LONDON CITY CHARGES

Driving in London? Be aware of the LEZ, ULEZ and Congestion Charges. Check if your vehicle is exempt in Caura, or pay the charges in just two seconds.

London City Charges in Caura with LEZ, ULEZ and Congestion Charge road sign
Payment success screen for the London Congestion Charge in Caura

Two tap payments for all London City Charges

Three city charges in one city means three chances to get caught out and handed a hefty fine for non-payment. Not with Caura!

Make one-off payments or set up AutoPay in a matter of seconds and let us handle the rest.

What's the difference between LEZ, ULEZ & Congestion?

London has three active vehicle emission charges to improve air quality in the city.

  • Congestion Charge: the zone covers all of central London, and operates every day of the year except Christmas day. Find out more about the Congestion Charge.
  • ULEZ: Known as the Ultra Low Emission Zone, this covers Central London and the area up to, but not including, the North and South Circular Roads (A406 and A205). Find out more about the ULEZ Charge.
  • LEZ: Known as the Low Emission Zone, this covers most of Greater London charging only buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles. Find out more about the LEZ Charge.
London City Charges

What you need to know

The Congestion, ULEZ & LEZ charges apply daily. To check operating times for each zone, download Caura and tap 'City Charges'.

Congestion Charge

The London Congestion Charge operates from 7am to 6pm on weekdays, and 12pm to 6pm on weekends. It’s free on Christmas Day.

Charges are as follows:

  • £15 on the day before or the day of travel
  • £17.50 if you pay the day after travel

For a list of exemptions, or to find out more about the charge, click here

ULEZ Charge

The ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But it’s free on Christmas day.

The ULEZ charge costs £12.50 for everyone, with the same fee payable if you pay in advance, on the day, or the day after.

For a list of exemptions, or to find out more about the charge, click here

LEZ Charge

The LEZ operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The daily charges are as follows:

  • £100 for vans or specialist diesel vehicles (over 1.205 tonnes unladen weight up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight) or minibuses (up to 5 tonnes) which do not meet Euro 3 standards. 
  • £100 for HGVs, lorries, vans and specialist heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes as well as buses/minibuses and coaches over 5 tonnes which do not meet Euro VI (NOx and PM) standards, but meet Euro IV (PM)
  • £300 for HGVs, lorries, vans and specialist heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes as well as buses/minibuses and coaches over 5 tonnes which do not meet Euro IV (PM)

For a list of exemptions or to find out more about the charge, click here

Pay your clean air charges in seconds

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Top section of the City Charges screen of the Caura app
London City Charges

Which areas do the zones cover?

The Congestion Charge covers all of central London, where as the ULEZ and LEZ extend to areas within Greater London.

Combined London City Charges map including Congestion, ULEZ & LEZ

Pay London City Charges in Caura

Make one-off payments in two taps or automate payments in Caura for hassle-free travel into the zone.

How can I pay for London city charges?

All you need to do is download Caura and enter your vehicle registration number into the app. Tap 'City Charges', select the charge you wish to pay and confirm payment. Done!

Automate payments in a matter of seconds

If you're a frequent driver into any of the London charging zones, simply set-up AutoPay in-app and leave the rest to us. AutoPay is free to set-up and it means Caura will be able to take automatic payments each time you drive in the zone.

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FAQ

Questions?

Find answers to common questions here. If you can't find what you're looking for then email us on support@caura.com and we'll get back to you.

My account
Do I have to sign up to access Caura?

Yes. To enjoy the benefits of Caura, like timely reminders for tax and insurance, and ultrafast city charge and toll payments, you’ll need to create an account. This is so we can let you know about important expiry dates and booking details.

Can I change the email address I use for Caura?

You can’t currently change your email address on Caura (but we are working on it). As a workaround, you can log out of your current account and sign up with a new email address. We won’t be able to transfer the history over.

What happens if I forget my account credentials?

Easily done. Just tap ‘Forgot Password’ on the Log In screen - we’ll send you a password reset link via your registered email address. If you used your Google or Apple profile details (instead of an email address) to create your account, you’ll need to continue to use this sign-in method.

My account has been suspended, why?

Your account may be suspended as a precaution if we see evidence of fraud or a violation of our terms of service. Please email support@caura.com or send us a message in-app, and we can investigate this with you.

How do I delete my account?

Please email support@caura.com or send us a message in-app, and we can take care of that for you. Please feel free to let us know why you want to leave, as we’re always working to improve Caura for drivers like you.

Managing vehicles
How do I add or remove vehicles from my account?

To add a vehicle, simply swipe to the left on your current vehicle or tap the ‘+’ icon on the Home screen. To remove a vehicle, tap and hold on the vehicle image.

My vehicle cannot be found when I add my number plate, why not? 

