ULEZ penalty charge: how to challenge it
Got a ULEZ penalty from TfL? The £180 penalty and £90 discount, the six grounds you can use, what tends to work (Auto Pay, compliant vehicles, grace periods), the deadlines, and the free tribunal.
Last checked 28 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
The short answer
A ULEZ penalty is £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days, and £270 if it goes to a charge certificate. You can challenge it with TfL within 28 days, but only on six grounds set by law, such as the vehicle not needing to pay, the charge having been paid, or you not being the keeper. If TfL rejects it, you can appeal free to London Tribunals. Hardship and mistakes aren't grounds: TfL can cancel for them at its discretion, but the tribunal can't.
How the ULEZ charge works
- £12.50 a day for cars, vans and motorcycles that don't meet the standards.
- It runs 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day, across London.
- Pay by midnight on the third day after you travel, in advance, or by Auto Pay.
- It's separate from the Congestion Charge: paying one doesn't cover the other.
The six grounds
You can only challenge a ULEZ penalty on these grounds. Use the one that fits and send evidence:
- You weren't the registered keeper: you'd sold the vehicle before, or bought it after, the date. Give the buyer's or seller's details if you know them.
- The charge was paid on time and in the right way.
- No penalty is payable under the scheme: for example the vehicle meets the standards, is exempt, or has a registered discount.
- The vehicle was used without your consent, for example stolen or with cloned plates.
- The penalty is more than the amount allowed.
- You're a hire firm, the vehicle was on hire, and the hirer signed a statement accepting liability.
What tends to work
- Auto Pay: if the vehicle was registered on a working Auto Pay account, the charge counts as paid. If the card was declined, TfL can accept payment another way, but that's at its discretion.
- Compliant vehicle: if the vehicle actually meets the standards, no charge was due. Check it on TfL's vehicle checker and send the V5C.
- Grace periods: vehicles in a disabled tax class, wheelchair-accessible vehicles and some others have grace periods to October 2027. Some are automatic; others need an application first.
- Cloned plates: photos showing differences from your own vehicle, proof of where it was, and a police crime reference.
- Sold vehicle: the date you told the DVLA and the bill of sale.
What doesn't
- Typing the wrong registration or date when you paid: TfL may accept this at its discretion, but it isn't a ground.
- Paying the Congestion Charge and thinking it covered ULEZ.
- A Blue Badge: it gives a Congestion Charge discount (if registered) but no ULEZ exemption.
- Not knowing about the ULEZ, or hardship: TfL may consider it, but the tribunal can't.
The deadlines
| Step | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pay at the discount | 14 days | £90 instead of £180 |
| Challenge TfL (representations) | 28 days from the penalty being served | Late challenges can't be made online and may be ignored |
| TfL's decision | No deadline in law | The penalty is frozen while TfL decides |
| Appeal to London Tribunals | 28 days from TfL's rejection | Free; the adjudicator can only use the six grounds |
| Charge certificate | After the 28-day periods run out | The penalty rises to £270 and you can't challenge it any more |
| Court stage | Statutory declaration within 21 days of the Order for Recovery | Only if you didn't get the penalty, got no reply, or got no tribunal decision |
Common questions
Can I pay the ULEZ charge after I've driven?
Yes, until midnight on the third day after you travelled. After that, a penalty is issued.
Is a ULEZ penalty a fine on my licence?
No. It's a civil penalty from TfL, with no points. Ignoring it can end with enforcement agents after a court order, though.
Does TfL have to answer my challenge within 56 days?
No. That rule applies to council parking and some council penalties, not TfL's ULEZ or Congestion Charge. TfL has no legal deadline, and the penalty is frozen while it decides.
Can I appeal if I didn't know about the ULEZ?
You can ask TfL to cancel it at its discretion, but it isn't one of the six grounds, so the tribunal can't allow an appeal for it.
Got a charge?
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