Euro 5 diesel and petrol 2 cars face penalties from spring 2026

As part of the tightening of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards in Brussels, authorities will start sending warnings from 1 January 2026 to owners of Euro 5 diesel cars and Euro 2 petrol cars, with fines to follow from 1 April 2026.

The fines are €350 for driving a non-compliant vehicle without a valid day pass in the LEZ, €150 for driving a foreign vehicle in the LEZ without being registered and €25 for registering a vehicle with incorrect information.

Anyone who can prove by the end of December 2025 that they have ordered a new car that meets the new restrictions will be exempt.

The timeline for warnings and fines was initially unclear after the Constitutional Court struck down a postponement of the long-planned tightening.

Though the ruling technically took effect immediately, various people including health and environment minister Alain Maron (Ecolo) wanted to avoid a situation in which residents who changed plans after the postponement were left in the lurch.

“We must respect the decision of the court, which guarantees our fundamental rights," Maron said. "At the same time, we must give the people of Brussels the time and information they need to adapt.

"[The LEZ is] a direct investment in public health and quality of life. The Constitutional Court has confirmed it: we cannot take a step back in protecting the right to breathe clean air."

The timeline follows a legal analysis and assessment of the technical capabilities of the authorities.

Theauthorities will soon launch a national information campaign to inform drivers about the new rules as soon as possible. The government has also asked the LEZ Task Force to develop additional accompanying measures.

Diesel cars with the Euro 5 standard are cars that were first registered between January 2011 and September 2015. Petrol Euro 2 cars (older than 2001) are also covered by the measure.

In total, about 29,000 cars registered in Brussels will be affected by this latest tightening - and thousands more belonging to drivers elsewhere in Belgium who drive into the capital. Older, more polluting vehicles have already been banned in Brussels for some time.

Although the tightening of these standards has long been planned and was thoroughly communicated over the years, Maron said that the illegal postponement and then its overruling by the courts “obviously creates difficulties, both for the owners of the vehicles concerned and for the relevant authorities”.

“The responsibility lies with the parliamentarians who adopted the text despite clear warnings from the Council of State about its legal fragility. It is up to the regional government to enforce and apply this ruling,” he added.

Ombudsman Catherine De Bruecker emphasised that the tightening of the LEZ must be explained clearly and in accessible language to all residents, saying she wants everyone to know their rights, possible exemptions and accompanying measures for those who dispose of their vehicle.

One such accompanying measure is that owners of such Euro 5 diesel vehicles can still buy individual day passes to drive into the city from time to time. However, this is only allowed a maximum of 24 times per year.

De Bruecker also wants these day passes to remain accessible to Brussels residents who are not digitally literate or have limited digital skills, something she believes can be achieved by selling the passes not only online, but also at counters, vending machines, by post or by telephone.

“After the back and forth and the lack of clarity about the introduction of the new ban, the government's communication must be exemplary in order to maintain the trust of citizens,” De Bruecker said.

“Sending the first warning is an opportunity that should not be missed to provide drivers with all the useful information. From the point of view of active communication, this warning can play an important role because it reaches the people concerned directly.”

The warning letters could therefore be accompanied by information about alternatives, possible exemptions and possible payment plans in the event of a fine.

Today, the fine for LEZ offenders is €350. If that amount has not been paid after 60 days, an additional €70 is added to the fine.

Bruecker wants to abolish this increase, saying it is too easy for fines to accumulate without residents realising.

“We’ve noticed that some people never received the fine – for example, due to lost mail – or that they are experiencing financial difficulties,” said De Bruecker.

The ombudsman also wants additional street checks, in addition to the camera checks that can only recognise Belgian number plates.

“Camera checks are neither fair nor efficient, as certain polluting foreign vehicles will continue to drive through the capital with impunity,” De Bruecker said.

De Bruecker is asking the outgoing Brussels government to set up a task force to introduce these checks.