Bath Clean Air Zone: Charges, Map & Exemptions

The Bath Clean Air Zone continues to operate under the same Class C rules in 2026, with no major changes to the vehicles that are charged or the emissions standards required to enter the zone.

Private cars, motorcycles and mopeds remain outside the scope of the scheme, meaning they can enter the zone without paying a charge. However, certain higher-emission commercial vehicles, including taxis, private hire vehicles, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches and HGVs, must still pay if they don't meet the required emissions standards.

The zone continues to be enforced using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, which check every vehicle entering the zone against DVLA records. If a chargeable vehicle enters without paying the daily charge by the deadline, the registered keeper may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

While Bath & North East Somerset Council introduced a number of temporary local exemptions when the scheme first launched, these have now expired. The remaining exemptions are those set out in national legislation or still recognised by the council.

The amount you pay depends on the type of vehicle you drive and whether it meets Bath's minimum emissions standards. The charge applies once per calendar day, no matter how many times you enter or leave the Clean Air Zone during that day.

If your vehicle meets the required emissions standards, you won't need to pay, even if it falls into a chargeable vehicle category.

You only need to pay the Bath CAZ charge if:

• Your vehicle is in a chargeable category.
• It doesn't meet the minimum emissions standards.
• You drive within Bath's Clean Air Zone during that day.

Compliant vehicles and exempt vehicles can travel through the zone without paying.

If your vehicle is liable for the Bath Clean Air Zone charge, you can pay online using the official Government Clean Air Zone payment service. The process only takes a few minutes.

Follow these steps:

1. Check whether your vehicle needs to pay. Use the Regit Bath Clean Air Zone Checker to confirm whether your vehicle is chargeable.
2. Visit the Government Clean Air Zone payment service. This is the official website used to pay Clean Air Zone charges for Bath and other participating UK cities.
3. Enter your vehicle registration number (VRN). The system will check your vehicle details and confirm whether a charge is due.
4. Select the date of travel. Choose the day you entered or plan to enter the Bath Clean Air Zone. You can pay up to six days before travelling, on the day, or up to six days afterwards.
5. Review the charge. The payment service will show the amount due based on your vehicle type and whether it meets the required emissions standards.
6. Complete your payment. Pay securely using a debit or credit card. Once your payment has been processed, you'll receive confirmation for your records.

Before paying, it's worth checking whether your vehicle is actually liable for the charge. Many newer commercial vehicles already meet the required emissions standards and won't need to pay, while private cars, motorcycles and mopeds are not charged in Bath's Class C Clean Air Zone.

Paying within the permitted payment window helps you avoid receiving a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

You can pay the charge to enter the Bath CAZ:

• Up to six days before travelling.
• On the day you travel.
• Up to six days after driving through the zone.

If payment isn't made before the deadline, you could receive a Penalty Charge Notice in addition to the outstanding daily charge.

If you've received a Bath Clean Air Zone Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), it's important to deal with it as soon as possible. A PCN is issued when a chargeable, non-compliant vehicle enters the Bath Clean Air Zone and the daily charge isn't paid within the permitted payment window.

Your PCN must be paid separately from any outstanding Clean Air Zone charge. Paying the daily CAZ charge alone will not cancel or reduce the penalty once a PCN has been issued.

To pay your Bath CAZ Penalty Charge Notice:

1. Visit the Bath & North East Somerset Council PCN payment portal.
2. Enter the PCN reference number shown on your notice.
3. Enter your vehicle registration number (VRN).
4. Check the amount due and follow the instructions to make a secure payment using a debit or credit card.
5. Keep your payment confirmation for your records.

If you pay within 14 days of the PCN being issued, you'll usually qualify for the reduced penalty amount. After this period, the full penalty becomes payable.

Checking whether your vehicle is compliant before you travel is the easiest way to avoid unexpected Clean Air Zone charges. The Regit Bath Clean Air Zone Checker allows you to check your vehicle in just a few moments using your registration number.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Enter your vehicle registration number (number plate) into the search box.
2. Tell us the reason for your vehicle check.
3. Review the results. The checker will tell you whether your vehicle meets Bath's Clean Air Zone emissions standards and whether it's likely to be charged if you enter the zone.

The checker uses your vehicle registration to identify key information, such as the fuel type, emissions standard and vehicle category, helping you understand whether the Bath CAZ rules apply to your vehicle.

