Bath's zone is Class C, so private cars and motorbikes are never charged, even used for work. Vans, taxis, minibuses, lorries and buses that miss the standard pay. The trap is the vehicle category: some campervans, SUVs and four-by-fours are registered as N1 (a van) and are charged, while their owners think of them as cars.
Where it applies
Central Bath, about 1.2 square miles. The council's postcode checker shows whether an address is inside.
When it applies
Midnight to midnight, every day of the year.
What it costs
| Vehicle | Charge |
|---|---|
| Cars (M1), motorbikes | No charge |
| Taxis and private hire vehicles, minibuses, vans and pick-ups (N1) | £9 a day |
| Coaches, buses and HGVs | £100 a day |
| Private HGVs such as horseboxes and large motorhomes | £100, or £9 if registered with the council |
Paying: Up to 6 days before, on the day, or within the 6 days after. Pay or check on GOV.UK. Check your vehicle: GOV.UK vehicle checker.
Exemptions, discounts and permits
- Local exemptions and discounts are applied for on MiPermit, not GOV.UK, and must be approved before you travel. Approval can take up to 14 days.
- Exemptions for showman's, general haulage, recovery and special vehicles, and volunteer emergency support vehicles, ended on 14 March 2025.
- Exemptions for wheelchair-accessible taxis, community transport, Blue Badge holders, care workers and the declined-finance scheme ended on 14 March 2023.
How to challenge the penalty
You challenge by making written representations to Bath & North East Somerset Council within 28 days of the date of service. A notice sent first class is treated as served on the second working day after posting (fourth working day for second class, tenth if posted abroad), unless you can prove otherwise (reg 3(4)).The authority must reply within 56 days or your representations are treated as accepted.
These are the grounds the law allows, under the Road User Charging Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1783):
| Ground | When it fits | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| I was never the registered keeper | The vehicle has never been registered to you, for example the notice went to the wrong person or the plate was misread. | reg 8(3)(a)(i) |
| I had sold or transferred the vehicle before that date | You had already sold, scrapped or transferred the vehicle before the date on the notice. | reg 8(3)(a)(ii) and 8(5) |
| I became the keeper after that date | You bought the vehicle after the date of the journey on the notice. | reg 8(3)(a)(iii) and 8(6) |
| The vehicle was taken or used without my consent | The vehicle was stolen, or someone used it without your permission, including cloned plates. | reg 8(3)(b) and 8(7) |
| We are a hire firm and the vehicle was on hire | You are a vehicle-hire or lease firm and the hirer signed a statement accepting liability for these charges. | reg 8(3)(c), 6(5) and 8(8) |
| The charge was paid in time and in the right way | You paid the charge for that vehicle and that day within the payment window. | reg 8(3)(d) |
| No charge or penalty was payable | The vehicle meets the emission standard, is exempt or had an approved exemption or discount, did not enter the zone, or the crossing was outside charging hours. | reg 8(3)(e) |
| The penalty is more than the scheme allows | The notice demands more than the scheme's penalty amount, or refuses the discount you paid within time. | reg 8(3)(f) |
| The authority did not follow the rules | For example the notice is missing information the regulations require, a charge certificate came before it was allowed, or your representations were not answered within 56 days. | reg 8(3)(g) and 8(4); 56-day rule in reg 8(9)–(10) |
| There are compelling reasons to cancel | None of the grounds fits but there is a strong reason, such as a medical emergency, a signed diversion through the zone, or a payment system failure you can show. | reg 8(1)(b); adjudicator may recommend cancellation, reg 11(9) |
You can ask the authority to cancel for "compelling reasons" even when no ground applies (reg 8(1)(b)). The tribunal cannot cancel for that reason alone, but it can recommend cancellation and the authority must reply within 35 days (reg 11(9)–(14)).
Challenge online: official page. By post: Bath Clean Air Zone, Bath and North East Somerset Council, PO Box 5475, Bath BA1 0AH.
- Do not pay if you intend to challenge: Bath treats payment as accepting liability, closes the case and does not refund.
- Challenge inside the first 14 days to keep the £60 option if you lose. Challenges made after day 14 that fail lose the discount.
- You need the PCN number (for example BN12345678), registration and the web code from the notice.
If the authority says no
It sends a notice of rejection. You then have 28 days to appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, or to pay. See our guide to appealing to the tribunal.
Car or van? Check the V5C
Bath charges by vehicle category, not by how you use the vehicle. An M1 vehicle is a car and is never charged. An N1 vehicle is a light goods vehicle and is charged if it misses the standard, even if it is a family four-by-four or a converted campervan. Look at the category on your V5C. If it says M1 and you received a PCN, no charge was payable.
Worked example
A 2014 diesel N1 pick-up drives into Bath on 3 May. Nothing is paid by 9 May. The PCN is posted on Friday 15 May 2026 and treated as served on Tuesday 19 May. Pay £60 plus £9 until 1 June, or challenge by 15 June (28 days from service).
Can I challenge this charge? Free check
Free. Your answers stay on this device. Nothing is sent to us.
Letters for Bath CAZ
Built from your checker answers, with the right grounds and regulation numbers for your scheme. You see the start of the letter before you pay, then edit it and download it as Word or PDF.
Representation letter
Your formal challenge to the authority, citing each ground that fits with its regulation number, the evidence you enclose and a request to cancel.
Start my letterFull pack
The representation, a tribunal appeal statement, replies at the charge certificate and debt registration stages, witness statement and out-of-time wording, and a bailiff fee check.
Start the full packOne penalty per purchase, usable for 6 months. Full refund within 14 days if you haven't downloaded a letter. Templates you send yourself, not legal advice. See sample letters
Questions people ask
My Blue Badge used to exempt me. Does it still?
No. The Blue Badge exemption in Bath ended on 14 March 2023. Disabled tax class vehicles are still nationally exempt.
Can I challenge by phone?
No. Bath only accepts challenges in writing, online or by post.
Sources
Last checked: 13 November 2026. Every fact on this page was checked against these official pages. How we check
Road Fine Check is independent. Not affiliated with TfL, National Highways, any council or crossing operator. To pay a charge, use the official website.