Sheffield's Class C zone has charged since 27 February 2023. Cars that are not taxis, and motorcycles, are never charged. Vans, taxis, campervans, some SUVs and four-by-fours, lorries, buses and coaches that miss the standard pay £10 or £50 a day. The penalty is set at £120 in the council's charging order.
Amounts from article 12 of the Sheffield Clean Air Zone Charging Order 2023.
Where it applies
Sheffield's inner ring road and the city centre inside it. Driving into, out of or within the zone counts. The legal boundary is the shaded area on the council's deposited plan.
When it applies
Charging days run midnight to midnight, every day.
What it costs
| Vehicle | Charge |
|---|---|
| Cars (not taxis) and motorcycles | No charge |
| Taxis, private hire vehicles, vans and LGVs | £10 a day |
| Buses, coaches and HGVs | £50 a day |
| Larger campervans and motorhomes | £50, or £10 with an approved discount |
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 must be approved before you drive in; apply per vehicle, ideally 28 days ahead.
- Categories include school trip buses, community transport, vintage buses, vehicles with a compliant replacement or retrofit on order, disabled-adapted minibuses and buses, some Land Rover Defenders, small campervans and other hard-to-replace vehicles.
- The charging order also exempts vehicles that were diverted into the zone.
How to challenge the penalty
You challenge by making written representations to Sheffield City 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: Parking Services, Sheffield City Council, PO Box 3830, Sheffield S1 9AQ.
- Do not pay if you want to appeal.
- Sheffield re-offers the discount if your representation against a postal PCN arrived within the discount period. It does not re-offer it after a tribunal appeal.
- Replies typically take two to six weeks; check your junk folder.
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.
Diverted vehicles
Sheffield's charging order lists diverted vehicles among its local exemptions. If a road closure sent you into the zone, that is a reason why no charge was payable for that journey. Keep evidence of the closure or diversion signs.
Worked example
A taxi driver forgets to pay for 12 January. The PCN is served on 26 January. Paid by 8 February it is £60; by 22 February the full £120 applies, or representations must be in.
Can I challenge this charge? Free check
Free. Your answers stay on this device. Nothing is sent to us.
Letters for Sheffield 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
Is my Land Rover a car or a van?
Some four-by-fours are registered as N1 light goods vehicles and are charged. Sheffield has a local exemption route for some Land Rover Defenders. Check the category on your V5C.
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.