All vehicles registered with the DVLA should show on Caura. Please make sure you are entering a valid number plate recognised by the DVLA. If the problem persists please email support@caura.com. 

Why can’t I see my updated vehicle details (e.g. tax, MOT) on Caura?

If you have made the update on Caura (e.g. paid for tax on Caura), it should update automatically within a few days. If it doesn't, you can pull down the image of your vehicle from the Home screen, which will refresh the app.

AutoPay
How does Caura AutoPay work? 

Caura AutoPay currently covers London’s city charges. AutoPay lets you automatically pay London’s ULEZ and Congestion Charge. It also covers London’s LEZ for HGVs. When you drive into the charging zones, TfL automatically recognises your vehicle and up to 5 days later they notify us of your journey. We’ll then charge your payment card. No need to pay manually.

How do I set up AutoPay? 

Go to the City Charges screen in-app and tap Complete Setup. Caura AutoPay is free to set up.

How quickly will I be covered by AutoPay?

When you set up AutoPay, you are covered from the day after (i.e. tomorrow). If you went into any of the charging zones on the day you set up, you should pay your charge manually in-app. 

What happens if I want to change my vehicle or reg plate? 

If you’re changing your registration plate (whether it’s for your existing vehicle or a new vehicle), you need to cancel AutoPay and set it up again. To do this, request a cancellation of your current AutoPay in-app. Then to remove your current vehicle reg, press and hold the vehicle image on the home screen. To add a new vehicle, swipe to the left on the home screen. 

What if I need to change my AutoPay payment method?

Go to your AutoPay account in-app (by going to the City Charges screen). From your AutoPay account, tap the current payment method selected. You can then choose to change your payment method tied to your AutoPay, either select an existing payment method or add a new card to Caura. 

How do I cancel AutoPay?

You can request cancellation from the AutoPay account section in-app. When you request a cancellation, we’ll get back to you to confirm your decision. It takes a day for AutoPay to be cancelled. You’ll lose the benefits of AutoPay which include automatic payments when you drive into any London charging zone. Once you cancel, charges may come through for the days prior to cancellation.

If you sell your vehicle, you’ll need to tell us to cancel as AutoPay will remain active, linked to your payment card.

Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?

You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.

Managing payment methods
How do I add or remove a payment method?

You can add, remove and set your default payment method via the Payment Methods screen, accessed via the Account tab. To remove a payment method, swipe it to the left. To set a payment method as the default option, swipe it to the right.  

What if I need to change my AutoPay payment method?

Go to your AutoPay account in-app (by going to the City Charges screen). From your AutoPay account, tap the current payment method selected. You can then choose to change your payment method tied to your AutoPay, either select an existing payment method or add a new card to Caura. 

City Charges
What is a Clean Air Zone charge?

Clean Air Zones are coming soon to many UK cities, helping our air stay fresh for future generations. All vehicles are allowed in CAZ zones – but if their emissions are above a certain level, they’ll have to pay to pass through. 

You can learn more about different Clean Air Zones and the charges in place here.

Which cities have Clean Air Zones? 

You can find details of all active and planned Clean Air Zones here.

What Clean Air Zones can I pay for on Caura?

Currently, you can pay for Birmingham’s Class D Clean Air Zone charge, as well as the London Ultra Low Emission Zone charge and the Oxford Zero Emission Zone charge, in two-taps on Caura.

We’re working hard to bring more Clean Air Zones to Caura very soon. We’ll notify users via email or in-app notification when new zones launch, as well as communicate this on social media. In the meantime, if there is a charge payment you really want to see on Caura, let us know by emailing support@caura.com (it may just be what we focus on next!). 

What do the different types of Clean Air Zones mean? 

There are four types (class) of Clean Air Zone. The class of Clean Air Zone dictates which vehicles have to pay for entering the zone. 

For each of the class types, the following non-compliant vehicle types have to pay: 

  • Class A: buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles 
  • Class B: buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles and heavy goods vehicles
  • Class C: buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans and minibuses
  • Class D: buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans, minibuses and cars, and the local authority has the option to include motorcycles too 
How do I know if I have to pay the Clean Air Zone? 

Please refer to the class type of the Clean Air Zone to understand which vehicle types have to pay. 

You will also be able to see exactly what you have to pay for a given Clean Air Zone, based on your vehicle’s type and emissions. 

The Clean Air Zones use ANPR cameras to automatically detect your vehicle when you drive into the charging zone. Look out for signs that clearly indicate the boundary of the zone.

If you try to pay for a charge that you're exempt from then Caura will not process the transaction, and you will not be charged.

What days can I pay the Clean Air Zone charges for on Caura?

