Who can apply for a refund of a Clean Air Zone charge and how to apply.

Who can't apply for a refund

If you've received a Penalty Charge Notice you need to appeal the Penalty Charge Notice. You can't apply for a refund using the apply for a refund form.

Your non-UK vehicle is compliant

If you did not check if your non-UK vehicle was compliant and paid the zone charge to avoid getting a Penalty Charge Notice but your non-UK vehicle was compliant. We won't give a refund.

You paid a zone charge but then did not travel in the zone

You paid the zone charge but didn't travel through the zone. We won't give a refund.

You paid the zone charge for the wrong date or wrong vehicle

If you paid the zone charge for the wrong date or wrong vehicle. We won't give a refund.

Who can apply for a refund

Your compliant vehicle is showing as non compliant on the GOV.UK drive in a clean air zone checker

Your compliant vehicle is showing as non compliant on the GOV.UK drive in a clean air zone checker and you paid the zone charge to avoid getting a Penalty Charge Notice. For example:

  • a compliant vehicle whose emissions records are incorrectly recorded
  • private (personalised) registrations put on or taken off a vehicle and changing the compliance
  • non-UK vehicles
  • tax class changes
  • delays updating records from third parties for example military, retrofit, taxi or private hire vehicle databases

You must apply within 6 months from your first Clean Air Zone payment. You need to give evidence from the DVLA that your vehicle is not chargeable.

Your vehicle was diverted into the zone

If you've been diverted into the zone due to planned or unplanned diversions and you paid the zone charge to avoid getting a Penalty Charge Notice.

You must apply for a refund within 28 days of payment. You need to give evidence of payment and describe the diversion.

You have a Hospital Visitor Exemption

You've been given a Hospital Visitor Exemption after you had paid the zone charge. The exemption is valid for 7 days. If you paid the zone charge you'll get a refund for one day.

You must apply for a refund within 28 days of payment. You must give evidence of payment.

You selected the wrong vehicle type

You've a non-uk vehicle and you paid for the wrong vehicle type and then made the correct payment on the right vehicle type.  You can apply for a refund for any overpayment.

You must apply for a refund within 28 days of payment and give evidence of payment and evidence of your vehicle type such as a photograph of your vehicle showing the full vehicle and its registration number. Please do not send in documents in other languages as we will not be able to read them.

Apply for a refund

You'll need:

  • evidence of payment
  • your vehicle registration number
  • the date of travel
  • other supporting evidence required for your refund request

Apply for a refund

We'll make any refund within 15 working days using the same payment method that you paid the charge with.