Low Emission Zones in Belgium in 2026: Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent
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In summary
In 2026, Belgium’s low emission zones (LEZ) are moving in two opposite directions. Brussels is tightening: since 1 January 2026, Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 petrol vehicles (and older) are no longer allowed, with fines possible from the summer. Antwerp and Ghent, by contrast, are not tightening their rules in 2026: Euro 5 diesel remains allowed there. For a business delivering in the city, it is mainly Brussels where the situation changes.
What Is a Low Emission Zone, and Why Does It Affect Your Deliveries?
A low emission zone (LEZ) is an urban area where the most polluting vehicles are restricted or banned, based on their Euro standard and fuel. In Belgium, Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent each enforce one. For last-mile delivery, this is a central factor: a non-compliant vehicle cannot enter, forcing you to adapt your fleet, transship on the outskirts, or use a provider whose vehicles are compliant.
Brussels in 2026: Euro 5 Diesel No Longer Gets In
Since 1 January 2026, Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 petrol vehicles no longer meet the access criteria for the Brussels LEZ. This tightening follows a Constitutional Court ruling of September 2025, which confirmed the Brussels timeline.
Enforcement is phased: a first offence results in a warning, and fines of up to €350 may be applied from 1 July 2026 (around three months after a first recorded offence). In practice, carriers and businesses delivering in Brussels must ensure their vehicles are at least above these thresholds, or rely on alternatives.
Antwerp and Ghent in 2026: No Tightening
Unlike Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent are not tightening their LEZ in 2026. A tightening was planned for 1 January 2026 (banning pre-2015 diesel, i.e. Euro 5), but the Flemish government confirmed in late November 2025 that it would not take place. Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 petrol therefore remain allowed in these two cities in 2026.
The reason given by the Flemish Minister for the Environment: current air quality standards are already being met everywhere, making a tightening unnecessary. This decision was maintained despite a negative opinion from the Council of State in October 2025. Flemish cities also receive more room to grant individual exemptions, taking into account owners’ financial situation.
What It Changes in Practice for Businesses
The point of attention in 2026 is Brussels. A business delivering or receiving goods in the capital must check the compliance of every vehicle entering the zone, or risk a fine. In Flanders, the situation is stable: no new constraint in Antwerp and Ghent this year, but the underlying trend remains toward tightening in the medium term, so planning fleet renewal still makes sense.
- Check the Euro standard of every vehicle entering Brussels.
- For a non-compliant vehicle, plan an alternative: a clean vehicle, transshipment on the outskirts, or an exemption.
- Brussels allows a limited number of day passes per year for exceptional cases, but this is not a regular solution.
- Clearly communicate city-centre access constraints to your Belgian customers.
How Record Express Adapts
Record Express handles city-centre deliveries, in Brussels and across Belgium, with a fleet and urban logistics designed for low emission zones. Rather than seeing the LEZ as an obstacle, it is an argument for reliability: an urgent, medical or legal shipment reaches its destination even in the most regulated districts, because the vehicle carrying it is compliant. Need to deliver in Brussels without worrying about access standards? Request a quote.
Learn more: our comparison of last-mile carriers and our article on Belgium’s e-commerce delivery law.
Written by the Logistics & Compliance team at Record Express.
Updated October 2026
FAQ
- Q: Which vehicles are banned in Brussels in 2026?
- A: Since 1 January 2026, Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 petrol vehicles (and older) no longer meet the access criteria for the Brussels LEZ.
- Q: Are the rules in Antwerp and Ghent changing in 2026?
- A: No. The tightening planned for 1 January 2026 was scrapped by the Flemish government. Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 petrol remain allowed in Antwerp and Ghent in 2026.
- Q: What fine do you risk in Brussels?
- A: Up to €350. Enforcement is phased: a warning first, then fines possible from 1 July 2026.
- Q: How do I check whether my vehicle can drive there?
- A: Through each city’s official checkers (lez.brussels for Brussels, the City of Antwerp and Ghent websites for Flanders), based on the Euro standard and fuel listed on the registration certificate.
- Q: Can you still deliver in central Brussels with a non-compliant vehicle?
- A: Occasionally, through a limited number of day passes, but this is not a sustainable solution. The reliable path is a compliant vehicle or a provider with a compliant fleet.
