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Clean Air Zones (caz)

Clean air zones are areas that charge or penalise highly polluting vehicles based on their emissions levels.

These zones are implemented by local authorities in areas where air pollution levels have been identified as dangerous to health.

How do Clean Air Zones work?

CAZ differ from city to city. Every zone is in operation 24/7, using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to check every vehicle driving in the zone to make sure appropriate fees are paid. These fees are separate from any congestion charges that may also apply and should be made using the relevant Government portal.

Vehicles will only be charged when they are seen driving in a zone. If a vehicle is driven into a zone on Monday and is left parked up until Friday, the driver will only have to pay for Monday and Friday. Penalties are applied for non-payment.

Every vehicle type has a minimum emission standard – this can be found in a vehicle’s logbook. The vehicle must meet the minimum standard to avoid a fine when entering a CAZ.


Vehicle TypeCAZ Minimum Standard
Buses, coaches, heavy goods vehiclesEuro 6
Vans, minibuses, cars, private hire vehiclesEuro 6 (diesel) & Euro 4 (petrol)
MotorcyclesEuro 3

Clean Air Zone Categories

Clean Air Zone Categories

Company car customers are only likely to be impacted by the Class D categories, though this is dependent on the type of vehicle they drive.

Business customers can use the Government’s vehicle checker to check what charges are in place and how to pay the charge. There’s also information for businesses with multiple vehicles and contact details for more support.

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Homecharge Scheme

The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme is now only available to: 

  • Homeowners who live in flats 
  • Households in rental accommodation (flats and single-use) 

It helps private plug-in vehicle owners offset some of the upfront cost of purchasing and installing a dedicated domestic charging unit.  

The grant is a 75% contribution towards the cost of one charge point and its installation up to a maximum of £350 (including VAT) per installation.  

Workplace Charging Scheme (wcs)

The WCS is a voucher-based scheme providing eligible applicants with support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle (EV) charge points.

It is available in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but not in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. The scheme is run by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and administered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).