Belgium Low Emission Zones 2026: Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent

Belgian LEZ overview: three cities, all Flanders + Brussels

Belgium has three Low Emission Zones (LEZ) as of 2026, all in Flanders or Brussels. Wallonia has no city LEZ. The zones are camera-enforced with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), and foreign plates must register online before entering.

The zones in summary:

Ghent’s LEZ is smaller than Antwerp’s and Brussels’; Brussels’ is the largest and covers areas as far out as suburban ring communes. Antwerp’s LEZ notably includes the Ring R1 itself, which many transit drivers cross.

Antwerp LEZ

Coverage: The Antwerp LEZ includes the entire city inside Ring R1 plus certain adjacent districts (Deurne, Berchem, Merksem, Wilrijk sections). Motorway sections of Ring R1 itself are excluded from LEZ enforcement, so through-traffic on R1 is not affected. Inner-city entries (going off R1 to a city street) trigger LEZ checks.

2026 rules:

• Petrol Euro 2 and older: banned
• Diesel Euro 4 and older: banned
• Diesel Euro 5: still allowed
• Diesel Euro 6: allowed, no current restriction
• Motorbikes: exempt

Day-passes: €35 per day, maximum 5 days per year per vehicle. Motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes need extra permits under the truck LEZ.

Registration portal: admin.lez.antwerpen.be (English available, free)

Brussels LEZ

Coverage: The entire Brussels Capital Region (19 communes) is included. Motorway sections of the Ring R0 within Brussels boundaries are also LEZ. Notably, the R0 is a wide ring so many through-drivers cross the LEZ line.

2026 rules:

• Petrol Euro 2 and older: banned
• Diesel Euro 4 and older: banned
• Diesel Euro 5: banned since 1 January 2026 (warning-letter transition Q1 2026, €350 fine from mid-2026 onwards)
• Diesel Euro 6: currently allowed, Euro 6 diesel targeted for 2028 phase; full diesel phase-out 2030, petrol 2035

Day-passes: €35 per day, maximum 8 days per year per vehicle.

Registration portal: lez.brussels (all languages including English)

Ghent LEZ

Coverage: The historic centre and adjacent districts, much smaller than Antwerp or Brussels but strictly enforced.

2026 rules:

• Petrol Euro 2 and older: banned
• Diesel Euro 4 and older: banned
• Diesel Euro 5: still allowed until 2028
• Diesel Euro 6: allowed

Day-passes: €20 per day, maximum 8 days per year per vehicle.

Registration portal: stad.gent/nl/lez (English available)

How to check your vehicle

Each city portal has a vehicle checker. Enter your plate + country code (BE, NL, DE, FR, UK, US, etc.) and receive an immediate compliance verdict:

• Green (compliant): your vehicle is authorised to enter after registration
• Yellow (compliant with day-pass): needs to buy a day-pass per entry
• Red (non-compliant): cannot enter legally except via day-pass under limited-days budget

The system pulls vehicle data from the EU-CBE database via national vehicle registers. For UK plates post-Brexit, EU-CBE lookup is inconsistent; UK owners often need to submit the vehicle log book manually.

Camera enforcement

Belgian LEZs use ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) at every entry point:

• Detection rate: 95-99 percent for clean, undamaged European plates
• Foreign plate: registered plates get a green signal; unregistered plates trigger fine
• Fine issuance: automatic 7-14 days after entry
• Delivery: postal notification to home country, 4-8 weeks typically
• Photo evidence: date, time, location, vehicle image kept 3-5 years

Enforcement is heaviest during business hours (07:00-19:00) but cameras operate 24/7.

Fines and payment

The fine for unauthorised entry is €350 per entry, imposed by FOD Justitie:

1. Camera detection: at entry point
2. Registration check: automatic against LEZ database and EU-CBE
3. Fine issued: 7-14 days
4. Delivery: postal to home country, 4-8 weeks for EU plates, longer for non-EU
5. Payment deadline: 30 days from delivery
6. Non-payment: 50% surcharge first reminder, 100% second, then EU-CBE enforcement

For multi-day stays with several entries the amount compounds: one week in Brussels with daily entries can result in 7 x €350 = €2,450 total. Day-passes avoid this.

Registration walkthrough

For each city:

Antwerp (admin.lez.antwerpen.be):

1. Choose language (English available)
2. Enter your plate + country
3. Choose registration type: 24-hour, 7-day, or unlimited
4. Vehicle checker validates emission compliance
5. Complete registration (free for compliant vehicles)

Brussels (lez.brussels):

1. Same flow, all EU languages
2. Additionally: option to buy day-pass for non-compliant vehicles (€35)

Ghent (stad.gent/nl/lez):

1. Same flow, English available
2. Additionally: option to buy day-pass (€20)

Registration takes 5-10 minutes online. Foreign plates typically get instant confirmation via email.

Alternative routes and P+R options

If your vehicle is non-compliant and day-passes are limited or unaffordable:

Antwerp: P+R Linkeroever (west of the Scheldt), P+R Merksem (north), P+R Berchem (southeast). Tram or metro to city centre. Parking €5-8 per day plus tram €3.

Brussels: P+R Roodebeek (north), P+R Delta (south), P+R Erasme (west), P+R Stalle (south). Metro or tram to centre. Parking €5 per day plus metro €2.60.

Ghent: P+R Sint-Denijs-Westrem, P+R Dampoort, P+R Weba. Bus or tram to centre. Parking €2-4 per day.

These options are cheaper than day-passes for short visits and cover all through-traffic scenarios (like driving from the E17 to the E19 via Antwerp).

Future LEZ evolution

Belgian LEZ policy is tightening:

• Brussels: Zero-Emission planned from 2028 in inner city; extended to full region by 2030
• Antwerp: Diesel Euro 6 restriction likely from 2028
• Ghent: Diesel Euro 5 restriction from 2028
• Wallonia: currently no LEZ; Namur and Liège in discussion for 2028+
• Motorhomes over 3.5 t: increasingly restrictive across all three cities

Belgian LEZ policy converges with EU norms (Euro 6 minimum by 2030). Foreign motorhome tourists should plan carefully for post-2028 trips.

Tips for foreign drivers

• Register in advance: at least 24 hours before entering. Same-day registration is possible but risky
• Check your vehicle first: use each city’s compliance checker before departure. Non-compliant vehicles cannot enter legally except via day-pass
• Day-passes are limited: 5-8 days per year per vehicle. Extended stays need P+R alternative
• Motorhomes and campers: falls under truck LEZ rules for over 3.5 tonnes, extra restrictions
• Belgian LEZ vignette does not exist: unlike Germany (green Umweltplakette) or France (Crit’Air), Belgium uses only online registration
• Ring roads are LEZ: Brussels R0 and Antwerp R1 within city limits are LEZ; through-traffic on these must comply