Low Emission Zones in Scotland
Scotland has four Low Emission Zones, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. All four have been enforced since 1 June 2024. Driving in with a non-compliant vehicle costs £60, cut to £30 if you pay within 14 days.
- Halved to £30 if paid within 14 days
- Doubles for each repeat within 90 days
- Cars and vans capped at £480
Scotland's four Low Emission Zones
Scotland LEZ cities
Each zone covers part of a city centre, not the whole city. All four run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, including public holidays.
- Glasgow: about one square mile of the centre, between the M8, the River Clyde and Saltmarket and High Street.
- Edinburgh: about 3.1 km² of the centre, from Tollcross and the Meadows up to Queen Street.
- Dundee: the smallest zone, inside the A991 Inner Ring Road.
- Aberdeen: the streets around Union Street and the Castlegate.
Cameras read number plates as vehicles enter. A penalty charge notice (PCN) is then sent to the registered keeper.
LEZ rules in Scotland: which vehicles must comply
The same national standards apply in every zone. They are set by the Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.
| Vehicle | Minimum standard |
|---|---|
| Petrol cars and vans | Euro 4 |
| Diesel cars and vans | Euro 6 |
| Petrol buses, coaches and HGVs | Euro IV |
| Diesel buses, coaches and HGVs | Euro VI |
The rules cover cars, minibuses, buses, coaches, vans, HGVs and special purpose vehicles. Hybrids follow the rule for the petrol or diesel version. Fully electric vehicles are not restricted.
Motorcycles and mopeds are not restricted in any of the four zones. Vehicles registered outside the UK must meet the standards too.
Is my car LEZ compliant?
As a guide only, petrol cars and vans registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4. Diesel cars and vans registered from September 2015 usually meet Euro 6. Buses, coaches and HGVs generally meet Euro VI from January 2013.
Official sources call these dates indicative. Some vehicles on either side of a cut-off will not follow the pattern. The reliable answer is the official vehicle emissions check service on gov.scot, which looks up your registration number. Our LEZ checker explains the dates and the exceptions.
LEZ fines in Scotland
The first penalty is £60. It is halved to £30 if you pay within 14 days of the PCN being served.
Each further entry by the same vehicle in the same zone adds a surcharge, so the charge doubles. A new entry 90 days or more after the last one counts as a first offence again.
| Contravention | Cars and vans | Minibuses, buses, coaches and HGVs |
|---|---|---|
| First | £60 | £60 |
| Second | £120 | £120 |
| Third | £240 | £240 |
| Fourth | £480 | £480 |
| Fifth and later | £480 | £960 |
The repeat count is kept separately for each zone. A fine in Glasgow does not raise the charge for a later trip into Edinburgh.
- Only one PCN can be issued per vehicle, per zone, per day.
- You cannot pay in advance to drive into a zone.
- If a PCN is still unpaid 28 days after it was served, a charge certificate adds 50%. Your right to appeal ends at that point.
How to appeal an LEZ PCN in Scotland
- Make representations to the council that issued the PCN within 28 days.
- The council replies with a Notice of Acceptance or a Notice of Rejection.
- After a rejection, you can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, General Regulatory Chamber, which hears transport appeals.
Each council runs its own payment and appeal portal. The Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen pages give the local details.
LEZ exemptions in Scotland
These national exemptions apply in all four zones.
- Blue Badge: the vehicle is exempt when a badge holder drives it or travels in it. Vehicles used under an organisation's badge also qualify. Each vehicle must be registered first.
- Disabled tax class: vehicles in the disabled or disabled passenger vehicle tax class, with a vehicle tax exemption, are recognised automatically.
- Emergency vehicles: vehicles driven by a constable or used by the Scottish Ambulance Service when responding to an emergency. Also the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, HM Coastguard and the National Crime Agency.
- Military vehicles: vehicles used for naval, military or air force purposes.
- Historic vehicles: built or first registered at least 30 years ago. They must be of a type no longer made and kept in original condition.
- Showman's vehicles: these must be registered with the council before driving in the zone.
A vehicle tax reduction, such as for the PIP standard rate, may not be picked up automatically. If you are fined in that case, appeal to the council.
Councils can grant time-limited exemptions of up to one year in exceptional cases, such as specialist construction or recovery vehicles. Private cars are not eligible. A council can also suspend a zone for a major event or an emergency such as a diversion.
Blue Badge LEZ exemption
You only need to register if the vehicle is not compliant. Register through Transport Scotland's online system, which mygov.scot links to.
- One-day exemption: up to 2 vehicles per badge. Register up to 7 days ahead, and before midnight on the day of travel.
- Long-term exemption: only for a vehicle registered to the badge holder's home address. It lasts while the badge is valid.
- Organisation badges: one-day exemptions only, for one vehicle per badge per day.
The exemption covers all four Scottish zones. Individuals who cannot register online can call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282, option 2.
LEZ Support Fund: grants to scrap an older vehicle
The Energy Saving Trust runs two support funds. Both are in their final year, 2026/27. They close to new applications at the end of the 2026/27 financial year, or sooner if the money runs out.
LEZ Support Fund for households
Households can get up to £3,000. That is £2,000 for disposing of a non-compliant vehicle at a Scottish authorised treatment facility. On top of that, Travel Better grants of up to £500 per adult are available. To qualify you must:
- live within 40km of a Scottish LEZ
- receive a listed means-tested benefit
- have been the registered keeper for 12 months or more, with no outstanding finance
- own a Euro 3 or older petrol, or a Euro 5 or older diesel, that is taxed and has an MOT
The fund covers one vehicle per property. Do not scrap the vehicle before you receive an offer letter.
LEZ Support Fund for businesses
Sole traders and micro businesses can get £2,000 per vehicle disposed of, for up to three vehicles. They can add up to £1,000 of Travel Better funding towards a cargo or e-cargo bike.
The business must have 9 or fewer full-time equivalent staff. Turnover must be up to £632,000, or the balance sheet up to £316,000. The site must be within 40km of an LEZ. The vehicle must have been owned before 17 September 2020 and used for the business.
The separate LEZ Retrofit Fund has closed and no longer takes applications.
Quick answers
- How many low emission zones are there in Scotland?
There are four: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. All four have been enforced since 1 June 2024. Glasgow started earlier, with buses only from 31 December 2018 and all vehicles from 1 June 2023.
- How much is an LEZ fine in Scotland?
The first PCN is £60, or £30 if paid within 14 days. Repeat entries in the same zone within 90 days rise to £120, £240 and £480. Cars and vans stop at £480. Buses, coaches, minibuses and HGVs can reach £960.
- Do Scottish LEZs operate at night and at weekends?
Yes. All four zones run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, including public holidays.
- Can electric and hybrid cars drive in a Scottish LEZ?
Fully electric vehicles are not restricted. Hybrids follow the same rules as the petrol or diesel equivalent. A petrol hybrid needs Euro 4 and a diesel hybrid needs Euro 6.
- Can I pay to drive into an LEZ in Scotland?
No. You cannot pay in advance to enter a Scottish LEZ. A non-compliant vehicle that enters gets a PCN, with a maximum of one per zone per day.
- Are motorbikes allowed in Scottish low emission zones?
Yes. Motorcycles and mopeds are not subject to LEZ restrictions in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee or Aberdeen.
- Is the LEZ Support Fund still open?
The household and business funds are in their final year, 2026/27. They close to new applications at the end of the 2026/27 financial year, or sooner if the money runs out. The LEZ Retrofit Fund has already closed.