National exemptions
Some vehicles will be allowed into the LEZ, whether they meet the standards or not, as often it is not easy to adapt these vehicles to the meet the LEZ standards. This is set out in the LEZ law (Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Penalty Charges) (Scotland) Regulations 2021) and applies across all of Scotland's LEZs, for consistency. These national exemptions are
- vehicles for people with disabilities, including people who have Blue Badges
- historic vehicles
- showman’s vehicles
- emergency vehicles
- military vehicles.
Blue Badge holders
If you are a Blue Badge holder, and the vehicle you are travelling in does not have disabled vehicle / disabled passenger vehicle tax class and does not meet minimum LEZ emission standards, then you will need to apply for an exemption in advance of travel.
An exemption
- applies to all LEZs in Scotland
- may be long term or one-day in length
- can be applied for up to seven days in advance of travel and before midnight for travel the following day.
Blue badge holders may apply for exemption through the Low Emission Zones Scotland website.
If you're a driver or a passenger and you have mobility issues, you may be eligible for a Blue Badge. You can check if you are eligible on the UK Government website. Find out how to apply for a Blue Badge.
Historic vehicles
An exemption will be given to vehicles that meet the definition of “a vehicle of historical interest”. These are vehicles which
- are considered to be of historical interest to the United Kingdom;
- were manufactured, or registered, for the first time at least 30 years previously;
- are no longer in production; and
- are historically preserved or maintained in their original state and have not undergone substantial changes in the technical characteristics of their main components.
Most historic vehicles will be automatically exempt. However, in some instances not all historic vehicles will show as 'exempt' on the national vehicle checker database and will need to be manually added.
If you believe your vehicle meets this full definition and the vehicle checker suggests otherwise, please email the following evidence to the LEZ team LEZ@edinburgh.gov.uk with the subject heading 'historic vehicle exemption application':
- The V5C of each vehicle you require an exemption for which shows the vehicle classification
- A photo of each vehicle you want to exempt
- Whether the vehicle is operated commercial or not
We will check the evidence and contact you to either request more information or confirm your exemption status.
Showman's vehicles
Showman’s vehicles that do not meet the emissions standards are exempt. In order to apply for this exemption you will need to provide
- your Showman’s Guild number or Association of Circus Proprietor's membership numbers
- the V5C of each vehicle you require an exemption for which shows the vehicle classification
- a photo of each vehicle you want to exempt.
In addition, please note that only vehicles with a 'showmans' or 'special vehicle' tax classification will be eligible for exemption from Edinburgh's LEZ.
Please email this information to the LEZ team LEZ@edinburgh.gov.uk with the subject heading 'showman's vehicle exemption application'. We will check the evidence and contact you to either request more information or confirm your exemption status.
Emergency vehicles
Emergency vehicles that do not meet the emissions standards are exempt. These exemptions only apply to eligible organisations, where drivers are
- undertaking their duty as a constable
- providing a response to an emergency at the request of the Scottish Ambulance Service Board
- exercising the functions of the Scottish Ambulance Service Board, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Her Majesty's Coastguard or the National Crime Agency.
Military vehicles
Military vehicles that do not meet the emissions standards are exempt. These exemptions only apply to eligible organisations, primarily the British Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy.
