UK fuel prices go open via API and flat file from 2 Feb 2026
From 2 February 2026, the UK will publish near‑real‑time petrol and diesel prices for every registered filling station. The Motor Fuel Price (Open Data) Regulations 2025, made on 17 December 2025 under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, create a legal duty for retailers to submit price changes and for a government‑appointed aggregator to share that data openly.
What this means for you as a driver is simple: easier price comparison and fewer surprises at the pump. Apps and maps will be able to show nearby stations, opening hours and the price per litre for each grade of petrol or diesel, plus whether a site is temporarily closed. Because the fields are set out in law, the data will include the station’s trading name, brand, full address and coordinates, public phone where used, amenities, grades usually sold, and the current prices.
Two key dates matter. From 18 December 2025, the registration parts of the scheme took effect so stations can get set up. By 2 February 2026, every motor fuel trader must have registered each forecourt, and the open data feed must be live. These rules extend across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Who has to take part? Any ‘motor fuel trader’ offering petrol or diesel for retail sale. If you operate even one forecourt, you are in scope. The ‘selling price’ is defined as the per‑litre price before any discounts for particular customers (for example, loyalty offers), so the dataset reflects what any member of the public would see on the pole sign.
Speed is the point. When a pump price changes, the trader must send the new price within 30 minutes. Once the aggregator receives it, the price API must be updated within five minutes. In practice, a change at the till can show up in national apps in well under an hour-useful for planning a cheaper route or deciding whether to fill up now or later.
Getting the data is open to everyone. Anyone who registers with the aggregator as an ‘information recipient’ can access the feed. The aggregator will publish guidance on how to register. After that, you can pull data continuously from a free API and also download a flat file twice a day. The aggregator can set technical and fair‑use standards and may withhold access if a user refuses to follow them.
For developers, think of two pathways. The API suits live price apps and in‑car services; the twice‑daily flat file suits bulk imports and research. The law requires the API to be available at all times and refreshed within five minutes of each reported change, while the flat file must reflect the most recent information when it is issued.
Reporting is designed to be doable for both independents and national chains. The aggregator must offer four routes to submit data: an online portal, a number for SMS text messages, an automated telephone system that accepts voice or keypad input, and an API for automated feeds. Choose the route that matches your staffing and systems and switch later if you scale up.
Registration information covers the practical details needed to identify a site. When a station registers, the aggregator assigns a unique number. Traders must provide trading and brand names, address, latitude and longitude, usual trading hours, a public phone number where one is published, amenities, the grades usually sold, current prices and whether the station is temporarily closed. Internal contact details are collected for compliance but are not part of the public feed.
Keeping details current is part of the duty. Changes to registration information must be notified within three days. Permanent closures must be signalled 28 days in advance where foreseen, or as soon as reasonably practicable if not. From 2 February 2026, price changes stop being treated as registration updates because they are captured by the separate 30‑minute reporting rule.
Accuracy matters. The aggregator must publish your rights and obligations and run a complaints process so inaccuracies can be fixed. It will also monitor how stations submit updates and how the API and flat file are used, and can request information from traders. Where it suspects a breach, it must alert the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for enforcement.
The CMA oversees compliance and can escalate when needed. It may issue compliance notices, seek court orders and impose financial penalties for providing false or misleading information or for failing to meet the requirements. The caps are notable: up to 1% of worldwide turnover as a fixed amount, and up to 5% of daily worldwide turnover for each day a breach continues. There is also a criminal offence for supplying false information or obstructing access to data or systems.
There is a clear process if things go wrong. Before imposing a penalty, the CMA must issue a notice of intent and consider representations. Final penalty notices are published, and traders can appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal within 28 days. Interest can accrue on unpaid sums under the Judgments Act 1838. The Secretary of State must also review how the scheme is working within five years, so there is a built‑in check on whether the rules remain appropriate.