Apply for a local exemption or discount in Sheffield's Clean Air Zone

Drivers of higher emission larger motorhomes can pay a discounted daily charge of £10 (rather than the standard £50) to enter Sheffield’s CAZ.  A large motorhome can be defined as a rigid vehicle of more than 3.5T GVW and determined by the DVLA to have the body type of a 'motorcaravan'.

Once registered with the Council, you must pay for each journey using the Sheffield Council Permits Portal.

You may pay the discounted charge in advance or up to 11:59pm on the day of travel. You cannot pay the discounted rate from the day after your travel date.

This discount will be available for the duration of the CAZ but you need to apply for each trip into the zone.

Refunds are not available.

Evidence required

You will need to be able to upload the following evidence, plus any bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle, for audit purposes upon request:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document)
• photos of the front, back, sides and inside rear of the vehicle

This exemption applies to buses, coaches and minibuses that are contracted with schools for educational trips.

You can apply for this exemption if you are transporting primary, secondary or further education pupils under the age of 19 for curriculum related trips but not for commuting purposes.

The vehicle must be used for transporting school pupils to the site of a school-related activity that is located within the CAZ, or where the direct route to the activity runs through the CAZ.

There is no limit to the number of exemptions you can have, although you will need to apply for each day you wish to travel in with an exemption.

Application deadlines

You need to allow at least 5 days for us to process your application. We recommend you apply 28 days in advance should we need to investigate your claim. 

Evidence required

As part of the online application you will need to be able to upload the following evidence:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document)
• evidence of booking for an educational trip on behalf of a school that includes the date of the trip (erase any confidential details)

This exemption applies to community transport vehicles with a community transport permit, such as a Section 19 or Section 22 permit.

It does not include vehicles registered as a Hackney Carriage or private hire vehicle.

All exemptions for community transport vehicles last for one year only. However, there is an option to extend for one year if required.

You need to allow at least 5 days for us to process your application. We recommend you apply 28 days in advance should we need to investigate your claim.

Evidence required

When you apply you will need to upload the following evidence, plus any bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document)
• photos of the front, back, sides and inside rear of the vehicle
• your Community Transport Permit

This exemption applies to:

• non-commercial coaches and buses between 20 and 39 years of age on the eligible non-charging day concerned
• vintage emergency service vehicles used for demonstration and education purposes, constructed more than 20 years before the clean air zone charging day concerned

Vehicles must not be used on a designated road for hire or reward or in connection with a trade or business.

For this exemption type, you must apply for specific days to drive into the zone.

We offer a maximum of 10 exemption days per financial year for which you can drive into the zone without paying the charge.

You need to allow at least 5 days for us to process your application. We recommend you apply 28 days in advance should we need to investigate your claim.

Evidence required

You will need to upload the following evidence plus any bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document)
• photos of the front, back, and sides of the vehicle

This exemption can be applied for if you have a replacement compliant vehicle on order, or have ordered a retrofit for your current vehicle

This relates to upgrades being obtained without applying for financial support measures through us.

The exemption will apply for up to one year from the launch of the CAZ, or until the delivery date of the new vehicle or retrofit date of the existing vehicle (whichever is sooner).

You need to allow at least 5 days for us to process your application. We recommend you apply 28 days in advance should we need to investigate your claim.

Evidence required

You will need to upload the following evidence:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document)
• proof of purchase of replacement vehicle/ retrofit (order form, invoice and purchase order) including evidence of an estimated delivery date/ retrofit

This exemption covers minibuses, buses and coaches with a minimum of 10 seats, including the driver that have specialist adaptations to carry disabled passengers (such as entry lifts for wheelchairs and wheelchair anchor points).

Evidence required

You will need to upload the following evidence:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire registration document)
• photos of the front, back and sides of the vehicle
• an accessibility certificate showing the vehicle conforms with schedule 1 of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000; or if the vehicle is a minibus (which would not be eligible for a certificate) additional photos that show the vehicle meets the same criteria 

Summary of schedule 1 of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 criteria

1. the vehicle has at least one wheelchair space that meets stipulated specifications, with a minimum size as follows:

• 1300mm measured in the longitudinal plane of the vehicle;
• 750mm measured in the transverse plane of the vehicle; and
• 1500mm measured vertically from any part of the floor of the wheelchair space

2. be fitted with a boarding lift, or carry at least one portable ramp

3. have an entrance / exit for wheelchairs users of at least 800m in width

4. have a gangway for wheelchair users that is at least 750mm wide

5. have markings, lighting, communication devices (where appropriate) and signage for wheelchair users, including:

• a sign indicating the direction that the wheelchair and the wheelchair user shall face during travel, and
• safety instructions explaining the use of the wheelchair space

Please note that only supplying photographs of the vehicle will be insufficient. You will need to specify whether each of the above criteria (1 to 5) have been met and also supply a photograph specifically demonstrating this for each.

