Brussels Low Emission Zone (LEZ): 2026 brings new rules and clarity

Since 1 January 2026, diesel vehicles meeting the Euro 5 standard and petrol vehicles meeting the Euro 2 standard are no longer allowed to drive in the Belgian capital. A penalty system is already in place, but a new fine system is currently being developed.

The Brussels-Capital Region is now off-limits to:

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  Diesel vehicles meeting the Euro 5 standard – first registered between January 2011 and August 2015 (older diesel vehicles were already banned).
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  Petrol vehicles meeting the Euro 2 standard – first registered before 2001.

The European Euro standard indicates how environmentally friendly an engine is. The higher the Euro rating, the lower the amount of harmful pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), emitted by the vehicle.

The LEZ covers the entire Brussels-Capital Region, including all 19 municipalities, from Anderlecht to Watermael-Boitsfort. The Brussels Ring Road (R0) lies outside the low emission zone and therefore remains accessible to all vehicles.

Want to quickly check whether your vehicle complies with the rules? Use the simulation tool on lez.brussels. Keep your vehicle registration certificate handy, as you'll need to enter your Euro standard, which can be found in field V.9.

If you drive through the Brussels LEZ with a non-compliant vehicle for the first time, you will receive a warning letter. You then have 3 months to bring your vehicle into compliance (see below). If you are still in breach after that period, you may receive a €350 fine.

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  The system works on a rolling basis: the 3-month period starts on the date of your first offence.
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  Once you have paid the fine, you will not receive another fine during the 12 months following the date of the offence.

Example: If you commit an offence on 1 July 2026, a fine can only be issued from 1 October 2026 onwards. A new fine can only be issued from 1 July 2027, provided the first fine has been paid.

Effective fines of €350 have been issued since 1 July 2026. This is also the amount of the planned annual pass (see below).

Please note: at the time of publication, the legal framework for this new penalty system had not yet been officially published.

Depending on your situation, you have several options:

Situation 1 – You have already been fined

As long as you continue to drive a non-compliant vehicle, you risk receiving additional fines. To avoid further penalties, consider one of the options listed under Situation 2.

Situation 2 – You received a warning less than 3 months ago

In this case, you still have several alternatives to consider:

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  Day pass – Purchase a day pass (up to 24 times per year) for €35 per day via lez.brussels.
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  Park & Ride (P+R) – Park your vehicle outside the LEZ and continue your journey by public transport.
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  Switch transport modes – Use a compliant vehicle, a shared car or public transport instead.
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  Apply for an exemption – Do you own a classic car that is more than 30 years old, or do you have a parking card for persons with disabilities? You may be eligible for a free exemption. Discover all available exemptions on lez.brussels.

You can purchase a day pass for €35, allowing you to enter the Brussels LEZ with a non-compliant vehicle. Each vehicle is eligible for a maximum of 24 day passes per calendar year.

Day passes can be purchased online via lez.brussels.

If you're thinking about switching to a vehicle that meets the Brussels LEZ requirements, you can find more information about:

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  Private Lease (vehicle leasing for private individuals)
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  Buying a used lease vehicle

You can quickly check whether your current vehicle is allowed to enter the Brussels low emission zone on lez.brussels.