Clean Air Zone Birmingham: Charges and How to Avoid

Planning a trip to Birmingham city centre? You may have to pay the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charge. Don’t panic — this guide explains everything in plain English: who pays, where the zone is, how much it costs, and what happens if you don’t pay.

🚦 What Is the Birmingham CAZ? Birmingham launched its CAZ in June 2021, making it one of the first major UK cities outside London to bring in daily charges for high-polluting vehicles.

It’s a Class D CAZ, which means it applies to cars, taxis, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches, and HGVs that don’t meet emissions standards.

The goal? To reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels in the city centre, which regularly exceeded legal limits.

The zone is enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year using ANPR cameras.

📍 Where Is Birmingham’s CAZ? The Birmingham CAZ covers the entire city centre inside the A4540 Middleway ring road (but not the Middleway itself).

It includes:

• Digbeth

• Jewellery Quarter

• Aston

• Moor Street station

• Birmingham New Street station area

👉 Check the official Birmingham CAZ map.

🚗 Who Has to Pay?

Charged if non-compliant:

• 🚗 Cars (diesel below Euro 6, petrol below Euro 4)

• 🚕 Taxis & private hire vehicles

• 🚐 Vans & LGVs

• 🚐 Minibuses

• 🚌 Buses & coaches

• 🚛 HGVs

Not charged:

• Motorcycles & mopeds

• Fully electric vehicles

• Hybrid vehicles (usually compliant if petrol Euro 4 or above)

Emission standards:

• Diesel: Euro 6 (2015+)

• Petrol: Euro 4 (2006+)

💡 See if the eligibility of your vehicle on the GOV.UK CAZ checker.

💷 Charges in Birmingham

🔑 Key rules:

• Charge runs midnight to midnight.

• One daily fee covers unlimited entries/exits.

🕒 Paying the Charge

• You can pay 6 days before, on the day, or within 6 days after travel.

• Payment is via the official GOV.UK portal.

• Forget to pay? You’ll be hit with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. The original charge is still owed.

🛑 Exemptions Some vehicles are exempt, including:

• Disabled tax class vehicles

• Motorcycles & mopeds

• Historic vehicles (over 40 years old)

• Certain local exemptions for residents and businesses

🙋 FAQs

1. Do Blue Badge holders get an exemption? Yes, if your vehicle is registered in the disabled tax class. Otherwise, you may need to apply for a local exemption.

2. What if I’m parked inside the zone? No charge. The fee only applies if your vehicle is driven inside the zone.

3. Does it work? Early data showed significant reductions in high-polluting vehicles entering the zone, improving NO₂ levels.

✉️ Got a Birmingham CAZ Fine? Many drivers successfully appeal CAZ fines — common reasons include:

• Wrong vehicle recorded

• Payment errors

• Poor signage

⚡ Resolvo will help you write an appeal in less than 2 minutes

✅ Quick Facts: Birmingham CAZ

• Zone type: Class D

• Daily charge: £8 (cars/vans) | £50 (buses/HGVs)

• Boundary: Inside the Middleway ring road

• Hours: 24/7

• Fines: £120 → £60 if paid quickly

Other tools from Resolvo

• Petrol Prices — Find the cheapest petrol or diesel prices near you

• Emission Checker - find the CO₂ emissions of any car in the UK

• ULEZ Checker - check if your car is ULEZ compliant

• Journey Cost Calculator — Calculate trip fuel costs

• MOT Check — find the MOT history on any car in the UK

• PCP Calculator - Calculate your car finance monthly payments

• HP Calculator - calculate your hire purchase finance monthly payment