Bristol Clean Air Zone (CAZ): Charges, Map & Exemptions

No. The Bristol Clean Air Zone is not the same as London's ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone). Both schemes aim to reduce air pollution by encouraging cleaner vehicles, but they use different rules, boundaries and charging systems.

The main difference is that Bristol's CAZ covers a specific area of the city and charges vehicles based on whether they meet the required Euro emissions standards. London's ULEZ operates across a much larger area and has different charging rules.

If you are travelling between UK cities, it is important to check each zone separately, as a vehicle that is compliant in one area may not always have the same requirements elsewhere.

The Bristol Clean Air Zone is not a congestion charge.

A congestion charge is designed to reduce traffic levels, while a Clean Air Zone focuses on reducing harmful vehicle emissions. You will only need to pay the Bristol CAZ charge if your vehicle does not meet the required emissions standards and you drive within the zone. Compliant vehicles are not charged.

The Bristol Clean Air Zone operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including weekends and bank holidays.

If your vehicle is not compliant, you will need to pay the daily charge for each day you drive within the zone.

The Bristol CAZ charges are based on vehicle category:

If you are unsure whether your vehicle will be charged, use the Regit Bristol Clean Air Zone checker before travelling. This will confirm whether your vehicle meets the required emissions standards and whether a payment is needed.

Bristol is one of several UK cities that have introduced Clean Air Zones to reduce pollution levels.

Unlike some other schemes, Bristol's CAZ is a Class D Clean Air Zone, meaning it can apply to a wider range of vehicles, including private cars, taxis, vans, buses, coaches and HGVs.

For comparison:

• Birmingham Clean Air Zone: charges non-compliant vehicles entering the city centre, including cars, vans, taxis, buses and HGVs.
• Bath Clean Air Zone: mainly affects higher-emission commercial vehicles rather than most private cars.
• London ULEZ: operates differently and has its own emissions rules and charging system.

Each Clean Air Zone has different boundaries, charges and vehicle requirements, so it is important to check your vehicle before travelling to a different city.

Using Regit's Bristol Clean Air Zone Checker is simple:

1. Enter your vehicle registration number.
2. Confirm your vehicle details.
3. Check whether your vehicle meets Bristol's emissions requirements.
4. Find out whether you need to pay a daily charge.

The checker looks at your vehicle's emissions data to determine whether it is compliant. If your vehicle is shown as non-compliant, you can plan your journey, pay the charge if required, or consider upgrading to a cleaner vehicle.

Clean Air Zones use Euro emission standards to measure how much pollution vehicles produce. Generally:

• Petrol cars: Euro 4 or newer are usually compliant.
• Diesel cars: Euro 6 or newer are usually compliant.
• Vans and commercial vehicles: requirements vary depending on vehicle type.
• Zero-emission vehicles: electric and hydrogen vehicles are not charged.

As a guide, petrol vehicles registered from around 2006 onwards and diesel vehicles from around late 2015 onwards are more likely to meet Bristol's requirements, although the exact compliance depends on the vehicle's recorded emissions data.

Motorcycles and mopeds are generally exempt from the Bristol Clean Air Zone charge.

However, it is still worth checking your vehicle before travelling, especially if you use a less common vehicle type or have made modifications.

Fully electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can travel within the Bristol Clean Air Zone without paying a daily charge. These vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, so they meet the Clean Air Zone's emissions requirements automatically.

Hybrid vehicles are not automatically exempt. Whether a hybrid is charged depends on the fuel it uses and whether it meets the required Euro emissions standard. For example, a newer plug-in hybrid petrol car may be compliant, while an older diesel hybrid may still be charged.

The easiest way to confirm whether your vehicle is compliant is to use the Regit Bristol CAZ checker before you travel.

Vehicles registered with the Disabled or Disabled Passenger Vehicle tax class are exempt from the Bristol Clean Air Zone charge under the national Clean Air Zone rules.

However, having a Blue Badge does not automatically exempt a vehicle. If the vehicle is not registered in an eligible disabled tax class and does not meet the required emissions standards, the daily CAZ charge may still apply.

