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Low Emission Zone

What is a Low Emission Zone?

A low emission zone (LEZ) is an area where only certain vehicles are allowed to enter based on their emissions standards. The LEZ is being introduced to address air pollution in the city centre, mainly nitrogen dioxide (NO2), caused by road traffic. There are low emission zones (LEZ) being introduced to the four biggest cities in Scotland - Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee - after a change in legislation from the Scottish Government.

Aberdeen City Council introduced a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Aberdeen city centre on 30 May 2022 with a two year grace period. This means that between May 2022 and 31 May 2024, drivers were not fined for entering the LEZ with a non-compliant vehicle.

Important: enforcement of the LEZ started on Saturday 1 June 2024.

People can now enter their vehicle registration number on the official website for Scotland’s Low Emission Zones to confirm if their vehicle will comply.

What are the benefits of the LEZ?

  • Improved air quality
  • Protection of public health and wellbeing
  • Support Scotland to reach its Climate Change targets by reducing our road transport’s contribution to emissions
  • Create a vibrant, accessible, and safe city centre
  • Prioritise active and sustainable transport movement
  • Promote the city as a desirable place to live, visit and invest in

Find out more about the areas included in the low emissions zone.

How does it work?

The LEZ will:

  • operate continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
  • Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are linked to local and national vehicle licencing databases, to monitor all vehicles driving in a LEZ. They will detect vehicles which do not comply with the emission standards. Stationary vehicles are not subject to LEZ restrictions
  • be enforced by Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). When a non-compliant vehicle is detected driving within a LEZ a PCN is issued to the registered keeper of that vehicle . More information about PCNs is in our FAQ at the bottom of the page.
  • be enforced from 1 June 2024
    • we will not issue PCNs until this date

Vehicle checker

About 85% of vehicles in the area are already compliant with the LEZ. You can check your vehicle can go into Aberdeen's low emission zone and other LEZs in Scotland by using the online vehicle checker below:

Check your vehicle

The vehicle checker will allow you to check if your vehicle can drive within LEZs in Scotland based on whether it is considered compliant or non-compliant with the emission standards.

Important: the checker does not provide an exemption status and cannot check foreign vehicles.

For non-UK registered vehicles your vehicle must be LEZ compliant to drive in the LEZ otherwise you will receive a Penalty Charge Notice. Please contact your national vehicle authorities to confirm compliance status before your journey.

Charges

Charges are set at national level by the Scottish Government for consistency across cities. The initial penalty charge for all non-compliant vehicles is set at £60, reduced by 50% if it is paid within 14 days.

The penalty amount doubles with each subsequent breach of the rules detected in the same LEZ. The penalty charges are capped at £480 for cars and light goods vehicles and £960 for minibuses, buses, coaches and HGVs.

Where there are no further breaches of the rules detected within the 90 days following a previous violation, the rate is reset to the initial penalty charge i.e. £60.

VehicleVehicle Category (as defined by the DVLA)Initial penalty chargeSubsequent penalty charges   
  12345
Light passenger vehicles (cars)M1£60£120£240£480£480
MinibusM2£60£120£240£480£960
Bus and coachM3£60£120£240£480£960
Light goods vehicle (LGV)N1£60£120£240£480£480
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV)N2£60£120£240£480£960
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV)N3£60£120£240£480£960
Special purpose vehicle (SPV)Type dependant£60£120£240£480£960

If you have received a Low Emission Zone Penalty Charge Notice (LEZ PCN) you can:

Pay a Low Emission Zone PCN

 

Appeal a Low Emission Zone PCN 

Emission Standards

Emission standards for LEZs in Scotland have been legally agreed at national level for more information please visit the Low Emission Zone Scotland website.

Blue badge holders

If your vehicle is already compliant, you do not need to register for a Blue Badge Exemption. Check if your vehicle is already compliant using the vehicle checker.

If you are a Blue Badge holder, and the vehicle you are travelling in is non-compliant and does not have disabled vehicle / disabled passenger vehicle tax class, then you will need to register for an exemption in advance of travel to the LEZ.

Blue badge holders can find out more or apply for exemption on the Low Emission Zones Scotland website.

More information can be found the on the Low Emission Zone Scotland website.

Exemptions

Blue badge holders and other types of specialist vehicles (such as emergency service vehicles and historic vehicles) are exempt from all Scottish LEZs.

Aberdeen City Council can grant additional time-limited exemptions for certain specialist vehicles which are not suitable for replacement or retrofit.

This is not intended to absolve individuals or organisations from complying with the LEZ for an indeterminate period of time, and will only be granted in specific circumstances where the air quality impacts will be minimal, and where the applicant can demonstrate that efforts are being made to comply with the LEZ in the quickest possible timescale.

Time-limited exemptions can be granted for up to a year. Should an applicant wish to renew their exemption for an additional year, the application process must be repeated.

If you wish to apply for an exemption for a particular vehicle, please fill out the form below and return to transportstrategy@aberdeencity.gov.uk. 

