The implementation of the Low Emission Zones (ZBE) It has ceased to be an abstract idea and has become a very concrete reality in much of Spain. More and more drivers are encountering cameras, signs, and new regulations that dictate where they can drive or park in their cities.
From Zaragoza, Madrid, Córdoba, Cáceres or BilbaoLocal councils are refining their own versions of these restricted areas, with very different timelines, exceptions, and enforcement methods. Those who aren't aware of the local rules could face an unexpected fine, although all Low Emission Zones share the same goal: to reduce traffic emissions and improve air quality.
Body of the news
The legal basis for the ZBE is found in the Law 7/2021 on Climate Change and Energy Transitionwhich requires municipalities with more than 50.000 inhabitants to have sustainable urban mobility plans and include, at a minimum, a low-emission zone, according to the regulations and exceptionsThese areas restrict the entry or circulation of the most polluting vehicles, usually identified as category A by the DGT, those without an environmental badge.
To regulate access, the Directorate General of Traffic created the system in 2016 environmental badgesFour stickers (B, C, ECO, and Zero) distinguish which vehicles can circulate with fewer restrictions. The most modern gasoline and diesel cars and vans, as well as hybrids and electric vehicles, have these stickers, while older vehicles are excluded from the system.
This common framework is adapted differently in each city: in some cases, large perimeters covering the entire municipality are used, as is the case in BarcelonaIn others, the LEZ is concentrated in the historic helmet or in areas that are especially sensitive due to their heritage or their levels of pollution.
Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are increasingly relying on automatic control systems, as the progress mapwith license plate recognition cameras that cross-reference the information with municipal records and the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) database. This is complemented by information campaigns, grace periods without penalties, and finally, the implementation of penalty systems that can reach... 200 euros for a serious offense.
Zaragoza: The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the Historic Quarter enters its sanctioning phase
In Zaragoza, the Low Emission Zone focuses on the Historic helmet And after more than a year of providing information, it has now moved to a fully enforcement phase. The perimeter is defined by Paseo Echegaray y Caballero, San Vicente de Paúl, Coso, Plaza de España, Conde Aranda, Mayoral, Plaza de Santo Domingo, and Calle Ramón Celma, where streets with restricted traffic and limited access for residents already existed.
The Zaragoza Low Emission Zone is working Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 20:00 p.m.Outside of those hours, as well as on weekends and holidays, any vehicle can access without restrictions. During operating hours, however, only vehicles with [specific permits/registration] can circulate freely. environmental label B, C, ECO or Zeroprovided they display the sticker visibly on the windshield.
Older cars and motorcycles are excluded from access without additional procedures: petrol vehicles registered before January 2001 and diesel vehicles registered before January 2006These vehicles are not entitled to a sticker and therefore need specific authorization to enter the Low Emission Zone, although they can circulate on the streets that form the perimeter.
For vehicles without the right to a sticker, the City Council has set up a Municipal registry This allows registration for those who need access for justified reasons. Among the eligible cases are residents, garage owners, businesses operating in the area, vehicles for people with reduced mobility, emergency services, adapted taxis, historic vehicles or vehicles with foreign license plates, as well as those accessing public parking lots and hotels with connected control systems.
In addition, a flexible formula is being considered: Up to 8 accesses can be requested per month For vehicles without a sticker that do not fit into the above categories, a route designed for specific needs.
Those who mistakenly enter the LEZ have a 15 minute margin to leave without penalty. If the vehicle remains inside the premises longer than required, it may be subject to a serious offense with a fine of up to 200 Euros If you are not entitled to a distinctive badge, you could face a penalty of up to 100 Euros if it has a label but does not display it visibly.
For the time being, compliance monitoring rests with the Local policeThe current system uses a database of license plates without markings and lists of authorized vehicles. However, the City Council plans to incorporate an automatic license plate reading camera system linked to the future regulated parking contract, which will automate checks and the processing of proposed fines.
Information for citizens is channeled through the municipal electronic headquarterswhere there is a frequently asked questions section that breaks down each case individually, and from the DGT website, where you can check if a vehicle is entitled to an environmental sticker and how to obtain it at post offices or authorized workshops for a cost of 5 Euros.
Cordoba: Fines underway in the Historic Quarter and impact assessment
In Córdoba, the Low Emission Zone basically coincides with the Historic helmet and the restricted traffic area known as Acire. The City Council began issuing fines in October, focusing on vehicles entering without complying with the conditions of the Traffic, Road Safety and Sustainable Mobility Ordinance, in effect since February 2023.
In the first month of effective implementation, approximately 180 sanctionsmainly to vehicles that did not have the appropriate environmental label or who accessed without authorization, did not display the sticker, or violated parking and traffic rules within the restricted area.
