Belgium plans vignette requirement from 2027

Anyone driving to or through Belgium can so far largely use the motorways without a toll sticker requirement. That could change: The three regions of Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels have agreed on a road toll for light vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. The introduction of a digital Belgian vignette is planned from May 2027. Whether you are coming from Belgium or from abroad is not supposed to matter. All vehicles in this weight class are meant to contribute to the maintenance of the roads.

On the weight limit: The Belgian information refers to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. According to the available reports, this means the usual limit for light vehicles, comparable to the permissible gross vehicle weight (GVW).

Important note in advance: The plans are a political agreement between the regions, but have not yet been legally finalized. Further approvals are still needed, including at the European level. It is therefore already worthwhile to get an overview for your trip planning, without needing to buy a Belgian vignette just yet.

What Belgium is planning and from when

Until now, many travelers could cross Belgium as a transit country without an additional motorway fee. From 2027, this is set to change. The digital vignette is intended to be linked to the license plate and purchased online or at gas stations. Compliance with the toll requirement is to be monitored via a video system. According to reports, violations could result in fines of around 70 euros.

The Walloon Minister for Infrastructure and Mobility, François Desquesnes, justified the measure by saying that everyone who uses the roads should make a fair contribution to their upkeep. Flemish Finance Minister Ben Weyts pointed out that drivers from Flanders also pay fees in other European countries. Among other examples, the vignette system in Austria was cited for comparison.

Planned prices and durations

According to the available information, the annual vignette is expected to cost between 90 and 125 euros. The exact amount depends on the vehicle model and its emissions. For emission-free vehicles such as electric cars, around 90 euros per year is mentioned. Older models with higher emissions under the Euro 0 to Euro 3 emission standards are expected to cost up to 125 euros per year.

In addition to the annual vignette, shorter durations are planned. Mentioned options include a 24-hour version, a ten-day vignette, as well as one- or two-month options. This is particularly interesting for vacationers and travelers passing through from Germany who only briefly cross Belgium or stay in the country for a few days.

Whether the final prices and durations will be adopted exactly as described still depends on further political and legal steps. For planning purposes, it is therefore advisable to treat the prices and start date as the current state of planning and to check the official information shortly before your trip.

Who does the planned vignette apply to?

The regulation is aimed at light vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. The official Belgian wording refers to cars, combination vehicles, and vans below this limit. There is no separate designation there like the Austrian "tzGm" (maximum technically permissible mass). In practice, this concerns the well-known threshold for light vehicles, which comes close to the permissible gross vehicle weight. Reports are inconsistent as to whether motorcycles are included. Some sources state that motorcycles are exempt. Therefore, check the final scope before the introduction.

Foreign license plates are expected to be affected just like Belgian ones. For German travelers, this means: anyone driving via Belgian motorways to France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, or back to Germany from 2027 onward should factor the vignette requirement into their travel cost calculations. For heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, Belgium already has a different system in place, the distance-based heavy goods vehicle levy. The new vignette is intended to specifically cover the light vehicles that have so far often traveled without their own road usage fee.

Politically, the toll is also partly justified by the aim of having foreign users in particular contribute more to the costs. At the same time, there is discussion in Belgium about relieving domestic drivers through other taxes or the vehicle tax. This is precisely where things become legally sensitive.

EU law and the experience with the German car toll

The Belgian plans must be confirmed by European authorities. The European Union prohibits unequal treatment based on nationality. Germany had already attempted to introduce a similar system and relieve German vehicle owners through the vehicle tax. In 2019, the European Court of Justice ruled this to be discriminatory, because the economic burden effectively fell mainly on owners and drivers of vehicles registered in other member states.

Whether Belgium can implement the planned vignette in a way that remains compatible with EU law therefore remains uncertain. For travelers, this means: expect an introduction from 2027, but keep an eye on the final design and the legal approval status.

What this means for your trip planning

If you use Belgium as a transit country, you should check from the planned start date which duration suits your route. For a short crossing, a 24-hour or ten-day vignette may be sufficient. For longer stays or repeated trips within the same period, a monthly or annual vignette may be more sensible. You will likely be able to purchase the vignette online before entering the country, and you should make sure that the license plate and validity period are entered correctly. For trips continuing on to Austria or Switzerland, the toll systems there remain unchanged and follow their own rules.

Neighboring countries have different toll regulations

In Austria, vehicles up to 3.5 t tzGm (maximum technically permissible mass excluding passengers, field F.1) require a valid vignette on motorways and expressways. If the tzGm exceeds 3.5 t, the vignette requirement no longer applies, and the distance-based toll with a GO-Box applies instead. In addition, a route toll or special toll applies on certain sections, such as tunnels like the Brenner or Tauern, as well as on alpine roads. The vignette does not cover these sections. For more details, see our guide on tolls in Austria, on vehicle classes, and on the route toll or special toll. For Austria, you can conveniently purchase the 10-day vignette flat rate online with us.

In Switzerland, on the other hand, different rules apply than in Belgium and Austria. There, the permissible gross vehicle weight (GVW) including passengers is decisive. For vehicles up to 3.5 t GVW, there is an annual vignette; shorter durations like in Belgium or Austria are not offered in Switzerland. If the GVW exceeds 3.5 t, the vignette no longer applies, and the heavy vehicle levy takes effect instead. In addition, special toll fees may apply on certain tunnels and alpine roads. You can find an overview in our guide on tolls in Switzerland and on vehicle classes.

With our route planner, you can see before departure which toll products your planned route requires. Checking this early on is especially worthwhile for transit trips through several countries.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

Even with a possible vignette requirement, Belgium remains an important transit country in Western Europe. Anyone who keeps an eye on the planned introduction from 2027 and checks prices and durations before their trip will avoid unnecessary surprises at the border. If you have any questions about the vignette or tolls in Austria or Switzerland, you can reach us anytime by email.