There are exemptions for some other hard to replace vehicles.

The exemption will apply for one year. Afterwards, you will have to renew it by making another application.

Allow at least 5 working days for us to process your application before you travel into the zone, although we recommend you apply 28 days in advance should we need to investigate your claim.

Under the criteria of the scheme, the following types of vehicles are classed as being eligible to apply for these exemptions:

Agricultural or similar vehicles

This exemption applies to higher emission non-road-going vehicles, such as tractors, gritters, snow ploughs, mowing machines, and steam powered vehicles (on a case-by-case basis) that are not nationally exempt.

Evidence required

You will need to upload the following evidence, plus any other bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document) showing the vehicle tax class is Special Concessionary
• photos of the front, back, and sides of the vehicle

Specialist works vehicles 

Examples of these types of vehicles are a digging machine, road roller, mobile crane, mobile pumping vehicle, or works truck designed for use in private premises, such as a fork lift truck.

You will need to provide additional evidence of a Vehicle Special Order granted by the Vehicle Certification Agency for this exemption or be applying for a works vehicle of the type referred to in this section, which is at least 3,500kg.

Once registered with the council, you do not need to do anything else to activate your exemption.

Evidence required

You will need to upload the following evidence, plus any other bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document) showing the vehicle tax class is Special Concessionary
• photos of the front, back and sides of the vehicle
• Vehicle Special Order

Specialist heavy goods vehicles

This exemption covers heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which weigh more than 12 tonnes, carry a load that cannot be divided into two or more loads for the purpose of being carried on a road and cannot themselves be carried on another vehicle.

Evidence required

You will need to upload the following evidence, plus any other bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document) showing the tax class is Special Types
• photos of the front, back, and sides of the vehicle

Showman’s vehicles

This exemption covers vehicles that have been modified or specially constructed and are registered to a person following the business of a travelling showman.

Vehicles must be registered to a showman business and show the tax classification is Showman’s HGV or Showman’s Haulage Vehicle. This will show as Special Vehicle tax class.

Evidence required

You will need to upload the following evidence, plus any other bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document), showing the tax classification is a Special Vehicle 
• photos of the front, back, and sides of the vehicle

Recovery vehicles

This exemption covers vehicles that are used solely for the purpose of vehicle recovery.

Evidence required

you will need to upload the following evidence, plus any other bespoke evidence that is specific to your vehicle:

• your full V5 certificate (the entire vehicle registration document) showing the tax class is Recovery Vehicle
• photos of the front, back, and sides of the vehicle
• proof of a Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) certificate

A vehicle may be an exempt vehicle if its tax classification (Schedule 2, Vehicle Excise & Registration Act 1994) is one of the following categories:

• police vehicle
• fire engine
• ambulance 
• NHS vehicle 
• pet ambulance
• mine rescue vehicle
• lifeboat vehicle

If so, you need to apply for this exemption, which applies for one year before you need to need to reapply and renew. Allow at least 5 days for us to process your application.

We recommend you apply 28 days in advance should we need to investigate your claim.

To apply, you need to provide a copy of your full V5 certificate, showing the vehicle tax class is an Emergency Vehicle or National Health Service vehicle. 

You also need to send photos of the front, back, and sides of the vehicle to show it is also correctly liveried (for example marked AMBULANCE or BLOOD) on both sides.

The Sheffield Clean Air Zone is a class C chargeable Clean Air Zone. This means that Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) that drive in the Clean Air Zone will be charged. Private passenger cars will not be charged.

Most Land Rover Defenders are classified as LGVs according to the information held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Sheffield City Council uses this information to determine which vehicles should be charged.

However, the Council is aware that some Land Rover Defenders have rear and side windows, and up to nine fixed seats (including the driver) with seat belts. These ‘station wagon’ variants are private passenger cars but might be classified as LGVs in the DVLA’s database. If you’re using the government vehicle checker link, your vehicle may also be classed as non-compliant for this reason. Unfortunately, the Council has no way to determine whether a Land Rover Defender is a station wagon variant from its traffic cameras.

We would advise anybody with a station wagon variant of Land Rover Defender to exercise their right of appeal by contacting parkingservices@sheffield.gov.uk if their vehicle:

• is not using it as a taxi or private hire vehicle
• has been charged for entering the Clean Air Zone and has received a Penalty Charge Notice

When doing so, please provide photographic proof that clearly shows all sides of the vehicle with all doors open and the entire internal seating arrangements. The Council will then cancel the Penalty Charge Notice and record the details of your vehicle for any future charges.You can still contact Parking Services to let us know if your vehicle meets the above criteria if you have not been issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.

We also recommend that anyone with a station wagon variant of a Land Rover Defender that has been classified as a LGV by the DVLA should seek to update their vehicle’s classification. If you want to do this, do not use our Apply for a local exemption or discount portal, rather you should go to GOV.UK: Contact DVLA or call them at 0300 790 6802.