Portsmouth Clean Air Zone

Will your car be charged in the Portsmouth Clean Air Zone?

Portsmouth runs a Class B zone — the narrowest charging class. Private cars, motorcycles and vans are never charged; only non-compliant taxis and larger vehicles are. Enter the reg and the free check reads the vehicle's emissions status for the zone.

Free · no sign-up · uses DVLA and emissions data

Portsmouth Clean Air Zone — the facts

Zone class: Class B
Who's charged: Non-compliant taxis, private-hire vehicles, buses, coaches and HGVs
Private cars, motorbikes & vans: Not charged
Daily charge — taxis, private-hire: £10 / day
Daily charge — buses, coaches, HGVs: £50 / day
Compliant standard: Euro 6 diesel / Euro 4 petrol
Area: About 3 square kilometres in the south-west of the city, including Gunwharf Quays, bounded roughly by Kingston Road and Fratton Road to the east (the M27 and A27 are not included)
Operating hours: 24/7, every day of the year
Penalty (PCN): £120 (reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days)
Launched: 29 November 2021
Official authority: cleanerairportsmouth.co.uk

* This data is almost always correct but we cannot guarantee that it is. Please check with the relevant local authority before basing a purchasing decision on it.

What the check tells you

Run the reg and the free report shows this vehicle's status for the zone:

No chargecompliant, or a private car, motorbike or van
£10 / daynon-compliant taxi or private-hire vehicle
£50 / daynon-compliant bus, coach or HGV

How the Portsmouth Clean Air Zone works

Portsmouth's Clean Air Zone is a Class B scheme — the narrowest charging class available. It covers about 3 square kilometres in the south-west of the city, including Gunwharf Quays, and charges only the most polluting taxis, private-hire vehicles, buses, coaches and HGVs; private cars, motorcycles and vans are never charged, whatever their emissions.

A vehicle clears the zone if it meets the minimum emissions standard — broadly Euro 6 for diesels and Euro 4 for petrols. Non-compliant taxis and private-hire vehicles pay £10 a day, and non-compliant buses, coaches and HGVs pay £50 a day.

The charge has applied every day of the year, around the clock, since the zone launched on 29 November 2021. A missed charge can become a £120 penalty, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. Running the registration on a free check reads the vehicle's emissions status so you can see where it stands before you buy.

The official source is Cleaner Air Portsmouth (Portsmouth City Council). We're the check-your-specific-car-in-seconds convenience, not the authority — always confirm charges there before you decide.

Checking other zones?

Common questions

Are private cars charged in the Portsmouth Clean Air Zone?

No. Portsmouth is a Class B zone — the narrowest charging class — so private cars, motorcycles and vans are never charged, whatever their emissions. Only non-compliant taxis, private-hire vehicles, buses, coaches and HGVs pay.

How much is the Portsmouth Clean Air Zone charge?

£10 a day for non-compliant taxis and private-hire vehicles, and £50 a day for non-compliant buses, coaches and HGVs. Compliant vehicles pay nothing.

How do I know if a vehicle is compliant?

Compliance is based on the emissions standard — broadly Euro 6 for diesels and Euro 4 for petrols. Enter the registration for a free check and the emissions section shows the vehicle's status for the zone.

Where exactly is the zone?

It covers about 3 square kilometres in the south-west of the city, including Gunwharf Quays, bounded roughly by Kingston Road and Fratton Road to the east. The M27 and A27 are not included. Confirm the exact boundary with the council before travelling.