Environmental zones and city tolls in Europe in 2025: Here drivers face fines

Going on vacation in your own car sounds tempting—the chance to set off spontaneously, remain flexible, and discover new things along the way. But in recent years, more and more European cities have tightened their car traffic regulations.

To reduce emissions and traffic congestion, numerous environmental zones have been established or city toll systems have been introduced. Anyone driving in these zones without the appropriate sticker or permit risks heavy fines.

In this overview, we reveal where there are environmental zones or city tolls in European holiday countries and what you need to take into account.

Are you planning a road trip throughFrance ? Then you should get the French Crit'Air environmental sticker in advance. The German sticker is not valid in France!

The Crit'Air has been in effect since January 1, 2025, in the environmental zones of all major metropolitan areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants. In addition to Paris , Grenoble, Lille, Strasbourg, Toulouse, and Nice, there are also permanent environmental zones in tourist cities such as Annecy , Avignon, Dijon, Nîmes, and Orléans. The website of the Center for European Consumer Protection (ZEV) provides an overview of all cities.

Although the French National Assembly voted to abolish environmental zones on May 28, 2025, the current rules will apply until that happens, according to the ZEV.

In addition to the permanent environmental zones, there are also zones where the use of a sticker is only required on certain days. These temporary environmental zones (ZPA) are activated when air pollution is severe. On such days, only vehicles with a specific Crit'Air sticker are allowed to drive. Depending on the air quality, vehicles with lower environmental standards may be temporarily banned. Anyone driving without a valid sticker during these days risks a fine of up to €135.

In France, there are numerous regions where an environmental sticker is mandatory – for example in Nice.

Source: imago images/YAY Images

You can easily order the environmental sticker via the French Ministry of the Environment's website. The cost, including shipping, is €4.76. But beware: Shipping can take several weeks, so it's best to apply early. In case of emergency, you can also stick the order confirmation behind your windshield.

In many Italian cities there are so-called ZTLs (“Zone a Traffico Limitato”) – traffic-restricted zones into which only authorized vehicles are allowed to enter.

These zones can be found not only in major cities like Rome, Milan, Florence, Bologna, Genoa, Turin, and Verona, but also in many smaller towns and communities. They are usually monitored by cameras, so unauthorized entry is automatically registered and punished with a fine.

Access is generally only permitted to residents, delivery services, and vehicles with official special permits. Tourists are often only permitted entry if they are staying at a hotel within the ZTL. In such cases, the hotel can usually apply for a temporary access permit for the days of arrival and departure.

People with disabilities can also gain access – in many cases, an EU disabled parking permit is sufficient, which, in exceptional cases, can also be submitted to the city retrospectively. It's important to note, however, that exceptions usually have to be applied for in advance, otherwise a fine will automatically be imposed.

Anyone entering the ZTL without a valid permit can expect a fine of approximately 100 euros. Parking in the zone at the same time will incur an additional fine of approximately 42 euros, according to the ADAC.

The city center of Milan is intended to be attractive for pedestrians, which is why cars are increasingly being excluded.

Source: imago images/Zoonar

Milan has particularly strict regulations. Vehicles with emission standards Euro 0 to 2 (gasoline) and Euro 0 to 5 (diesel) are generally not allowed to enter the city center. The same applies to vehicles over 7.5 meters long. For all other vehicles, a daily permit can be purchased for €5. The ticket is activated via SMS, providing the license plate number, and is available both online and on-site.

Another new feature: Fines issued in Italy are enforceable in Germany within five years. Anyone who enters a ZTL without permission should expect a subsequent payment request at home, too.

Since August 29, 2023, the entire London Metropolitan Area has been part of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Vehicles operating within it must meet certain minimum emissions standards. Those who fail to comply—such as petrol vehicles in the Euro 0 to 3 classes or diesel vehicles in the Euro 0 to 5 classes—will be subject to a daily charge of 12.50 British pounds (approximately 14.50 euros), according to Transport for London (TfL).

Failure to comply with the ULEZ regulation can result in fines of over €200 per violation. The ADAC points out that the fine can be reduced if paid within 14 days. If payment is not made within 28 days, the fine increases again.

For many older cars that no longer meet environmental standards, the London metropolitan area has been off-limits since summer 2023.

Source: IMAGO/Panthermedia

For vehicles not registered in Great Britain, they must be registered with TfL before entering the UK, regardless of their emissions class.

In addition to the low emission zone, the so-called Congestion Charge applies in central London. This city charge is 15 pounds (approximately 17 euros) per day and is payable Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Motorcycles and mopeds are exempt.

