In recent years, more is being done to combat air pollution in larger cities. The most famous example of this is London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (which has already reduced roadside Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations by 54% in Central London), but there are other clean air zones in place across the UK. 

In this article, we’re going to run through everything you need to know about riding a motorcycle in either ULEZ or a clean air zone – from the emission standards you need to meet to what happens if you don’t make a payment. 

ULEZ – or the Ultra Low Emission Zone – is a clean air zone across London designed to reduce air pollution and congestion by introducing emission standards for vehicles. It’s in effect 24/7 (excluding Christmas Day), and any ‘non-compliant’ road users must pay a daily £12.50 ULEZ charge. 

When the Ultra Low Emission Zone was first introduced, it only covered Central London. It’s since been expanded to cover all 32 London boroughs – Enfield, furthest North, and Croydon, furthest South. 

However, while the M25 can fall within this area, you don’t need to pay the ULEZ charge to travel on it. 

You can check if your postcode – or the postcode you’re travelling to – is within ULEZ on the TFL website. 

Outside of ULEZ, there are zones across the UK classed as ‘Clean Air Zones’ (CAZ). Cities with CAZ in place include: 

• Aberdeen
• Bath
• Birmingham
• Bradford
• Bristol
• Dundee
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• Oxford
• Portsmouth
• Sheffield
• Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead)

However, it’s currently only Oxford charging non-compliant motorbikes, as other cities have decided not to include them – but check before you travel, as this may change.

When travelling within Oxford’s zero emissions zone, you’ll need to pay between £2-£10 depending on the area. You can do this via the Oxfordshire County Council website, and payment needs to be received by midnight the next day. 

To be exempt from paying the ULEZ charge, your motorcycle or scooter will need to meet a minimum of the Euro 3 Emissions Standards or have been registered after July 2007.

If you’re unsure if your bike meets the required standards, you can check it on the TFL website.

However, if your bike is over 40 years old and registered with the DVLA for a historic vehicle tax exemption, you are exempt from paying the ULEZ charge.  

Euro Emission Standards were introduced in 1999 to improve air quality, meaning that any vehicle produced within that time frame must meet the Emission Standards in place at the time of production. 

At the time of writing, the Emission Standard for Motorcycles and Scooters is Euro 5+. However, it is believed that Euro 6 is set to come into force later next year (estimated November 2026), and will mirror the Euro 7 Rules for cars. 

But what does it all mean? Below is a table outlining what you need to know about each Euro Emission Standard: 

Euro Standard:	Date Introduced:	Standard Petrol & Diesel Requirements:	ULEZ Compliant (Motorcycles)?
Euro 1	1999	CO (g/km): 13.0 NOx (g/km): 0.3 HC (g/km): 3.0	No
Euro 2	2003	CO (g/km): 5.5 NOx (g/km): 0.3 HC (g/km): 1.0	Yes
Euro 3	2006	CO (g/km): 2.0 NOx (g/km): 0.15 HC (g/km): 0.3	Yes
Euro 4	2016	CO (g/km): 1.14 NOx (g/km): 0.09 HC (g/km): 0.17	Yes
Euro 5	2020	CO (g/km): 1.0 NOx (g/km): 0.06 HC (g/km): 0.1 PM (g/km): 0.0045 NMHC (g/km): 0.068	Yes
Euro 5+ / Euro 6	2024	CO (g/km): 1.0 NOx (g/km): 0.06 HC (g/km): 0.1 PM (g/km): 0.0045 NMHC (g/km): 0.068	Yes
Euro 7	2026	N/A	Yes

Key:
CO = Carbon Monoxide
NOx = Nitrogen Oxide
HC = Hemocyanin
PM = Promethium
NMHC = Non-Methane HydroCarbon

There are four types of clean air zones, giving local authorities the freedom to decide what vehicles should be exempt from paying in their area.

These zones are graded as follows:

Class	Vehicles Included
A	Buses, Coaches, Taxi & Private Hire Vehicles
B	Buses, Coaches, Taxi, Private Hire Vehicles & Heavy Goods Vehicles
C	Buses, Coaches, Taxis, Private Hire Vehicles, Vans & Minibuses
D	Buses, Coaches, Taxis, Private Hire Vehicles, Heavy Goods Vehicles, Vans, Minibuses, Cars & option to include Motorbikes

The minimum emission standards are the same as London’s ULEZ – so in a class D city like Oxford, you will have to pay the daily charge if your motorcycle doesn’t meet Euro 3 emission standards.

However, in a class C city such as Bath, your motorcycle is exempt regardless. 

The current ULEZ standards are set to stay the same until at least 2028. Currently, there are no plans to change ULEZ standards, and any change would be subject to a formal public consultation. 

Euro seven is the newest emissions standard, due to start being phased in in late 2026 for car manufacturing.

Unlike Euro 6, it will include non-exhaust emissions - such as brake dust and tyre particles - and set requirements for EV batteries. 

While these standards will apply to new motorcycles sold in the UK at some point, there is currently no set timeframe in place.

You can pay the daily ULEZ charge via the TFL website. You’ll need to pay by midnight on the third day after your journey or up to 90 days in advance.

If you’re regularly riding within the ULEZ zone parameters, you can set up Auto Pay, which will automatically bill you monthly. 

If you’re not sure if your bike is ULEZ compliant, you can check it on the TFL website.

All you’ll need to do is input your number plate, and you can find out if your bike meets emission standards. 

The congestion charge is a daily fee for driving in Central London during peak hours (7 am-6 pm on weekdays and 12pm-6 pm on weekends).

Motorbikes are exempt from this charge, even if you have to pay the ULEZ charge. 

The easiest way to pay a Clean Air Zone charge in England is either via the GOV.UK website or the local council. Alternatively, you can pay by calling 0300 029 8888. 

Failure to pay will result in a penalty charge notice.

Scottish Low-Emission Zones work slightly differently from England’s clean air zones. 

Instead of pre-paying, automatic number plate recognition cameras (ANPR) will check vehicles in a Low Emission Zone for non-compliance.

All vehicles that do not meet the required emission standards will receive a penalty charge notice. Fortunately, motorbikes are currently exempt from this. 

Currently, there are no plans to change emission standards within ULEZ until 2028 at the earliest. The daily charge is also currently set to remain the same in 2026, and there are no current plans to expand the zone. 

From 2028, stricter standards may be enforced, such as a move from Euro 3 to Euro 4 for motorcycles, but nothing has been confirmed. 

Across the UK, cities like Manchester, St Albans and Southampton are considering implementing clean air zones or a variation upon that, although these schemes are still very much in development. 

So, there you have it! We hope you found this guide to ULEZ and Clean Air Zones useful.

As always, if you’re looking for a motorbike insurance policy, don’t forget to get a quote direct with Lexham!