Low Emission Zone (LEZ) penalty charges

All challenges must be made in writing. The quickest and easiest way to make a challenge is online, using our customer portal.

Please note that we do not accept challenges by email.

Alternatively, you can send a challenge by post. However, you must take into consideration any postal delays.

To make a challenge you will need

• the LEZ Penalty Charge Notice number beginning with EZ
• your vehicle registration number.

Please note that you must challenge each outstanding LEZ Penalty Charge Notice separately. We cannot accept multiple challenges using one notice number.

If you have received a PCN but you believe your vehicle to be LEZ-compliant as evidence submit a copy of your vehicle's V5C, Certificate of Conformity or a letter from the vehicle's manufacturer along with your challenge. We can then raise the matter with the DVLA on your behalf. 

Online

This is the simplest way to challenge your LEZ Penalty Charge Notice. You can view the photographs of the vehicle captured by the camera at the time of the contravention. You can attach supporting evidence and receive quicker responses from us.

Challenge LEZ Penalty Charge Notices

By post

Please take postage time into consideration when challenging your LEZ Penalty Charge Notice by post, the Council cannot be held responsible for postal delays or delivery failures. Where possible please submit your challenge online. You can send a letter by post to

Please make sure that the LEZ Penalty Charge Notice number and the vehicle registration number are given in any correspondence with us. 

In person

You can hand in your dispute, or we can help you make an online challenge at the

Appeals

You may appeal your LEZ Penalty Charge Notice through the formal appeals process. The first stage of which is known as making a representation. Appeals follow section 8 of the Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Penalty Charges) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.

You can make representations against an LEZ Penalty Charge Notice within 28 days from the date of issue. We will consider your reasons and send you our response. It will either be a notice of acceptance, where we accept your reasons and cancel the penalty, or a notice of rejection, where we do not believe that the case has been made to cancel the charge. If you make representations outwith the 28 day period then they may not be considered.

If we reject your representations, you have the right to appeal to an independent adjudicator in the first tier tribunal, transport appeals. We will tell you how you can appeal to the first tier tribunal in our notice of rejection. If the first tier tribunal rejects your appeal, then you must pay the full amount of the relevant LEZ penalty charge. This is stipulated within the legislation. If the adjudicator accepts your appeal, then they will instruct the Council to cancel the penalty charge notice.