ULEZ Fines & Penalties
If you drive a non-compliant vehicle in the London ULEZ and don’t pay the daily charge, Transport for London (TfL) can issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). This page explains what that means in plain English, how much you might have to pay, and what happens if you ignore it.
Daily charge vs penalty
There are two separate costs connected to ULEZ and it helps to keep them distinct in your mind:
- Daily ULEZ charge – a £12.50 per day fee you pay if your vehicle is not compliant and you choose to drive it inside the ULEZ zone on that day.
- Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) – a much higher civil penalty issued by TfL if you should have paid the daily charge for a journey but did not do so by the deadline.
In short, the daily charge is what you pay to drive a non-compliant vehicle in the zone, while the penalty is what you pay if you don’t pay that charge on time. Paying the daily charge correctly means you should not receive a ULEZ PCN for that day’s driving.
How much is a ULEZ fine?
For most cars, vans and motorbikes, the standard ULEZ penalty charge (PCN) is:
- £180 – the full penalty amount if you pay after the initial discount period or not at all.
- £90 – the discounted amount if TfL receives your payment within 14 days of the PCN being served.
This level of penalty applies to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross weight, including most private cars, light vans and motorbikes. Heavier vehicles may fall under the separate London-wide Low Emission Zone (LEZ), which has its own charges and penalties.
| Stage | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Discounted penalty | £90 | PCN paid within 14 days of the date of service. |
| Standard penalty | £180 | PCN paid after 14 days but within 28 days of the date of service. |
| Charge Certificate | Up to £270 | If the penalty is not paid or challenged in time, TfL can issue a Charge Certificate increasing the amount by 50%. |
| Order for Recovery / enforcement | Further costs added | If the penalty remains unpaid, the debt can be registered at court and passed to enforcement agents (bailiffs), adding extra fees and charges. |
Exact amounts and time limits can change, so always check your own PCN and the official TfL website for the current rules.
When do you get a ULEZ PCN?
TfL uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras across the ULEZ to detect vehicles entering and driving within the zone. Your number plate is checked against TfL’s systems to see whether your vehicle is compliant and whether a daily charge has been paid for that date. You may receive a PCN if:
- You drive a non-compliant vehicle in the ULEZ and no valid daily charge is recorded for that vehicle on that date.
- You should have paid the daily ULEZ charge but paid for the wrong date, the wrong registration, or paid after the deadline.
- You believed you were exempt or entitled to a discount, but the exemption or discount has not been applied correctly or has expired.
When a potential contravention is detected, the PCN is normally posted to the registered keeper’s address held by the DVLA, so make sure your address is kept up to date on your logbook (V5C).
How long do you have to pay?
ULEZ PCNs come with strict time limits, so it is important to read the dates on your notice carefully. From the date the PCN is served, you normally have:
- 14 days to pay the discounted amount (£90), after which the discount is usually withdrawn.
- 28 days to pay the full amount (£180) or to make a formal representation (challenge) if you believe the PCN is incorrect.
If you ignore the PCN completely and do not pay or challenge in time, TfL can issue a Charge Certificate increasing the amount. If the debt still remains unpaid, it can be registered at court and passed to enforcement agents (bailiffs), adding extra fees and making the final bill much higher.
How to pay or challenge a ULEZ fine
You can deal with a ULEZ PCN in three main ways. The safest option, if the PCN is correct and you can afford it, is to pay within the discount period so you do not risk higher costs.
- Pay online via the official TfL website using the PCN number and your vehicle registration.
- Use the TfL “Pay to drive in London” app on your phone, which lets you manage charges and penalties in one place.
- Challenge (appeal) the PCN if you believe it was issued incorrectly – for example, if your vehicle was compliant, you were not in the zone, or you paid the charge correctly.
Always act quickly. Paying within 14 days keeps the lower £90 penalty. If you intend to challenge, follow the instructions on the PCN, submit your case within the stated time limit, and keep copies of any evidence you send (such as receipts, screenshots or correspondence).
Common ways people get caught out
- Assuming their car is compliant because it is “not that old”, without checking the actual ULEZ status for their registration.
- Driving late at night and forgetting that ULEZ runs from midnight to midnight, so a short trip either side of midnight can count as two separate charging days.
- Paying for the wrong date or mistyping their registration when making a payment, meaning TfL’s systems do not recognise that the charge has been paid.
- Assuming Auto Pay is active when it has never been set up, has been suspended, or has an out-of-date payment card attached.
Setting up Auto Pay with TfL, checking your vehicle’s ULEZ status in advance and keeping your payment details up to date can prevent most accidental fines. If you only drive into London occasionally, setting a reminder on your phone to pay the charge on the day of travel can also help.
Quick summary (TL;DR)
- ULEZ daily charge: £12.50 for non-compliant cars, vans and motorbikes driven within the zone.
- ULEZ fine (PCN): £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days of the PCN being served.
- PCNs are issued if you enter the zone in a non-compliant vehicle without paying the correct charge on time, or if there is a problem with your payment or exemption.
- Ignoring a PCN can lead to a Charge Certificate, court registration of the debt and enforcement agents getting involved, making it much more expensive.
- Always check your vehicle in advance, keep your address and payment details up to date, and consider setting up Auto Pay if you drive in London regularly.