…if you are a taxi driver.
Some Hackney Carriages and private hire vehicles have been required to pay to enter the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) since 30 January 2023.
On this page you will find information about:
Which vehicles are affected and how to check whether you will be charged;
How much the CAZ charge is and how to pay;
Vehicle upgrade grants, including how much is available and who can apply;
Exemptions, including temporary exemptions after your eligibility for funding has been confirmed;
A local discount scheme for drivers registered in Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside.
Which vehicles are affected and how to check whether you will be charged
The Clean Air Zone affects certain taxis and private hire vehicles driving into Newcastle city centre as well as those using routes over the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges.
Charges only apply to older vehicles that don’t meet Clean Air Zone emissions standards, so it’s important that you check to see whether you would be affected.
To meet minimum emissions standards your vehicle must have a Euro 6 diesel or a Euro 4 petrol engine. In general, this will be diesel vehicles registered after September 2015 and petrol vehicles registered after 2005.
You can check whether your vehicle would be charged to enter the CAZ using the government’s online vehicle checker.
How much the CAZ charge is and how to pay.
The charge for taxis and private hire vehicles that do not meet the minimum emissions standard is £12.50 per day.
If you need to make a payment you must do so within six days of our journey.
To pay the charge you will need to go to the national payment system that has been set up by the government. For details see our How to Pay page.
Vehicle upgrade grants, including how much is available and who can apply
The amount of funding available for grants is limited and therefore we are prioritising support for those who operate more regularly within the Clean Air Zone.
If you are a Hackney or private hire driver licensed by Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside councils, you can apply for a vehicle upgrade grant.
Grants of up to £3,500 are available for Hackney Carriage and private hire vehicles.
Grants of up to £4,000 are available to help upgrade wheelchair accessible vehicles.
The amount of funding you receive will be based on the sale and purchase prices of your old and new vehicles. Please speak to the financial provider handling your grant application before agreeing a vehicle sale or purchase.
Please be aware that due to financial auditing requirements, grants cannot be provided if the vehicle sale or purchase has been made using cash.
Applicants have 90 days from the date they receive their eligibility letter to replace their vehicle.
Visit our grants page for more information.
Exemptions, including temporary exemptions after your eligibility for funding has been confirmed
We will send you an approval letter if you are eligible for funding.
At this point, you will also receive an automatic 90-day exemption from CAZ charges. This will start from the date of your approval letter from us.
This means that you won’t have to pay CAZ charges while you complete your funding application and your purchase of a compliant vehicle.
If you have applied for funding but have not received an approval letter your vehicle will not be exempt and you will still need to pay CAZ charges.
If your exemption has expired and you are still waiting for your replacement vehicle you can apply to extend this exemption providing you have proof that a vehicle has been ordered.
The same eligibility criteria and funding application process applies for taxis and private hire vehicles that are wheelchair accessible and owners of these vehicles can also apply for an exemption lasting until January 2025.
Find out more about exemptions and how to apply.
A local discount scheme for drivers registered in Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside
If you are affected by the CAZ charge, and your taxi or private hire vehicle is licensed in Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside, you may be eligible to apply for a local discount licence.
This allows entry into the CAZ over a consecutive seven-day period at a cost of £50 rather than the standard charge of £12.50 per day.
This is only available for taxis and private hire vehicles that are registered with Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside. Non-compliant vehicles licenced outside these areas will need to pay the regular £12.50 charge.
To apply for a seven-day taxi discount licence, you will need to create an online account.
To register, enter your email address, create a password and provide your contact information including your name, address and telephone number.
You’ll be sent a verification email that will include a link to activate your account.
After you have verified your account and logged in using your email and password you will need to click on ‘Apply for a Permit’.
Then select the seven-day period the discount licence is for. You can apply for the permit six days prior to entering the CAZ, on the day you enter the CAZ or one day after entering the CAZ.
You’ll be asked to confirm that you are a registered taxi driver for Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside by providing the taxi vehicle registration, taxi licence number and expiry date.
Payment for the licence can be made as soon as you complete the application form. Once payment is made the seven-day licence will begin from your chosen start date, a receipt and confirmation notice will be sent to you by email.
Whilst you cannot renew the licence you can reapply for additional licences as and when required by accessing your online account.
If you do not have access to the internet, please contact the CAZ helpdesk on 0191 278 2711 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm) and a paper application will be posted to you.
If you would like to be sent updates regarding the CAZ please register your details here.