Currently, you can pay for either today, tomorrow or yesterday in-app on Caura. Make sure you pay for the right date for any trips you make, as we’re unable to offer a refund for any payments made for the wrong day by mistake.

Does Caura charge an additional fee?

Caura charges no additional fee to pay for any Clean Air Zone, or to make any other transaction via the app. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. 

What happens if I pay for the wrong day? 

If you’ve paid for the wrong day, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer a refund. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund. If you paid for a charge unnecessarily then you can request a refund from the zone operator, referencing the transaction ID on your payment receipt in the Caura app.

Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?

You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.

London Ultra Low Emission Zone
What is the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)?

The ULEZ is London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone. It is designed to reduce the number of high-polluting vehicles driving within London. You can learn more about the ULEZ here.

Where is the ULEZ zone?

The ULEZ expansion took place August 2023, and now covers all London and Greater London boroughs.

What times does the ULEZ apply?

The ULEZ zone operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year except Christmas Day.

How much does it cost to drive into the ULEZ?

The daily charge is £12.50 for most vehicle types, including cars, motorcycles and vans up to 3.5 tonnes. 

Heavier vehicles including lorries, buses and coaches will be charged £100 per day. 

The fine for not paying is £160 per day, reduced to £80 if you pay within 14 days.

How do I pay the ULEZ charge?

Caura is the fastest way to pay, it takes two seconds via the app, and we charge no additional fee. Getting your car setup on Caura takes less than 30 seconds, and you can manage all your vehicle admin, from tolls to tax, in-app with Caura.

Currently, you can pay for either today, tomorrow or yesterday in-app on Caura. Make sure you pay for the right date for any trips you make, as we’re unable to offer a refund for any payments made for the wrong day by mistake.

Are there any discounts or exemptions?

Caura tells you if your vehicle is exempt from the Congestion or ULEZ charges. Simply select "City Charges" from the Home screen for your vehicle and you'll see any exemptions you have. You can also check if you’re exempt here.

Local residents are no longer exempt, as of October 25th 2021. All historic vehicles are exempt from the charge. 

How do I know if I've driven into the ULEZ, and need to pay?

TfL use ANPR cameras to automatically detect your vehicle when you drive into the ULEZ zone. Look out for signs that clearly indicate the boundary of the zone.

Caura AutoPay is the easiest way to gain peace of mind over whether you need to pay ULEZ or not. 

AutoPay lets you automatically pay London’s ULEZ and Congestion Charge. It also covers London’s LEZ zone for HGVs. When you drive into the charging zones, TfL automatically recognises your vehicle and up to 5 days later they notify us of your journey. We’ll then charge your payment card. No need to worry or pay manually.

Can I use Caura to pay for the Congestion Charge too?

Yes, Caura is the fastest way to pay for the London Congestion Charge, and you can pay for London’s ULEZ and Congestion Charge with the same two-tap transaction.

Can I pay ULEZ for my commercial vehicle with Caura?

Yes, Caura lets any vehicle pay for the London ULEZ charge, including commercial vehicles and HGVs. 

Please note the price of the ULEZ charge can vary depending on vehicle type and emissions standards. 

Why have I got a ULEZ Penalty Charge Notice?

If you have driven into the ULEZ zone and not made a payment for that day, and you are not exempt, you will face a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). 

Here are some other reasons why you may have been fined:

  • You made a payment but it was for the wrong day or vehicle
  • You have an exemption but you have not registered for a 100% discount with TfL
How much is a ULEZ PCN?

Currently all vehicles are liable to the same level of fine, which is £160. If you pay within 14 days of receiving the fine it’s £80, however if you pay after 14 days then you will have to pay the full £160.

How do I pay a ULEZ PCN?

You will need to visit the TfL website and navigate to the 'penalty charges for ULEZ' page.

Does Caura charge an additional fee?

Caura charges no additional fee to pay for the ULEZ charge, or to make any other transaction via the app. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. 

What happens if I pay for the wrong day, or wrong vehicle? 

If you’ve paid for the wrong day or vehicle, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer a refund. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider (e.g. TfL). We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund. However, you can apply to TfL for a refund. You'll need your receipt details, which can be found in the History tab on Caura.

Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?

You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.

Do I have to pay each time I drive into the zone? 

Each ULEZ charge payment covers you for all your vehicle’s journeys made in the zone for that day. 

Beware of double charging: each day the charge expires at 00:00. Meaning if you drive into the ULEZ zone at 23:59 and leave the next day at 00:01 you all be liable to pay for two ULEZ charges.

London Congestion Charge
What is the Congestion Charge?

The Congestion Charge is a Transport for London fee for driving in central London at certain times of the day. You can learn more about the charge here.

Which part of London is affected by the Congestion Charge zone?

