In an article describing the reintroduced Levy, the UK Government confirmed that zero-emission lorries would be exempt:
“Vehicles that are zero emission at the tailpipe and would be otherwise exempt from vehicle excise duty (VED) are currently exempt from paying the levy. This does not include hybrid vehicles.”
In the case of non-UK HGVs, the UK Government added that hauliers should also carry documentation proving their vehicle is zero emission at the tailpipe.
Moreover, Tuesday’s update also confirmed that the following vehicles are exempt:
- vehicles being used for driver instruction
- showman’s vehicles
- island goods vehicles – used on small islands, not on mainland UK roads
Hauliers who are caught not paying the levy for a particular vehicle will be handed a £300 roadside fine, plus the daily levy on the day they were inspected.
“If you cannot pay the £300 fine, your vehicle will be immobilised and impounded until payment is made. You will have to pay additional costs for the storage of the vehicle. It is the responsibility of both the operator and the driver to make sure the correct levy has been paid. If you pay the Euro 6 levy amount, you will need to have documents to prove that the vehicle meets the Euro 6 standard,” says the UK Government.
Charges
Euro 6 vehicles
HGV levy rates for newer vehicles – Euro 6 class or later.
| HGV levy band | Weight (kg) | Daily rate | Weekly rate | Monthly rate | Yearly rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12,000 to 31,000 | £3 | £7.50 | £15 | £150 |
| B | 31,001 to 38,000 | £7.20 | £18 | £36 | £360 |
| C | 38,001 and over | £9 | £28.80 | £57.60 | £576 |
Euro 5 or older vehicles
HGV levy rates for older vehicles – Euro 5 class or older.
| HGV levy band | Weight (kg) | Daily rate | Weekly rate | Monthly rate | Yearly rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12,000 to 31,000 | £3.90 | £9.75 | £9.50 | £195 |
| B | 31,001 to 38,000 | £9.36 | £23.40 | £46.80 | £468 |
| C | 38,001 and over | £10 | £37.45 | £74.90 | £749 |
For vehicles registered in the UK, the levy must be paid either every year or every 6 months. You will need to pay the levy alongside the VED. Vehicles registered on the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands or UK overseas territories are not classed as registered in the UK.
In order to pay the levy, the UK Government has advised hauliers to use the HGV Levy service.
The service can be used to do the following:
- buy annual levies – the annual rate is about 80% of 365 daily levy payments
- add or remove vehicles under your account
- identify the best value levy to buy for each trip
- get refunds for unused levy payments
- change the start date of a levy – you must do this by 9pm
- get reminders for when a levy for a vehicle will expire
- view a history of your levy purchases
The account can also be set up so as to allow drivers to do as follows:
- buy their own levies via the service
- check if a vehicle has a valid levy
In addition, the service will provide a record of the levies that different drivers have bought via the system. Hauliers who sell a vehicle should remove their from your account and apply for a refund for any unused whole months.
More details regarding the levy, the HGV Levy Service, and refunds, can be found on the UK Government website.