The Cordoba ordinance grants Free access without municipal registration cycles, bicycles and electric personal mobility vehicles, as well as vehicles with a sticker 0 and ECOVehicles authorized in the Acire zone, those accessing parking lots and garages, residents, public transport, and vehicles linked to commercial activities in the zone also enjoy freedom of passage.
The City Council emphasizes that the objective of the LEZ is reduce environmental pollutionTo improve air quality and protect public health, pollution levels are being adjusted to World Health Organization recommendations and legal limits. To this end, measures are being reinforced air quality control points, which have gone from four to nine with new stations in Ronda de los Tejares, Avenida de Barcelona, ​​Llanos del Pretorio, Las Tendillas and La Ribera.
These measurements allow us to assess the effect of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) on the city's air quality. According to the City Council, the available data indicate that The regulatory parameters are met and that the situation does not, for now, warrant widespread alarm. However, the city council is keeping open the possibility of continue removing vehicles from the Historic Centerespecially in areas such as loading and unloading or travel to educational centers.
The sanctions regime in Córdoba is based on the Sustainable Mobility Lawwhich links state aid to public transport to the existence of active Low Emission Zones with the effective capacity to issue fines. The municipal discourse is clear: the sanctions are conceived as a tool to protect sensitive areas from the pressure of the most polluting traffic, adjusting to the obligations set by state legislation.
Cáceres: Low Emission Zone without significant advantages for zero-emission vehicles
The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) of Cáceres presents a particular model: its recent approval does not imply new restricted streets, but rather consolidates the limited traffic area which has been monitored by cameras for years within the monumental complex. The technical project accompanying the new ordinance leaves the near-total restriction of motorized traffic in the historical center.
Unauthorized access is reserved for essential services such as emergency vehicles, municipal vehicles, taxis in service and vehicles for people with reduced mobilityIn addition to users of the Obispo Galarza parking lot, other vehicles may only enter with municipal permits for justified reasons: registered residents, garage owners, loading and unloading, hotels processing permits for their guests, and certain urban maintenance services.
A distinguishing feature of Cáceres is that the access regime It is not linked to the DGT environmental badgeEven zero-emission vehicles must be authorized, although they enjoy a Extended hours for loading and unloadingTherefore, there is no free passport for electric cars, something that contrasts with other Spanish and European Low Emission Zones.
Entry and exit control is performed using a system of LPR cameras (Automatic license plate reading) cameras located at 21 points around the perimeter. These cameras compare license plates with a municipal registry that includes residents, parking space holders, service fleets, vehicles with reduced mobility, and foreign license plates. If the vehicle is not listed as authorized, the system generates a proposed sanction according to traffic regulations.
The Cáceres Low Emission Zone also includes a plan for specific signageThe road will be equipped with DGT-approved vertical signs, advance signage before entrances, restricted turn warnings, and information panels designed to prevent unauthorized access. Parking regulations remain in place, reserving interior spaces for residents and vehicles with permits.
As a complement, the project promotes the urban transformation and sustainable mobility In the Historic Center, measures include shared pedestrian and vehicular traffic, improvements to public spaces, street furniture, and facilities for bicycles and personal mobility vehicles. The City Council will be required to periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ), analyzing air quality, noise levels, and traffic flow every four years to adjust regulations if necessary.
Madrid: an entire city as a Low Emission Zone
In Madrid, the strategy is broader: the entire municipal area It is considered a Low Emission Zone according to the Sustainable Mobility Ordinance and the Madrid 360 plan. That is, all urban roads in the capital are part of the LEZ, although within that framework areas have been defined with additional restrictions.
The capital has several key components: the general Low Emission Zone that covers the city, the Special Protection Low Emission Zone (ZBEDEP) Central District, the high-performance ZBEDEP Elliptical Square and the specific area Madrid ZBE – Inside the M-30. A progressive schedule is applied to this mosaic of areas, which aims to remove vehicles from circulation. vehicles without environmental label, while access to vehicles with B and C labels is increasingly restricted in certain areas.
To monitor compliance, the City Council has deployed 257 cameras Access control systems read license plates and check if the vehicle has the environmental sticker or, in the case of cars without a sticker, if it meets any of the established exceptions. Since 2024, these devices have been monitoring who enters the city and its specially protected areas.
In practice, vehicles with a sticker B, C, ECO or Zero They can circulate throughout most of Madrid, but face stricter restrictions in the city center and Plaza ElÃptica. In these areas, B and C category cars can only enter if they are going directly to a parking garage—public or private—or if they meet a specific requirement, such as residing in the area, owning a parking space, accompanying people with reduced mobility, or providing certain services.
Los vehicles without a label Those registered and living in Madrid have been granted successive moratoriums. The initial timetable anticipated their complete expulsion from the municipality in 2025, but the City Council has decided extend for a second time the possibility of them circulating, so that they can continue to access and move around the city until the December 31th 2026except in specially protected areas where access is prohibited.
