.
    Can you please advise me my toyota yaris X621UTW 2001 does not pass ULEZ, but why it is only 1 litre ,if I pay £75 ,can you provide the emissions reading which I can forward to Tfl .
    Kindly regards

    1. Hi Rishi, thanks for your comment.

      We would recommend contacting TfL for assistance with this.

      Thanks.

  5. Ive just bought a toyota yaris cross hybrid 2023
    does this get me through the ULEZ in london and birmingham?

  6. I have a 2000 Yaris – W92 JNP, according to ULEZ it is not compliant, but I wondered as it is based on age for certain cars, whether it is worth getting a Certificate of Conformity as the I’m sure the emissions are lower than newer cars which are deemed ULEZ exempt?
    Many thanks

  7. I have Toyota rk60 opf just want to know if that is ulez or does it meets Euro 6 standards. Can someone please reply. I checked in Tfl website and said not complaint but someone said to check with the dealer or manufacturer

    1. Hi Shab, thanks for getting in touch.

      To check for compliance, we recommend consulting the relevant TFL and Government webpages. There, you will find the most relevant and applicable information.

      Thanks.

  8. I have a Toyota Yaris cross and for about the last 8 months I haven’t been able to get speed camera notifications, mobile or fixed. When I bought the car new I had this facility but now it has disappeared. Also since I put the new myt app on it shows my car as the wrong specification it shows as a 2021 NG when it’s actual spec is a Toyota Yaris cross excel 2022 with the latest multimedia system, any help would be appreciated.

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