The Congestion Charge zone covers most of central London. You can find a map of the zone here.

What times does the Congestion Charge apply?

The charge applies 7:00-18:00 Monday-Friday and 12:00-18:00 on weekends and Bank Holidays. 

There is no charge between Christmas Day and New Year's Day inclusive. 

How much is the Congestion Charge?

The Congestion Charge costs £15.00 per day if you pay in advance or the same day as your journey through the zone. 

If you pay by midnight the following day the charge is £17.50.

How do I pay for Congestion Charge?

Caura is the fastest way to pay for all London city charges, including the Congestion Charge. You can also pay for London’s ULEZ and Congestion Charges with the same two-tap transaction.

Currently, you can pay for either today, tomorrow or yesterday in-app on Caura. Make sure you pay for the right date for any trips you make, as we’re unable to offer a refund for any payments made for the wrong day by mistake.

Are there any discounts or exemptions?

If you can prove you live in within the Congestion Charge zone, you will be entitled to a 90% residents’ discount. 

The following are exempt from the Congestion Charge altogether, subject to a £10 annual registration fee: 

  • Disabled drivers with a Blue Badge
  • Vehicles that emit 0g/km of CO2 (Fully electric vehicles)
  • Vehicles with nine or more seats
  • Motorised tricycles
  • Roadside recovery vehicles
  • Motorcycle riders do not have to pay the Congestion Charge, or register for exemption.

Follow this link to register for exemption.

Does Caura charge an additional fee?

Caura charges no additional fee to pay for the Congestion Charge, or to make any other transaction via the app. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. 

What happens if I pay for the wrong day? 

If you’ve paid for the wrong day, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer a refund. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider (e.g. TfL). We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund. 

Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?

You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.

London Low Emission Zone
What is the Low Emission Zone (LEZ)?

Separate from the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), the LEZ was introduced to encourage the most polluting heavy diesel vehicles driving in London to become cleaner.

Where is the LEZ?

The LEZ covers most of Greater London, including parts of the M1 and M4 motorways (but not the M25).

What time does the LEZ apply?

Unlike the ULEZ, the LEZ charge operates 24/7, including Christmas day.

How much does it cost to drive into the LEZ?

The charge you'll need to pay is dependant on your vehicle type, and ranges between £100-£300.

  • £100 - Vans or specialist diesel vehicles (over 1.205 tonnes unladen weight up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight), and minibuses (up to 5 tonnes) which do not meet Euro 3 standards. 
  • £100 - HGVs, lorries, vans and specialist heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes as well as buses/minibuses and coaches over 5 tonnes which do not meet Euro 4 (NOx and PM) standards, but meet Euro 4 (PM).
  • £300 - HGVs, lorries, vans and specialist heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes as well as buses/minibuses and coaches over 5 tonnes which do not meet Euro 4 (PM) standards. 

Charges apply daily, so if you're entering and exiting the zone multiple times on the same day, you will only need to pay once.

How do I pay the LEZ charge?

Caura is the fastest way to pay, it takes two seconds via the app, and we charge no additional fee. Getting your car setup on Caura takes less than 30 seconds, and you can manage all your vehicle admin, from tolls to tax, in-app with Caura.

Currently, you can pay for either today, tomorrow or yesterday in-app on Caura. Make sure you pay for the right date for any trips you make, as we’re unable to offer a refund for any payments made for the wrong day by mistake

Are there any discounts or exemptions?

Caura tells you if your vehicle is exempt from the Congestion, ULEZ or LEZ charges. Simply select "City Charges" from the Home screen for your vehicle and you'll see any exemptions you have.

There are also some other exemptions in place. Find a full list of exemptions here

How do I know if I've driven into the LEZ, and need to pay?

TfL use ANPR cameras to automatically detect your vehicle when you drive into the LEZ. Look out for distinctive signs that clearly indicate the boundary of the zone.

Caura AutoPay is the easiest way to gain peace of mind over whether you need to pay LEZ or not. 

AutoPay lets you automatically pay London’s ULEZ, Congestion Charge and LEZ. When you drive into the charging zones, TfL automatically recognises your vehicle and up to 5 days later they notify us of your journey. We’ll then charge your payment card. No need to worry or pay manually.

Does Caura charge an additional fee?

Caura charges no additional fee to pay for the LEZ charge, or to make any other transaction via the app. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. 

What happens if I pay for the wrong day, or wrong vehicle? 

If you’ve paid for the wrong day or vehicle, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer a refund. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider (e.g. TfL). We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund. However, you can apply to TfL for a refund. You'll need your receipt details, which can be found in the History tab on Caura.

Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?

You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.

Do I have to pay each time I drive into the zone? 

Each LEZ charge payment covers you for all your vehicle’s journeys made in the zone for that day. 

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