Tools

London filming vehicle charges checklist

For productions planning picture-car work in London. This tool summarises common TfL rule checks in plain English. It is not legal advice and not a CarSeen hire quote. Always confirm on the official TfL pages before a shoot.

Published TfL charges

Public charges only, as of 30 October 2026. Charges, hours and exemptions change. These figures are not a CarSeen hire quote.

  • ULEZ

    £12.50 a day

    Cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles up to and including 3.5 tonnes, and minibuses up to and including 5 tonnes, that do not meet the emissions standards and are not exempt. All London boroughs, not the M25, 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day (25 December). A charging day runs midnight to midnight.

    As of 30 October 2026. TfL Ultra Low Emission Zone

  • Congestion Charge

    £18 a day, or £21 if paid later

    £18 if paid on the day of travel or in advance. £21 if paid by midnight of the third day after travel. Central London only, 07:00–18:00 Monday–Friday and 12:00–18:00 Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. No charge from Christmas Day to New Year's Day bank holiday (inclusive).

    As of 30 October 2026. TfL Congestion Charge

  • Congestion Charge, electric vehicle on Auto Pay

    £13.50 a day for an electric car

    Instead of £18, for an electric car registered on Auto Pay. Electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles on Auto Pay are £9 a day. The discount does not apply if the vehicle is not on Auto Pay.

    As of 30 October 2026. TfL Congestion Charge payments

  • LEZ

    £100 or £300 a day

    £100 for vans and specialist diesel vehicles over 1.205 tonnes unladen and up to 3.5 tonnes gross, and for minibuses up to 5 tonnes, that do not meet Euro 3. £100 for HGVs, lorries, vans and specialist heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, and for buses, minibuses and coaches over 5 tonnes, that meet Euro IV (PM) but not Euro VI. £300 for those same heavier vehicles when they do not meet Euro IV (PM). Midnight to midnight, every day of the year. These heavier vehicles pay the LEZ charge instead of the £12.50 ULEZ charge.

    As of 30 October 2026. TfL LEZ payments

TfL says these charges are for driving in the zone. A picture car that stays parked, and is not driven in, is not charged. A drive that crosses midnight can be two ULEZ or LEZ charging days. TfL: ULEZ and LEZ services.

Check one vehicle

Answer for the picture car itself, not the low loader bringing it in. Press Check to read the result on this page.

The checklist result will appear here.

Confirm it on the day

Charges and exemptions change. The figures above were taken from Transport for London's pages as of 30 October 2026. Run the exact registration on TfL's vehicle checker and keep the result with the shoot paperwork.

Official pages: TfL ULEZ, ULEZ discounts and exemptions, TfL Congestion Charge, Congestion Charge discounts and exemptions, LEZ payments.

CarSeen guide: ULEZ and Congestion Charge for classic cars on London shoots. Research: catalogue studies, including the October 2026 UK picture-car catalogue snapshot. Browse 2,500+ picture cars. Send a brief.

Questions

Is this a CarSeen hire quote?
No. It is a free checklist of public Transport for London checks for one picture car in London. It is not legal advice and it does not quote CarSeen hire. Send a brief if you need vehicles.
Which historic vehicles does TfL exempt from ULEZ?
TfL exempts all vehicles built before 1 January 1973, and vehicles over 40 years old that have been registered with the DVLA in the historic vehicle tax class. A vehicle registered outside the UK that meets those criteria is also exempt, but it has to be registered with TfL before it enters the zone. Confirm the exact vehicle on TfL's checker. As of 30 October 2026.
Does a ULEZ exemption remove the Congestion Charge?
No. TfL's Congestion Charge exemptions do not include historic vehicles. A classic that is exempt from ULEZ can still be charged if it is driven in the Congestion Charge zone during charging hours. As of 30 October 2026.
Are licensed London taxis and private hire vehicles exempt?
London taxis are exempt from the Congestion Charge while actively licensed with London Taxi and Private Hire. The exemption ends when the licence is surrendered, expires or is revoked. Private hire vehicles are not exempt, except a designated wheelchair-accessible PHV while it is carrying out a private hire booking. London-licensed taxis are also exempt from ULEZ. As of 30 October 2026.
What are the published daily charges?
As of 30 October 2026, TfL publishes a ULEZ charge of £12.50 a day for non-compliant cars, motorcycles and vans up to 3.5 tonnes, and a Congestion Charge of £18 a day if paid on the day or in advance, or £21 if paid by midnight of the third day after travel. Heavier vehicles may pay the LEZ instead of ULEZ, at £100 or £300 a day. An electric car on Auto Pay pays £13.50 instead of £18. Check the source links on this page before the shoot, because the figures change.
What if the car only sits in shot?
TfL says these charges are for driving in the zone. A picture car that stays parked, and is not driven in, is not charged. If a unit move drives the car in, or a low loader is the vehicle on the road, check that vehicle too.