This extension is accompanied by scrapping incentives The fine of €1.500 per vehicle is intended to accelerate the renewal of the oldest vehicles on the road. The measure affects gasoline-powered passenger cars registered before January 1, 2001, diesel cars registered before 2006, and motorcycles registered before 2003, which together comprise the DGT's (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) so-called Category A vehicles.
For drivers with a B sticker, the situation is less restrictive: They can drive and park in the general LEZ and in the ZBEDEP Plaza ElÃptica without specific limitations, while in the Central District they must comply with stricter conditions. There, access is reserved for those directly accessing parking facilities, residents and garage owners, vehicles authorized for work reasons or certain services, and violations are penalized with 200 Euros (100 with prompt payment) to those who enter without meeting the requirements.
Vehicles with a label ECO and, especially, those of zero emissionsThey have the greatest advantages and are part of the cars that pollute lessThey can drive throughout the city, park with discounts in SER zones and, in the case of Zero vehicles, park for free and without limit on the surface within the municipal area, including areas of special protection.
The Madrid 360 project inherits much of the old Madrid Central plan and Plan A, maintaining the idea of ​​progressively restricting the circulation of the most polluting vehicles. However, the development of Madrid's Low Emission Zone is subject to judicial reviewThe Madrid High Court has questioned some aspects of the procedure, although the restrictions and fines remain in force while the appeals are resolved.
Bilbao: strict calendar for Abando and Indautxu
Bilbao is also making progress in its own Low Emission Zone, focused on the neighborhoods of Abando and Indautxu, similar to Oviedo Low Emission ZoneThe implementation has been phased in, but the City Council is preparing for a significant change starting on January 1, 2026, when the last exceptions that allowed many vehicles without a sticker to continue circulating in the area end.
Since the start of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) on June 15, 2024, access has been prohibited for vehicles without an environmental sticker, with successive transition phases. June 16th, 2025 the restriction was extended to the cars with B stickerThis resulted in a significant reduction in access. This evolution has been accompanied by a traffic reductionThe average daily entry to Abando and Indautxu has gone from 53.709 vehicles to 49.306 in just over a year, about 8% less.
The composition of traffic has also changed: vehicles with label C They already account for more than half of all access points, while ECO and Zero emissions vehicles are gradually increasing their share. At the same time, the authorities are focusing on the vehicles A, the oldest vehicles in the fleet, which will see their chances of entering the ZBE very limited.
From 2026 onwards, only four very restricted assumptions To authorize the entry of these vehicles without a sticker: people over 70 years old with a garage space, vehicles associated with certain technical investments, activities or extraordinary events authorized in advance and access for health reasons (medical consultations or treatments).
The control of Bilbao's Low Emission Zone relies on a system of cameras and a digital registry of one-off permits that allows monitoring of traffic from the first day of implementation without further adaptation phases. The current schedule anticipates maintaining these exceptions until at least 2030, when its continuity will be reviewed.
How to process permits and registrations in the ZBE
A common element in Low Emission Zones is the need to manage exceptions in an orderly manner. Vehicles without an environmental sticker, but associated with residences, parking spaces, commercial premises or special needsThey can obtain authorizations that allow them to continue accessing the system under certain conditions.
In general, local councils recommend using the online registration These applications can be submitted either through the municipal website or through specific platforms. This channel streamlines the process and, in many cases, allows for almost immediate authorization.
Those who opt for in-person registration must go to the general registries or customer service officesSubmit the required documentation and wait for a written decision. This difference in deadlines is crucial for drivers who need urgent authorization to access restricted areas.
The municipal websites They usually include frequently asked questions sections that detail with examples the different scenarios: from how to register a company vehicle that provides services in a Low Emission Zone to the accreditation of people with reduced mobility or temporary permits for moving, construction or events.
In parallel, the electronic headquarters of the DGT It has become the go-to tool for checking if a vehicle is eligible for an environmental sticker and which one it should have. By entering the license plate number, users can find out if their car is a B, C, ECO, Zero Emissions, or has no sticker at all, as well as learn how to obtain one.
Combining updated municipal records and the DGT databases are essential for the correct functioning of license plate reading camera systems, which need reliable information to determine whether or not a vehicle can access a ZBE without incurring a penalty.
The deployment of Low Emission Zones in cities such as Zaragoza, Madrid, Córdoba, Cáceres or Bilbao reflects the same trend, although with very different rhythms and models: gradually limit the role of the most polluting vehicle In urban centers, surveillance should be reinforced with cameras and digital records, while simultaneously providing information channels and exceptions for those who need access for justified reasons. With European regulations and climate legislation on the horizon, all indications are that Low Emission Zones (LEZs) will continue to expand and tighten their criteria in the coming years, making it increasingly important to stay informed about each city's rules to avoid penalties.