Bristol City Council also offers separate exemption arrangements for some Blue Badge holders and disabled travellers in specific circumstances. Drivers should check their vehicle status and any exemption eligibility before entering the zone.

Bristol City Council introduced a number of temporary exemptions and sunset periods when the Clean Air Zone first launched to help residents, businesses and organisations adapt to the new rules.

Most of these temporary exemptions have now ended, but some specialist vehicles and approved cases may still qualify for exemptions under national legislation.

Certain vehicles that have been upgraded through the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) can also become compliant. This mainly applies to larger commercial vehicles such as buses, coaches and HGVs that have had approved emissions reduction technology professionally installed.

If your vehicle has been retrofitted, make sure the upgrade has been officially certified and recorded before driving into the zone. Until the records have been updated, your vehicle may still appear as non-compliant.

To help reduce the impact of the Clean Air Zone, Bristol City Council introduced financial support schemes for eligible residents, businesses and organisations that needed to replace or upgrade non-compliant vehicles.

Previous support has included grants, interest-free loans and funding towards:

• Replacing older petrol or diesel vehicles.
• Upgrading to cleaner, CAZ-compliant vehicles.
• Purchasing electric vehicles.
• Retrofitting eligible commercial vehicles.
• Supporting licensed taxi and private hire drivers with cleaner vehicles.

Most funding schemes were introduced around the launch of the Clean Air Zone and have now closed. However, new funding opportunities may become available in the future, particularly through local or government-backed clean air initiatives.

If you're looking to upgrade your vehicle, it's worth checking the latest Bristol City Council guidance to see whether any grants or support schemes are currently available.

Paying the Bristol CAZ charge is straightforward:

1. Check whether your vehicle is charged using the Regit Bristol CAZ checker.
2. Visit the Bristol City Council online payment portal.
3. Enter your vehicle registration number.
4. Select the date you travelled or plan to travel.
5. Pay using a debit or credit card.
6. Keep your payment confirmation for your records.

You only need to pay once per day, even if you enter and leave the zone multiple times on the same day. However, if your journey continues past midnight, you'll need to pay for each day separately.

You can pay the Bristol Clean Air Zone charge:

• Up to 6 days before your journey.
• On the day you travel.
• Up to 6 days after driving within the zone.

If you miss this payment window, you may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), so it's best to pay as soon as possible if your vehicle is liable for the charge.

There are a few legitimate ways to avoid paying the Bristol CAZ charge:

• Drive a vehicle that meets the required emissions standards.
• Use a fully electric or hydrogen-powered vehicle.
• Check whether your vehicle qualifies for an exemption.
• Plan a route that stays outside the Clean Air Zone.
• Walk, cycle or use public transport where practical.

Avoiding the charge by entering the zone without paying could result in a Penalty Charge Notice.

The Bristol Clean Air Zone operates:

• 24 hours a day
• 7 days a week
• 365 days a year

The charging period runs from midnight to midnight. If you drive in the zone before and after midnight, you'll need to pay for both days.

Yes. The Bristol Clean Air Zone remains in operation on:

• Bank holidays
• Public holidays
• Weekends
• Christmas and New Year

There are no seasonal or holiday exemptions, so it's always worth checking your vehicle before travelling.

If you fail to pay the Clean Air Zone charge:

• The standard Penalty Charge Notice is £120.
• If you pay within 14 days, the penalty is reduced to £60.
• The outstanding Clean Air Zone charge may also still need to be paid.

Paying the daily charge before the deadline is the easiest way to avoid additional costs.

If you believe a Penalty Charge Notice has been issued incorrectly, you have the right to challenge it.

You can appeal if, for example:

• Your vehicle was exempt.
• The charge had already been paid.
• The vehicle was incorrectly identified.
• There were other exceptional circumstances.

Appeals can be submitted online or by post through Bristol City Council. In most cases, you have 28 days from the date of service shown on the PCN to make your appeal. Once an appeal is submitted, the penalty is normally placed on hold while it is being considered.