Bath's Clean Air Zone uses national vehicle emissions standards to determine whether a chargeable vehicle must pay.

To avoid the daily charge, vehicles generally need to meet the following minimum standards:

• Petrol vehicles: Euro 4 or newer (typically registered from 2006 onwards).
• Diesel vehicles: Euro 6 or newer (generally registered from September 2015 onwards).
• Heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches: Euro VI.

It's important to remember that these emissions standards only determine whether a chargeable vehicle has to pay. Since private cars and motorcycles are excluded from Bath's Class C Clean Air Zone, they won't be charged regardless of whether they meet these standards.

If you're unsure what emissions standard your vehicle meets, entering your registration into the Regit Bath CAZ Checker is the quickest way to confirm your status.

Yes. One of the key features of Bath's Class C Clean Air Zone is that private cars, motorcycles and mopeds are not charged to enter the zone, regardless of their age, fuel type or emissions standard.

Instead, Bath's Clean Air Zone focuses on reducing emissions from the commercial vehicles that contribute most to roadside air pollution. Charges only apply to certain non-compliant taxis, private hire vehicles, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

If you're unsure whether your vehicle is classed as a private car or a chargeable commercial vehicle, you can use the Regit Bath Clean Air Zone Checker to confirm your vehicle's status before travelling.

Fully electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions and are not charged when entering Bath's Clean Air Zone.

Hybrid vehicles are treated differently. They are not automatically exempt simply because they use both an electric motor and a petrol or diesel engine. If a hybrid vehicle falls into one of the chargeable vehicle categories, whether it pays depends on whether it meets the required emissions standards.

For example, a modern Euro 6 diesel hybrid van is unlikely to pay, while an older diesel hybrid that doesn't meet the emissions requirements could still be liable for the daily charge.

Although most vehicles are assessed based on their emissions standards, some remain exempt from Bath's Clean Air Zone charges under national legislation.

These include:

• Emergency service vehicles.
• Military vehicles.
• Historic vehicles registered in the historic vehicle tax class.
• Certain agricultural, forestry and specialist vehicles.
• Some vehicles used by disabled people that qualify under national exemption rules.

Most temporary local exemptions introduced when Bath's CAZ launched in 2021 have now ended. If you believe your vehicle may qualify for an exemption, it's worth checking the latest guidance before travelling.

Simply holding a Blue Badge does not exempt a vehicle from Bath's Clean Air Zone charges.

Unlike some parking concessions available to Blue Badge holders, the Bath CAZ exemption is based on the vehicle itself, rather than the driver or passenger. This means that a vehicle won't be exempt solely because the person using it has a Blue Badge.

However, some vehicles used by disabled people may qualify for a national exemption. This can include certain vehicles that are registered in the disabled tax class with the DVLA or meet other exemption criteria set out in Clean Air Zone legislation.

If your vehicle qualifies for one of these exemptions, it should generally be recognised by the Clean Air Zone system. However, it's always worth checking your vehicle before travelling, particularly if you've recently changed vehicles or your tax class has been updated.

If you're unsure whether your vehicle is exempt or liable for the Bath CAZ charge, use the Regit Bath Clean Air Zone Checker before entering the zone. This can help you avoid unnecessary charges or receiving a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

If you fail to pay the daily Clean Air Zone charge before the payment deadline, Bath & North East Somerset Council can issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

The penalty depends on the type of vehicle:

• Cars, vans, taxis, private hire vehicles and minibuses: £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
• Buses, coaches and HGVs: £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

The penalty is issued in addition to any outstanding Clean Air Zone charge, so you'll still need to pay the original daily fee if your vehicle was liable.

If payment isn't made, additional enforcement action may follow, and extra costs could be added to the amount owed.

If you believe your Penalty Charge Notice was issued incorrectly, you have the right to challenge it.

You may be able to make representations if, for example:

• Your vehicle was exempt from the charge.
• Your vehicle met the required emissions standards.
• The vehicle had been sold, stolen or was no longer in your possession.
• The vehicle wasn't in the Clean Air Zone at the time stated.
• There were exceptional circumstances supported by evidence.

Bath & North East Somerset Council will review your representation and notify you of its decision. If your challenge is unsuccessful, you can usually make a further appeal to the independent Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which considers disputes relating to Clean Air Zone Penalty Charge Notices outside London.