2030 petrol and diesel ban: what it means for used cars

The 2030 "ban" is about new cars only. From 2030, car makers can no longer sell new cars that run on petrol or diesel alone. New full hybrids and plug-in hybrids can still be sold until 2035, when every new car must be zero emission. Nothing in these rules stops you buying, selling, owning or driving a used petrol or diesel car, in 2030 or after. If you are buying a used car now, the rules matter mainly through what other buyers will want when you come to sell.

What the rules say

The government set out its position in its response to a consultation on phasing out new petrol and diesel cars, published on 7 April 2025. In short:

• From 2030: in the government's words, "all new cars will need to be hybridised in some manner, or be zero emission". New cars powered by a petrol or diesel engine alone stop being sold.
• From 2030 to 2035: new hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs, often called full hybrids) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) can still be sold, alongside zero emission cars. The government said it will consult further on the detailed rules after 2030, so how each type of hybrid is treated may still be refined.
• From 2035: all new cars and vans must be zero emission.

These rules cover new cars. They do not ban the cars already on the road.

How the ZEV mandate works

Until 2030 the transition is driven by the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. It does not set a ban date for each car. Instead, it sets a rising share of each maker's new car registrations that must be zero emission, with allowances that makers can trade.

Schedule 6 of the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes Order 2023 sets the share of a maker's total car registrations used to work out its allowances for non-zero emission cars. For 2026 that share is 67%, which implies about 33% zero emission. For 2030 it is 20%, which implies about 80%. The scheme has flexibilities, such as borrowing and buying allowances, so the share actually sold in a year can differ.

For you as a used buyer, the practical effect is that more electric cars are being sold new each year, and in a few years they reach the used market in larger numbers.

What stays the same for used cars

• You can buy and sell a used petrol or diesel car after 2030. Private sales, dealer sales and auctions carry on as now.
• You can keep driving one. There is no national rule taking petrol or diesel cars off the road.
• The MOT, insurance and car tax still apply in the usual way. The rules are about new car sales.

The rules that already limit where older cars can go cheaply are local: London's ULEZ and the charging clean air zones. Those go by the car's emissions standard, not the 2030 date. A petrol car needs Euro 4 and a diesel needs Euro 6. Our guide to ULEZ and clean air zones explains how to check a car.

Knock-on effects for the used market

We do not forecast prices, and anyone who tells you exactly what a car will be worth in 2030 is guessing. What you can reason about is demand.

• More used electric cars. As the ZEV mandate share rises, more electric cars will come through from leases and company fleets.
• Buyers who need petrol or diesel will still exist. People who tow, drive long distances without easy charging, or cannot charge at home will keep looking for petrol, diesel and hybrid cars.
• Older diesels face the narrowest market. A diesel below Euro 6 already pays charges in clean air zones, so fewer buyers near those zones want one.
• Hybrids sit in between. Full and plug-in hybrids can be sold new until 2035, five years longer than pure petrol or diesel.

The calm way to use this is to buy the car that suits your driving for the years you plan to keep it, and to be realistic that the pool of next buyers may change. If you mostly drive short trips and can charge at home, an electric car may suit you. If you do long runs, a petrol, diesel or hybrid can still make sense. Our guide to whether to buy a used diesel goes through that decision.

Tax and the 2030 date

The 2030 rules do not change car tax by themselves. Electric cars have paid vehicle tax since 1 April 2025, and when we checked in October 2026 the GOV.UK rate tables gave the standard rate for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017 as £200 for 12 months. Our car tax calculator and the guide to electric car tax explain the details. Future budgets can change rates, so check the GOV.UK tables when you buy.

Things to check whatever you buy

Whether you choose petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric, the same basic checks protect you:

• read the MOT history for failures and advisories, using our guide to reading MOT history;
• ask for the service history and the invoices;
• check the emissions standard if you drive into a zone, with the ULEZ checker for the rules;
• for an electric car, read our guide to the MOT for electric cars;
• see the car and ask a mechanic if anything feels off.

Frequently asked questions

Will I be able to drive my petrol car after 2030?

Yes. The 2030 rules stop the sale of new pure petrol and diesel cars. They do not stop anyone driving, buying or selling a used one.

Are hybrids banned in 2030?

No. New full hybrids and plug-in hybrids can be sold until 2035. The government has said it will consult further on the detailed rules for after 2030.

Can I buy a used diesel after 2030?

Yes. Used petrol and diesel cars can still be bought and sold after 2030.

Is the ban 2030 or 2035?

Both dates matter. 2030 is the end of new pure petrol and diesel car sales. 2035 is when all new cars and vans must be zero emission.

Will petrol stations close in 2030?

The 2030 rules are about the sale of new cars. They do not say anything about closing filling stations or stopping fuel sales.