The 40-year rule
Is your car old enough to qualify?
Year is only the first check. Enter it to see whether the vehicle may qualify for the DVLA historic tax class; then confirm its actual registration and ULEZ status with the official services.
The small print, decoded
How the 40-year rule works
London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charges most vehicles £12.50 per day to drive within the zone. Vehicles recorded in the DVLA historic vehicle tax class are exempt from ULEZ, but the keeper must apply for that tax class the first time.
The age window rolls forward each April. In the current window, vehicles built in 1985 or earlier may be age-eligible. Build date, registration date, substantial changes, use and the recorded tax class can all affect the answer.
Key facts:
- Apply for the historic vehicle tax class; age alone is not proof
- Commercially used historic vehicles can be excluded from the rolling exemption
- MOT exemption has separate substantial-change rules
- Always check the registration on TfL's official vehicle checker