Belgium: low-emission zones in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent
Checked 3 Nov 2026
Belgium has low-emission zones in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent. A foreign number plate must be registered, before entry or shortly after it. In Flanders registration is free; in Brussels an unregistered foreign car is fined EUR 150 even when it meets the emission standards.
Source Brussels-Capital Region 2 Stad Antwerpen Stad Gent Checked 3 Nov 2026
- Low-emission zone
Zone boundaries: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0, simplified. Country outline: Natural Earth, public domain.
The access rules in 2026
In Flanders the Flemish Government withdrew all planned tightenings on 28 November 2025, so the current rules stay in force. Ghent's 2026 table: diesel Euro 6 or Euro 5 free access, diesel Euro 4 after payment, older diesels a day pass; petrol, LPG and CNG Euro 2 or newer free access.
Source Vlaamse overheid Stad Gent Checked 3 Nov 2026
In Brussels the rules are stricter: since 1 January 2026 a Euro 5 diesel or a Euro 2 petrol car no longer meets the access criteria. The Brussels calendar shows which classes still qualify.
Source Brussels-Capital Region Checked 3 Nov 2026
| City | Registration for a foreign plate | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Brussels | Required (except Dutch plates), before entry or within 5 days | EUR 150 unregistered, EUR 350 non-compliant |
| Antwerp | Required, free, by the day after entry | A fine |
| Ghent | Required, free, by the day after entry | A fine |
Source Brussels-Capital Region 2 Stad Antwerpen Stad Gent 2 Vlaamse overheid Checked 3 Nov 2026
Register before you drive in
- Check your car against the zone's rules; the official check asks for the plate and the first registration date.
- Register the plate on the official portal of the city or region. In Flanders registration is free and covers every Flemish zone, but not Brussels.
- Register at the latest the day after entering in Flanders, and within five days in Brussels.
Source Stad Gent Vlaamse overheid Stad Antwerpen Brussels-Capital Region Checked 3 Nov 2026
Around the clock
The Flemish zones apply seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Driving in with a vehicle that is not allowed, or without another form of permission, is fined.
Source Vlaamse overheid Checked 3 Nov 2026