Belgium's 2027 motorway vignette explained

May 2027 launch, 90-125 EUR annual tiered by Euro class, ANPR-enforced.

By: Hertge Last updated: 2026-07-13 Reading time: 6 min

Belgium will introduce a dematerialised motorway vignette from 1 May 2027, ending its long-standing free-for-cars policy. The three regional governments (Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels) reached an agreement in principle on 10 July 2026, setting annual prices between 90 and 125 EUR based on Euro emission class. The system will be ANPR-enforced, mandatory for all vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes including foreign-plated cars, and is expected to generate roughly 130 million EUR per year for Flanders alone. This guide covers what is announced so far, prices, how the system will work for foreign drivers, and how it compares with the existing Swiss, Austrian and Czech vignettes.

What is coming and when

From 1 May 2027, drivers using Belgian motorways and certain regional roads will need to pay a vignette. The vignette is fully dematerialised: no physical sticker on the windscreen, no toll plaza. Enforcement is done by number-plate recognition cameras on the highway network, similar to the Belgian federal camera system already used for speed control on the E40, E19 and E17.

The vignette applies to all vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, whether registered in Belgium or abroad. Heavy goods vehicles remain in the existing Viapass system, which has been in place since 2016. Motorcycles are expected to be exempt (final rules being drafted), and electric vehicles will pay the lowest tariff.

2027 prices (cars under 3.5 tonnes)

The annual vignette pricing announced by the three regional governments is tiered by Euro emission class:

Electric vehicle: 90 EUR per year.
Euro 4, 5, 6 petrol or diesel: approximately 100 EUR per year.
Pre-2005 vehicle (Euro 3 or older): 125 EUR per year.

Short-duration options for occasional visitors are now confirmed (rates quoted for a Euro 4 vehicle):

1 day: 9 EUR.
10 days: 12 EUR.
1 month: 19 EUR.
2 months: 30 EUR.

For a single transit crossing, the 10-day vignette at 12 EUR is the obvious choice - far cheaper than the annual rate and well below the equivalent Austrian 10-day vignette.

Fines for driving without a vignette

Enforcement fines start on 1 July 2027, after a two-month tolerance period following the 1 May launch. Anyone caught without a valid vignette faces a tiered penalty:

First offence: at least 70 EUR.
Second offence: 140 EUR.
Third offence: 210 EUR.

How the dematerialised vignette will work

Drivers register their licence plate online (portal to be announced), select the duration, and pay by card or bank transfer. Once registered, the plate is active for the paid period; there is no sticker, transponder or physical proof to carry. A confirmation email serves as a receipt.

Enforcement is by fixed ANPR cameras on motorways, and mobile ANPR units on select regional roads that are included. Because the system is plate-bound, changing cars mid-year requires re-registering (a small administrative fee is planned; final amount to be confirmed).

Foreign drivers will need to register before entering Belgium (via the portal, or via authorised resellers such as auto clubs and cross-border service stations). Failure to register is expected to trigger an automatic fine, invoiced to the vehicle holder via the EU cross-border enforcement directive (2015/413).

What this means for foreign drivers

Belgium is a major transit country for Dutch, German, French and UK drivers. The new vignette matters most for:

Dutch drivers heading to France or Luxembourg via the E19/A4 or E411/A4 corridors. The Dutch government has already expressed concerns about the cross-border cost; expect at least a diplomatic discussion before May 2027.
German drivers using the E40 Aachen-Brussels-Lille route to reach France or the UK ferry ports. A short 10-day vignette will make sense for this group.
UK drivers transiting to Germany or Eastern Europe after the Channel crossing. Register before boarding the ferry or Eurotunnel.
Polish drivers heading to French or Spanish holiday destinations via the E40 or E19 corridors. Annual or 2-month vignettes make sense here.

Practical advice: use the day, 10-day or 2-month vignette for a single trip. Only buy the annual vignette if you cross Belgium more than twice per year.

Political context: three regions, one system

Belgium's road network is managed at the regional level (Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels each control their own motorways), which is why a national vignette required alignment between all three governments. The agreement in principle was validated on 10 July 2026 after months of negotiation about revenue distribution.

Flanders expects roughly 130 million EUR per year in revenue, most of it from foreign vehicles that currently use Belgian motorways without contributing to road maintenance. The Netherlands government has raised objections about the cost to Dutch drivers, but the Belgian regions have signalled the launch will proceed regardless.

How Belgium compares with other European vignettes

Belgium joins a group of countries that require a vignette for motorway use. Rough annual price comparison as of 2026:

Switzerland: ~42 EUR (40 CHF official), annual only, sticker or digital.
Austria: 96.40 EUR annual, plus 1-day, 10-day, 2-month options.
Czech Republic: about 90 EUR annual, plus 1-day, 10-day, monthly.
Slovenia: 117.50 EUR annual, plus weekly and monthly options.
Slovakia: 60 EUR annual, plus 365-day, 30-day, 10-day options.
Hungary: about 165 EUR annual (motorway toll included), plus weekly.
Belgium (2027): 90 to 125 EUR annual, tiered by Euro class.

Belgium's tiered pricing by emission class is unusual in Europe; only Germany's proposed (and later withdrawn) PKW-Maut had a similar structure. The environmental angle appears intended to soften political resistance and channel revenue into low-emission zone expansion.

What is still to be confirmed

The exact list of included regional roads outside the motorway network.
Confirmation that motorcycles are exempt (latest reporting indicates the vignette will apply to cars and vans only, not motorcycles or trucks).
Registration portal URL and authorised reseller list.
Cross-border enforcement details (which countries will process fines automatically).

We will update this article as the regional governments publish more detail. Legislation is expected in autumn 2026, with a full public registration portal launching around March 2027 to give foreign drivers time to prepare.

Sources

Regional government announcements 10 July 2026 (Flanders Mobility, Service Public de Wallonie, Brussels Mobility). RTBF news coverage on the 90-125 EUR pricing structure. La DH-Les Sports+ reporting on the three-region agreement. NL Times cross-border impact coverage. ITEM (Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross-border cooperation and Mobility) analysis. Belga News Agency and NOS reporting on the confirmed short-duration tariffs (day 9 EUR, 10-day 12 EUR, monthly 19 EUR, 2-month 30 EUR) and the tiered fine schedule (70/140/210 EUR from 1 July 2027). Article published 10 July 2026, updated 13 July 2026; will be updated as further detail is confirmed.