A Clean Air Zone is a Road User Charging Scheme applying to certain vehicles used within a geographic area of a city centre, with the aim of reducing pollution and improving air quality.

More about Clean Air Zones.

It depends on the emissions category of your vehicle. You can check whether your vehicle’s emissions mean you must pay a charge and make payment (obtain a license) to use it within a Clean Air Zone online at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service.

A telephone payment service and helpdesk is also available on 0300 029 8888 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm), together with an online contact form.

Payment of the charge must be made for each day a non-compliant vehicle is used within a Clean Air Zone, either up to 6 days in advance of, or by 11.59pm on the 6th day after, using the vehicle in the zone.

More about paying to use a vehicle in a Clean Air Zone.

Check online to see if your vehicle’s emissions mean you are liable for a Clean Air Zone charge at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service.

More about checking your vehicle’s emissions and paying.

The types of vehicles and charges that apply vary for different Clean Air Zones. You can check on the website of the local authority operating the scheme for the charges that apply to a specific scheme.

More about Clean Air Zone charges.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras detect vehicles that are used in a Clean Air Zone.

More about the Clean Air Zone enforcement process.

Signage on roads in and around the zone, showing a white cloud symbol within a green circle, will indicate that a Clean Air Zone scheme is in operation. A letter A–D will also be included on the symbol (see images below), denoting the class of zone that applies.

More about Clean Air Zone signage.

Charges apply daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and from midnight to midnight (for example, 2 x daily charges should be paid for a vehicle entering a Clean Air Zone at 11pm and leaving at 1am the following morning.

More information on Clean Air Zone operation.

If you have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and do not agree with it, you can make representations to the local authority that issued it, explaining your reasons in as much detail as possible and providing any evidence you can.

More on the Clean Air Zone enforcement and appeals process.

A GOV.UK telephone payment service and helpdesk is available on 0300 029 8888 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm), together with an online contact form. Any questions about using the GOV.UK service should be directed through these channels.

Find out more about the next steps you can take.

If you have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and do not agree with it, you can make representations to the local authority that issued it, explaining your reasons in as much detail as possible and providing any evidence you can.

Find out more about the next steps you can take.

Following Government approval, a local authority can set up a Clean Air Zone as part of its plan to improve air quality through a Clean Air Zone Charging Scheme Order (CSO), under the powers of Sections 163–177A of the Transport Act 2000 and the Road User Charging Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013.

Don’t do nothing. Your options in this situation are to either pay or challenge the PCN. Find out more about the next steps here.

This is often known as an informal rejection. You now have the option to either pay the penalty or challenge it further. Find out more about the next steps here.

If the penalty has not been paid within the 28-day payment period, an NtO will be sent to the owner of the vehicle involved in the alleged contravention. You now have the option to either pay or make representations against the PCN. Find out more about the next steps here.

PCNs are served through the post when a possible contravention has been captured on an approved Camera device, or where it has not been possible to place the PCN on the vehicle or hand it to the driver (parking PCNs only). Your options are to either pay the PCN or challenge it. Find out more about the next steps here.

Don’t do nothing. Your options in this situation are to either pay or challenge the PCN. Find out more about the next steps here.

This is often known as an informal rejection. You now have the option to either pay the penalty or challenge it further. Find out more about the next steps here.

If the penalty has not been paid within the 28-day payment period, an NtO will be sent to the owner of the vehicle involved in the alleged contravention. You now have the option to either pay or make representations against the PCN. Find out more about the next steps here.

PCNs are served through the post when a possible contravention has been captured on an approved Camera device, or where it has not been possible to place the PCN on the vehicle or hand it to the driver (parking PCNs only). Your options are to either pay the PCN or challenge it. Find out more about the next steps here.

If you make written representations to the authority in response to a Notice to Owner (NtO) or Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) served by post – and the authority reject these representations – you will be sent an NOR. Find out more about the next steps here.

Instructions on how to make payment can be found on the documents that accompany the penalty. Alternatively, find out what options are available to you here.

No. If you pay, the authority will consider the matter closed. If the discounted rate has been re-offered, an appeal to the adjudicator does not preserve that offer and it will be lost. If you have received a penalty charge, find out what options are available to you here.

If you do not pay the penalty or make representations against a Notice to Owner (NtO) or Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) served by post by the end of the maximum 28-day period, the authority will send you a Charge Certificate: this increases the penalty by 50%. Find out more about the next steps here.

Contact the local authority that issued the ticket to check the status of the PCN. Local authority details will be on all correspondence received, or can be found here.

You can contact the local authority that you believe may have issued the PCN to see if you have one outstanding. Details for local authorities in England (outside London) and Wales can be found here.

Appeals against PCNs issued by London authorities are decided by London Tribunals. Find out more about your options on the London Tribunals website.

Private companies fall outside the statutory remit of civil parking enforcement by local authorities, so if a private company has issued your ticket, you should contact the company that issued the penalty and follow their appeals procedure. For further information, contact the British Parking Association.

If you have received a court order and payment of your penalty is not made within 21 days of the court order being served, the authority will obtain a warrant from the County Court and Civil Enforcement Agents will be instructed. Find out more about the next steps here.

Your options are to either pay to release the vehicle or challenge the clamping / removal. Find out more about your options here.

If you do not pay or challenge the penalty within 28 days of receiving the PN, the penalty will increase by 100%. Find out more about the next steps here.