Please note that it is not possible within the legislation for exemptions to be granted for residents' private cars.

Exemption Application 120.05 KB

Navigating the Low Emission Zone

You can view a map of the Low Emission Zone and find out more information about travelling within the LEZ on our navigating the LEZ web page 

Visit our navigating the LEZ web page

Retrofit grants

There are retrofit grants available for the LEZ zones in Scotland for the 2024/2025 financial year.

The Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund will provide support to micro businesses who operate within LEZs, to help them retrofit their existing non-LEZ compliant vehicle with Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) approved solutions that meet the confirmed minimum standards of the LEZs.

Grants cover up to 70% of the cost of a retrofit solution for (subject to a cap value dependent on solution and vehicle type):

  • light commercial vehicles (LCVs)
  • taxis
  • heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and refuse collection vehicles (RCVs)

To find out more about the grants for retrofitting, please go to to the Energy Saving Trust webpage.

For retrofit related queries, please email Energy Saving Trust at LEZfund@est.org.uk

Frequently asked questions

Aberdeen City Council explored options for a LEZ in line with the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, which introduced a commitment to introduce low emissions zones in Scotland’s four largest cities by 2022 to address air pollution and climate change.
 

There have been two rounds of public and stakeholder engagement, and a formal objection period which closed on the 28 November 2021.

The Stage 2 National Low Emission Framework Summary Report describes the LEZ option appraisal process in more detail, and explains how we have decided upon the preferred option.
 

Most drivers will be unaffected by the LEZ.

Those affected will be driving:

  • A pre-Euro VI diesel car (generally those registered before 2015); or
  • A pre-Euro IV petrol car (generally those registered before 2006)

You can check if your vehicle is compliant on the Low Emission Zones Scotland webpage.

The LEZ was introduced in 2022 with a two year ’grace’ period. This means between 2022 and May 2024, drivers were not be fined for entering the LEZ with a non-compliant vehicle.  The LEZ came into full effect on 1 June 2024.

Households can apply for a £2000 cash grant to assist in the change from a non-compliant vehicle. There is also an additional offer of up to two £500 mobility grants or Travel Better vouchers for people to purchase a bike, e-bike or public transport voucher.  You can find out more about the grants available on Low Emission Zones Scotland.

Micro-businesses can apply for a £2,500 cash grant per car or van to remove a non-compliant vehicle, to replace it with a compliant vehicle or to invest in an alternative mode of transport such as an e-cargo bike.  You can find out more about the grants available on Low Emission Zones Scotland.
 

As well as grants administered by Transport Scotland to help with the cost of purchasing a compliant vehicle or switching to public transport or buying a bike, residents could consider becoming a member of Aberdeen’s car club which has a range of vehicles, such as electric and hydrogen vehicles and an electric van which businesses can make use of.  There is also an electric bike hire scheme operating in Aberdeen too.  More details can be found at the Council's Car Club Webpage or on the Big Issue E-Bikes webpage.

Ships in Aberdeen Harbour are not in scope of the LEZ. The contribution of shipping to NO2 levels in the city centre has been identified as less than 10% of total emissions. Emissions from trains are not measured by ACC as the number, location and nature of the train operations fall below the threshold required for consideration. They are insignificant when compared to other transport emission sources in the city and very localised

No. The LEZ will be enforced by Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), there is no registration facility or the option for pre-payment. When a non-compliant vehicle is detected a PCN is issued to the registered keeper of that vehicle.

The Scottish Government is offering funding support to businesses and individuals likely to be impacted by LEZ proposals. Further information is available on the Low Emission Zones Scotland webpage.

The council can suspend Aberdeen's LEZ in emergency situations such as if an incident on a nearby road requires traffic to be temporarily diverted through the zone area.

Any emergency suspension will be determined by the council.

We may also temporarily suspend the zone (in full or in part) for events of local/national significance.

We will determine any need to suspend Aberdeen's LEZ for events on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Scottish Government.

 

Motorists coming out of the Orkney and Shetland ferry terminal on Commercial Quay can avoid the LEZ by turning left onto Market Street. Turning right onto Market Street brings you into the LEZ boundary in a very short distance without any option for turning back.

Routes south would be easiest accessed by North Esplanade West, Riverside Drive, Great Southern Road, and onto the Stonehaven Road.

Routes to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI), west, north-west, and north would be easiest accessed via North Esplanade West, Riverside Drive, Holburn Street, South Anderson Drive, Anderson Drive, The Parkway, and Ellon Road.

Drivers of non-compliant vehicles can still access the city centre and use 10 out of the 14 city centre car parks - College Street, Union Square, Trinity Centre, Virginia Street, Frederick Street, West North Street, Gallowgate, Loch Street, Harriet Street and Denburn.

The car parks at Chapel Street, Ship Row, Queen Street and Justice Mill Lane by Park Inn are within the LEZ. Vehicles entering these four car parks must be compliant to avoid a fine.

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