Belgium to Introduce Road Vignette for All Drivers in 2027
From May 1, 2027, all drivers in Belgium — both residents and foreign visitors — will need a digital road vignette to use the country’s highways and regional roads. The three Belgian regional governments (Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels-Capital) have reached a cooperation agreement on the new system, which aims to make foreign transit traffic contribute to road maintenance costs while reforming the existing traffic tax structure.
What the Vignette Covers
The digital vignette will apply to all highways, highway rings, and regional roads across Belgium’s three regions. It covers all vehicles up to 3.5 tons, including passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Motorcycles, buses, coaches, tractors, and trucks are exempt — trucks will continue under the existing kilometer charging system, according to VRT NWS. Emergency services, defense, and police vehicles are also exempt.
Unlike traditional sticker-based systems, the vignette will be entirely digital, linked to the vehicle’s license plate number. Drivers can purchase it online via a website or app, or physically at gas stations and Flemish Tax Authority offices.
Pricing Based on Emissions
The cost of the vignette varies depending on the vehicle’s CO2 emissions and age, with five purchase durations available: 1 day, 10 days, 1 month, 2 months, or 1 year.
- Electric vehicles (zero emissions): €90 per year, €8.10 per day, €10.80 for 10 days, €17.10 per month, €27.00 for 2 months
- Vehicles with Euro 4 standard or higher (recent models): €100 per year, €9.00 per day, €12.00 for 10 days, €19.00 per month, €100.00 for 2 months
- Most polluting vehicles (Euro 0-3, typically pre-2005): €125 per year, €11.30 per day, €15.00 for 10 days, €23.80 per month, €37.50 for 2 months
The pricing structure is comparable to Austria’s vignette system, as noted by Autoblog.nl.
Traffic Tax Reform
Flemish Minister of Finance Ben Weyts (N-VA) has linked the vignette directly to a reform of the annual traffic tax. The Flemish government aims to simplify the tax to just two parameters: vehicle weight and CO2 emissions. “The lighter and cleaner your car, the less you pay,” Weyts said, as reported by VRT NWS.
According to the minister, approximately half of Flemish car owners will pay roughly the same or less when combining the vignette and the reformed traffic tax. The maximum additional cost is capped at €125, with only 1.5% of car owners expected to reach that level. Drivers of older diesel vehicles and cars with larger engines will be most affected, though they have the option to remain under the existing tax system until their next vehicle purchase.
Why Belgians Must Pay Too
A key question from Belgian motorists has been why they must also purchase the vignette when the primary goal is to charge foreign drivers. The answer lies in EU law. Mobility expert Hajo Beeckman of VRT NWS explained: “The European principle of equality states that you must impose the same obligations on your own residents as on foreigners.”
Beeckman noted that Germany can speak to that — they tried twice to introduce a road vignette that only applied to foreigners, and the EU firmly blocked them each time.
Enforcement and Fines
Enforcement will rely on Belgium’s extensive network of ANPR cameras, which were significantly expanded after the 2016 Brussels attacks. “Those ANPR cameras are very numerous in Flanders,” Beeckman noted. Mobile checks and flying inspection services will also be deployed.
Fines start at €70 for a first offense, rising to €140 for a second, and €210 for a third. A two-month tolerance period will run until July 1, 2027, meaning no fines will be issued during the first two months of the system’s operation.
Revenue and Reactions
The expected revenue is substantial: approximately €130 million per year in Flanders and an estimated €327 million in Wallonia. Walloon Minister of Mobility François Desquesnes (Les Engagés) noted that over €250 million could come from foreign drivers alone, as reported by RTBF.
Employers’ organizations including the FEB, Voka, and Unizo have welcomed the principle of foreign drivers contributing but expressed regret that the system is a flat fee rather than intelligent kilometer charging, which they argue would better address congestion.
Touring, the mobility organization, supports the concept of a national vignette but has cautioned about the real cost for Belgian motorists, noting that Belgium already ranks among the most heavily taxed countries for drivers.
What’s Next
While the Flemish government has outlined its traffic tax reform, Wallonia and Brussels have yet to finalize their adjustments. The Walloon government estimates its revenue at €327 million but acknowledges this figure remains uncertain due to a lack of precise data on foreign vehicle traffic on its regional roads.
The system is set to launch on May 1, 2027, with full enforcement beginning July 1, 2027. As the implementation date approaches, further details on interregional revenue distribution and potential legal challenges from neighboring countries — particularly the Netherlands, whose motorists have already voiced strong opposition — are expected to emerge.