ULEZ Exempt: Historic Vehicle (40+ Years Old)

Vehicles that are 40 or more years old on a rolling basis, and are registered with the DVLA in the 'historic' tax class, do not have to pay the ULEZ charge. If your vehicle meets both of those conditions, any Penalty Charge Notice issued to it is a mistake.

Legal basis

Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 Schedule 2 paragraph 1A — a vehicle is an exempt vehicle for the 12 months beginning 1 April in a year if it was "constructed more than 40 years before 1 January" in that year, which is what places it in the DVLA historic tax class; the Greater London LEZ/ULEZ Charging Order, which grants the ULEZ exemption to vehicles in that class. Note that the Act exempts the vehicle from vehicle excise duty; the exemption from the charge itself comes from the Charging Order.

How to identify this in your case

Vehicle is 40+ years old at PCN date and in DVLA 'historic' tax class.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

To: TfL ULEZ Team Re: ULEZ PCN [PCN_NUMBER] This vehicle is 40+ years old and in the DVLA 'historic' tax class (V5C enclosed). Under the Greater London LEZ Charging Order, historic vehicles are exempt. Please cancel. Yours faithfully, [Keeper Name]

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket, drafts a properly-cited appeal letter, and sends it for you where the council takes email — guiding you through their own online form where they use one, so you press submit. The win fee is only charged if you win.

ULEZ Exempt: Historic Vehicle (40+ Years Old)

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps