A digital road vignette to be introduced in Belgium from May 2027 will apply to passenger cars weighing up to 3.5 tonnes that use the country's motorways and regional roads, Flemish Finance Minister Ben Weyts and Walloon Mobility Minister François Desquesnes said at a press conference on Friday.
This includes vehicles registered abroad, the two ministers said, as they presented details of the new vignette, which will be linked to each vehicle's number plate, rather than being issued as a sticker.
Around 30 million foreign passenger cars use Belgian roads each year, Weyts said, adding that international drivers should also contribute to the cost of maintaining the road network.
The annual charge will be €90 for electric cars, €100 for cars meeting Euro 4 emissions standards and above — the vast majority of vehicles — and €125 for older, more polluting cars.
According to Weyts, the most polluting category accounts for just 1.5% of the vehicle fleet in Flanders.
Short-term tariffs will also be available, although no further details were given at the press conference.
Drivers caught without a valid vignette will face a fine of at least €70 from 1 July 2027, following a two-month grace period.
Motorcycles, tractors, coaches and vehicles used by emergency services, police and defence will be exempt. Lorries are already covered by a separate kilometre-based road charge.
Desquesnes said the three regions will now finalise the co-operation agreement on the vignette system and submit it to the European Commission.
