Belgium's Highway Vignette: What Changes in 2027
Belgium is introducing a compulsory highway vignette for cars and vehicles under 3.5 tonnes. In practice, from 1 May 2027 you will need to have paid an annual vignette to drive on Belgian motorways and main roads — €100 a year in the standard case.
This page sets out who is affected, how much the Belgium highway vignette costs, from when it applies, and what the measure changes (or doesn't) for Belgian residents and for foreign drivers passing through.
Based on the agreement announced by Belgium's three Regions on 10 July 2026, subject to the final implementing legislation. Last updated: 5 August 2026.
€100/year
from 1 May 2027
Digital vignette
Linked to the number plate — no sticker
€100
a year, announced standard rate
1 May 2027
planned start date
< 3.5 t
cars and light vans concerned
0 stickers
fully digital vignette, linked to the plate
Who has to pay?
The vignette targets vehicles under 3.5 tonnes: cars and light vans in particular. The exact rules per vehicle category are still to be confirmed in the final texts. Heavy goods vehicles already fall under a separate system (the kilometre charge).
It applies on Belgian motorways and main roads, across the three Regions — Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels-Capital — which signed the agreement together. The local, secondary road network is in principle not covered, but the precise list of roads is one of the points still to be clarified.
Importantly, this is a digital vignette, linked to the number plate. There is no sticker to put on your windscreen — enforcement will rely on plate reading.
Covered or not?
- Passenger car
- Light van< 3.5 t
- Heavy goods vehiclealready under the kilometre charge
On which roads?
Motorways and main roads across the three signatory Regions. The local network is in principle not covered — the precise list is still to be confirmed.
Belgium highway vignette price
Three annual rates have been announced:
Standard vehicle (petrol/diesel)
€100/ year
standard caseElectric vehicle
€90/ year
reduced rateVehicle registered before 2005
€125/ year
higher rateThese amounts are for the annual vignette. Whether a short-term option will exist (for a one-off tourist crossing, say) and what it would cost has not yet been decided — that is one of the points the implementing texts still have to settle.
When does it start? The timeline
10 July 2026
Agreement signed
Belgium's three Regions sign the agreement introducing the vignette.
Today
Nothing to do, nothing to buy
Sales have not started — be wary of any site claiming otherwise.
1 May 2027
Vignette becomes compulsory
The vignette is required on the network concerned.
The agreement between the three Regions was signed on 10 July 2026. It is due to take effect on 1 May 2027: that is the date from which the vignette becomes mandatory on the roads concerned.
Until then there is nothing to do — and, above all, nothing to buy (see below). The practical arrangements for buying and renewing (official website, outlets, deadlines) will be announced as the date approaches.
Belgian residents: an operation announced as cost-neutral
For drivers who live in Belgium, the vignette is not meant to be a net extra cost. The Regions have announced a compensation: vehicle taxation — road tax in particular — would be adjusted to offset the price of the vignette.
The stated logic is therefore a shift rather than an additional tax: what you pay on one side would be reduced on the other. The exact mechanics and timing of that compensation, however, depend on regional decisions that are still to be finalised — check once the texts are published.
Foreign drivers and cross-border commuters
This is the heart of the reform. Today a foreign motorist crossing Belgium by motorway pays nothing for that trip, while several neighbouring countries already apply a vignette or a toll on their own networks. The vignette ends that asymmetry: from 1 May 2027, foreign vehicles under 3.5 t will also need to be in order to use the network concerned.
For cross-border commuters entering Belgium every day, the annual vignette is the natural option. For a tourist or one-off traveller, a short-term option would be the logical answer — but, again, its existence and price are not confirmed. We will update this page as soon as it is official.
The stated goal: making foreign transit traffic contribute
The main aim of the measure is to make foreign transit traffic, which is very heavy on Belgian motorways, contribute. Expected revenue:
≈ €460M
a year in total
≈ €130M
for Flanders
≈ €327M
for Wallonia
Penalties and enforcement
Enforcement will rely on automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR cameras), since the vignette is digital and tied to the registration. A vehicle driving without a valid vignette on the roads concerned would face a fine.
Details to be confirmed: the level of fines, exactly how checks will work and any tolerances have not been spelled out at this stage. Treat these points as final only once the legislation is published.
Beware of scams: nothing is on sale yet
Sales of the Belgian vignette have not started. As of this page's date, nobody can sell you a valid Belgian highway vignette — no website, no app, no counter.
If you come across a site already offering to "buy your Belgian 2027 vignette", treat it as a scam signal: at best a misleading site, at worst a phishing attempt to take your money and card details. Wait for the official channels, which the Regions will announce as 1 May 2027 approaches.
Simple rule: until the measure takes effect, no genuine Belgian vignette can be bought. Be wary of any artificial urgency ("limited offer", "avoid the fine now").
Frequently asked questions
Is the highway vignette already compulsory in Belgium?
No. It becomes compulsory on 1 May 2027. Before that date no vignette is needed to drive on Belgian motorways, and none can be bought.
How much does the Belgian vignette cost?
The announced rate is €100 a year for a standard vehicle, €90 for an electric vehicle and €125 for a vehicle registered before 2005. These are annual amounts.
Who is affected?
Vehicles under 3.5 tonnes (cars, light vans) driving on Belgian motorways and main roads, whether registered in Belgium or abroad.
Do I need a sticker on my windscreen?
No. The vignette is digital and linked to the number plate. Enforcement is by plate reading; there is no physical vignette.
Will I pay more if I live in Belgium?
The operation is announced as cost-neutral for residents: an adjustment to vehicle taxation is planned as compensation. The precise terms are still to be confirmed in the regional texts.
Is there a short-term vignette for tourists?
It is not confirmed. The agreement mainly refers to the annual vignette; whether a few-days option exists, and its price, are among the points still open.
What happens if I drive through Belgium without one?
Driving without a valid vignette on the network concerned would incur a fine, checked by plate recognition. The exact amount and enforcement rules are not yet detailed.
Where can I buy the vignette?
Nowhere for now: sales have not begun. Official purchase channels will be announced by the Regions before 1 May 2027. Be wary of sites claiming to sell one already.
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