For those who are planning to rent a car in London, you may have heard of the recently introduced and extended Ultra Low Emission Zone which discourages high emission cars from entering. But how does this affect you when renting a car in London?
What are Ultra Low Emission Zones?
Started as a scheme to combat poor air pollution and climate change, ULEZ zones restricts vehicles from entering certain areas of London. If a non-compliant vehicle is caught by a ULEZ camera, they’ll need to pay a daily charge otherwise they’d receive a penalty.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone has been subject to controversy after the zone was expanded to cover all London boroughs in August 2023. Although the strategy is in place to keep London’s air clean, it can be highly inconvenient for London residents or for anyone who needs to drive their older car into London. The expansion has additionally created a challenge for any London visitors renting a car…
What happens if I drive my rental car through an Ultra Low Emission zone?
If your rental car is spotted by a ULEZ camera and the vehicle is not compliant, you will need to pay online by midnight on the third day following the journey. If you don’t pay on time, you risk getting a Penalty Charge Notice that will be sent to your car rental provider. The provider will then pass this fine on to you or it will be taken out of your security deposit as well as a possible additional administration fee.
Will my rental car be ULEZ compliant?
As car rental providers tend to recycle their fleets with new cars, it’s likely that the vehicle you’ll be renting will be compliant with the ULEZ regulations. You’ll be even more likely to rent a compliant vehicle if you filter by Petrol under Fuel Type as most petrol vehicles registered after 2005 will meet ULEZ standards. However, there is still no definite guarantee that the vehicle you’ll receive will be compliant. This is especially the case when car rental providers often offer “or similar” quotes that give no guaranteed model of vehicle.
Our best is advice is to enter the registration of the rental car into the Transport for London: Check your vehicle page upon collection. If you discover your car isn’t compliant, you can pay for the daily charge online.
We understand that this may not be ideal if you’re staying for a longer period of time. If you still have concerns about renting a car in a ULEZ zone, get in touch and we’ll see how we can assist you.