Important: The fee cannot be paid on site, but can only be paid online , by phone or via app.

The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is a designated urban area in which particularly polluting vehicles are no longer permitted to drive. The goal of this measure is to improve air quality and thus protect public health. In Belgium, the LEZ is already in effect in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent.

LEZ in Brussels: These vehicles are affected

The entire region around Brussels – consisting of 19 municipalities – is classified as a low-emission zone. Vehicles with high pollutant emissions are no longer permitted to drive there. Important: The German environmental sticker is not valid in Belgium.

The following vehicles are no longer permitted:

• Car (M1)
• (Mini)buses (M2)
• Buses and coaches (M3)
• Small vans (N1) – except N1 vehicles with the body code “BC”
• Diesel vehicles with Euro 0 to 4
• Petrol vehicles with Euro 0 and 1

From 1 January 2027, the driving ban is to be further tightened: Two-wheelers, three-wheelers and vehicles of class L as well as trucks of classes N2, N3 and certain N1 vehicles could then also be affected, according to the website “ lez.brussels ”.

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Exceptions and day passes for LEZ in Belgium

If travelers are traveling with a non-compliant vehicle despite the driving ban, they have two options:

• Buy a day pass: A LEZ day ticket can be purchased for €35 per day. A maximum of 24 day passes are permitted per vehicle per year.
• Apply for an exemption: Exemption is granted automatically or upon request for certain vehicle types – for example, for people with disabilities or special vehicles.

The inspection is carried out using automatic license plate recognition. However, this only recognizes Belgian vehicles. Foreign vehicles must be registered online before entering – regardless of their emissions class.

According to the ADAC, anyone caught driving without registration or with a prohibited vehicle in a LEZ can expect a fine of up to €350 . Repeated violations can result in even higher penalties.

Anyone traveling through Spain in their own car should familiarize themselves with the so-called ZBE zones in advance. These permanent environmental zones ("Zona de Bajas Emisiones") are now in effect in many cities and significantly restrict entry for vehicles with high emissions.

Vehicles with the Spanish environmental sticker "Distintivo Ambiental DGT" are permitted entry, although this is only available for Spanish vehicles. According to the ADAC, the German green environmental sticker is also generally recognized. Motorcycles without an environmental sticker can prove their emissions standard using their vehicle documents.

Cities with fixed ZBE zones include Barcelona, Bilbao, Córdoba, Madrid, Zaragoza, and Seville. Similar regulations are planned in approximately 150 other cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. They generally apply during the day on weekdays, but in some cases they apply around the clock.

In Barcelona, the city center is considered an environmental zone Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone driving a foreign vehicle must register it online in advance. Registration costs €7, is valid for two years, and is a prerequisite for entry. In Madrid, the environmental zone is even active 24/7. There, travelers can use their vehicle registration document to prove that their car complies with current emissions standards during inspections.

The entire urban area of Barcelona within the ring roads Ronda de Dalt (B-20) and Ronda Litoral (B-10) is part of the ZBE environmental zone on certain days.

Source: Shutterstock/weg.de

The environmental zones are usually well signposted and monitored by cameras. In some cities, additional temporary zones with stricter regulations may be established in cases of high air pollution.

Currently, registration requirements for foreign vehicles only exist in Barcelona and central Madrid . In some other cities, stricter rules are already in place or are being planned. The regulations are particularly strict in A Coruña , Pamplona, and Pontevedra , for example. There, in some cases, only residents or delivery vehicles are allowed to enter the environmental zones.

A current overview of all ZBE zones in Spain, along with further details, can be found on the website of the Spanish Ministry of the Environment and the automobile club RACE . Anyone traveling through Spain by car should definitely check before traveling to see if their vehicle is affected.

• Switzerland: Environmental zones with mandatory stickers in Geneva and the surrounding municipalities during air pollution alerts. Good to know: The French Crit'Air sticker is recognized in Switzerland!
• Sweden: Car-free zone in Stockholm's Old Town, daily from 11 a.m. to 6 a.m., two environmental zones in Stockholm
• Norway: Cities with combined road and environmental charges: Alesund, Bergen, Bodo, Forde, Grenland, Harstad, Hausgesund, Kristiansand, Lower Glomma, Oslo, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim; environmental zones in Oslo and Bergen are activated in cases of high air pollution.
• Netherlands: Cities with environmental zones for diesel cars and vans: Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague, Utrecht

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