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technicalUK · England & WalesDifficulty: moderate

Wrong pollution rating in official records — refund route

Clean air zones (such as the ULEZ or CAZ) charge vehicles that official records say are too polluting. If your vehicle actually meets the required emission standard but government vehicle records have it listed incorrectly, any charge or penalty based on that wrong data may not be valid. You may be able to challenge the current penalty notice AND claim back charges you have already paid.

Legal basis

VERA 1994; Transport Act 2000; principle of restitution for mistake

How to identify this in your case

Vehicle is genuinely Euro-compliant but DVLA data shows otherwise. Common with imports, conversions, motorhomes.

Sample appeal wording

To: [Authority] CAZ/ULEZ Team Re: PCN [PCN_NUMBER] — Vehicle [VRM] This vehicle has been wrongly classified as non-compliant due to DVLA data error. Evidence of true emissions standard: [manufacturer compliance certificate / EU type approval / dyno test]. The vehicle is genuinely Euro [STANDARD] compliant. I request: (1) cancellation of the current PCN; (2) retrospective refund of any prior CAZ/ULEZ charges paid in error on the same vehicle, as money paid under mistake. Yours faithfully, [Keeper Name]

Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.

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Sources

  • VERA 1994
  • Transport Act 2000

Related appeal grounds

Next steps

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