At a glance
- In Belgium, three LEZs are currently active: Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels.
- The Flemish Government has recently decided not to tighten the rules in Antwerp and Ghent. Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 petrol vehicles remain allowed. In 2027, air quality will be reassessed to determine whether tightening is needed.
- In the Netherlands and Germany, LEZs continue to expand, while they remain more limited in southern Europe.
For several years now, many low emission zones have been set up in various European countries. Their aim is to reduce air pollution caused by fossil-fuel vehicles.
Where do things stand today in Belgium, and what's the situation like among our neighbours? Our blogger Alain Dierckx takes stock.
What is a Low Emission Zone?
The Flemish Government defines an LEZ as follows:
"A low emission zone (LEZ) is an area which certain vehicles cannot enter, or can only enter under certain conditions, because they emit too many pollutants. If you enter an LEZ with a vehicle that isn't authorised, or without any other form of authorisation, you will receive a fine. An LEZ is always marked out by specific signage and applies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."
Which vehicles are affected by LEZs in Belgium?
Access rules apply to vehicles running on fossil fuels (petrol, diesel, gas, bioethanol and hybrids): passenger cars, buses and coaches, motorhomes, vans, lorries, and agricultural or forestry vehicles.
How many low emission zones are there in Belgium?
Three LEZs are currently active: Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels (as of the date this article was published).
The Antwerp LEZ
Antwerp's city centre and the left bank form a low emission zone.
To find out whether your vehicle is authorised, you can enter your vehicle registration details on this website. You'll immediately know whether you're allowed access.
If your vehicle isn't authorised, three solutions exist for entering the LEZ without a fine:
- buy or extend an authorisation;
- buy a day pass;
- register your vehicle (certain types only).
These steps can be completed for Antwerp via this website.
Please note: they must be completed no later than one day after you enter the zone.
The Ghent LEZ
Ghent's city centre is also a low emission zone.
As in Antwerp, you can enter your vehicle registration details via a dedicated website to check whether your vehicle is authorised. For Ghent, this is done via this website.
If your vehicle isn't authorised, the same three options exist:
- buy or extend an authorisation;
- buy a day pass;
- register your vehicle (certain types only).
These steps can be completed for Ghent via this website.
The Brussels LEZ
The Brussels-Capital Region's LEZ covers all 19 Brussels municipalities.
As with Antwerp and Ghent, you can check your vehicle's access via a specific website. For Brussels, this is done via this website.
If your vehicle isn't authorised, three solutions are also available:
- buy or extend an authorisation;
- buy a day pass;
- register your vehicle (certain types only).
For Brussels, these steps are done via the same website mentioned above.
LEZs in France
How many low emission zones exist in France?
As of 1 January 2025, 25 LEZs (Zones à Faibles Émissions) were active in France. You can check the list on this website.
Depending on air quality measurement results, some zones may be added or suspended.
The Crit'Air sticker determines whether your vehicle is allowed access or not. It can be requested from the French authorities via this website.
LEZs in Spain
How many low emission zones exist in Spain?
Spain currently has 58 low emission zones (ZBE: Zonas de Bajas Emisiones). An overview is available on the Ministry for Ecological Transition's website.
The country is running somewhat behind schedule: all cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants were supposed to have a ZBE by 2023.
Roll-out is particularly slow in tourist areas and on the islands.
LEZs in Italy
How many low emission zones exist in Italy?
Italy has more than 400 LEZs, called ZTLs (Zona a Traffico Limitato).
There is no uniform system: each municipality can set its own rules freely. This is why there's no single official website bringing together all Italian LEZs.
An alternative website does, however, provide information for most European countries, including Italy.
LEZs in Portugal
How many low emission zones exist in Portugal?
Portugal has only one LEZ: the ZER (Zona de Emissões Reduzidas) located in Lisbon.
There are plans to create new zones, particularly in Porto, but these aren't yet concrete.
LEZs in the Netherlands
How many low emission zones exist in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands distinguishes between environmental zones and zero-emission zones.
There are three categories of environmental zone:
- Green: only passenger cars and diesel vehicles above the Euro 4 standard are allowed.
- Blue: only passenger cars and diesel vehicles above the Euro 5 standard are allowed.
- Purple: only lorries and buses above the Euro 6 standard are allowed.
In zero-emission zones, only vehicles with no polluting emissions are admitted (electric or hydrogen cars).
As in Italy, each municipality can set its own rules, leading to local differences.
A website lets you enter the name of a municipality to find out its specific rules.
Another website lets you check whether your vehicle is admitted in Dutch environmental zones (excluding zero-emission zones).
LEZs in Germany
How many low emission zones exist in Germany?
Germany currently has 35 environmental zones (Umweltzonen), found in major cities such as Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne.
Some cities suspended their low emission zone last year, due to a noticeable improvement in air quality.
A website lets you enter your vehicle's details to determine which environmental sticker is needed to access German zones.
FAQ about LEZs in Belgium and Europe
A low emission zone is an area where vehicles emitting too many pollutants are not allowed to drive, or only under certain conditions. These zones are active 24/7, clearly marked with signs, and non-compliant vehicles risk a fine.
Sources:
- Lage-emissiezones (LEZ) | Vlaanderen.be
- LEZ
- Lage-emissiezone (LEZ) | Slim naar Antwerpen
- Controleer & registreer (Ghent)
- Homepage | Low Emission Zone (Brussels)
- Zones ZFE effective en France | Se Déplacer | Mieux Respirer en Ville
- Commander sa vignette crit'air | Mieux Respirer en Ville
- Las zonas de bajas emisiones en España
- https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/
- Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Mobilidade, Veículo Privado
- Milieuzones en zero-emissiezones in Nederland | Ondernemersplein
- Milieuzones in Nederland | Milieuzones in Nederland
- Umweltplakette Deutschland - Regeln und Fahrzeugtypen
