Oxford Zero Emission Zone (pilot)

Who pays

All petrol and diesel vehicles including hybrids, unless discounted or exempt. Charge depends on emissions band: zero emission (0 g/km CO2) free; ultra-low (<75 g/km CO2, or any 2/3-wheeler above 0 g/km) £2; low emission (4+ wheels meeting Euro 4/IV petrol or Euro 6/VI diesel) £4; all others £10.

When it applies

7am to 7pm, seven days a week, all year. Parked vehicles that don't move are not charged.

How much

Discounts and exemptions

• Discounts (apply at least 10 working days ahead): Blue Badge holders, disabled tax class vehicles, selected low-emission hybrid PHVs and hackney carriages, residents of the zone, health or care workers, community transport, businesses in the zone, students in financial hardship moving in/out
• Exempt: Oxford City Council-licensed hackney carriages, registered local buses, emergency service vehicles, historic vehicles, military vehicles, agricultural and similar vehicles, special vehicles (cranes, road rollers, forklifts etc.), hearses, certain recovery vehicles

How to pay

Online via Oxfordshire County Council's ZEZ payment site (linked from the 'Check your vehicle and pay' page), which also checks the charge for your vehicle. Phone help 01865 519800 for discounts.

Payment deadline

Up to six days in advance, on the day, or up to six days later. No refunds for unused advance payments.

If you don't pay

PCN £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days of the date of service (date of service = 2 working days after posting). 28 days to pay or challenge; then a charge certificate raises it by 50% to £90. Unpaid debts registered at the Traffic Enforcement Centre add £9.

Good to know

Pilot running since 28 February 2022. A wider city-centre ZEZ is proposed (draft charges £0-£10 for cars, up to £50 for heavy vehicles; proposed resident and business discounts) but is subject to further assessment and formal consultation - a revised programme is 'being prepared' (no start date). Separately, Oxford's temporary congestion charge (£5, six points) was replaced by a traffic filter trial on 28 September 2026 - see oxford-temporary-congestion-charge. You must pay the ZEZ charge and any other Oxford charge separately.