Driving in Belgium from the UK: what you need
Checked against official sources on 8 November 2026 · Sources at the bottom of this page
Driving your own car to Belgium? You need:
- To register your car, free, before driving into Brussels, Antwerp or Ghent UK cars must register for the low-emission zones even if they meet the rules. See below
- A UK sticker, unless your number plate shows "UK" with the Union flag GB stickers are no longer valid: remove or cover them
- Your photocard driving licence, logbook (V5C), insurance certificate and MOT certificate GOV.UK says to always carry all four. Still have an old paper licence? You need an international driving permit (£5.50 at a PayPoint) Hire or lease car from the UK? Take a VE103 certificate instead of the logbook
- A passport for everyone in the car See the passport rules for Belgium below
- A warning triangle and a hi-vis vest You must wear the vest if you get out of a broken-down car on a motorway
- Headlights set for driving on the right, so they don't dazzle oncoming drivers Many newer cars do this from a setting in the car's menu (check your handbook). Others need beam deflector stickers
🛂 Your border check happens before Belgium
You enter the Schengen area when you cross the Channel, so your passport is checked, and the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records your fingerprints, at Dover, Folkestone or your arrival port. Your passport must be less than 10 years old on the day you arrive and valid for 3 months after you leave.
Check your passport for Belgium →Low-emission zones: register before you go
Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent have low-emission zones (LEZ), watched by number plate cameras 24 hours a day. UK cars must be registered online before entering, even if they meet the emission rules. Registration is free. Brussels and Flanders (Antwerp and Ghent) have separate registrations, so if you're visiting both, register twice.
Register for Antwerp and Ghent →
Not sure of your car's Euro standard? It may be on your logbook (V5C). If not, the car's certificate of conformity or the manufacturer can tell you. The official sites have a checker.
Speed limits in Belgium
| Road | Limit |
|---|---|
| Motorways | 120 km/h≈ 75 mph |
| Outside towns in Wallonia (the south) | 90 km/h≈ 56 mph |
| Outside towns in Flanders (the north) | 70 km/h≈ 43 mph |
| Towns and villages | 50 km/h≈ 31 mph |
| Most streets in Brussels | 30 km/h≈ 19 mph |
Signs can set a different limit, for example 90 km/h on some main roads in Flanders, or 50 or 70 km/h on Brussels' main roads. Police use speed traps, cameras and unmarked cars, and can fine you on the spot.
Rules that catch UK drivers out
➡️ Priority to the right
At junctions without signs or road markings, give way to traffic coming from your right, even from a small side road.
🔀 Zip merging is the law
Where two lanes become one, use both lanes up to the narrowing, then merge in turn, one car from each lane.
🚑 Make a rescue lane in traffic jams
As soon as traffic queues on a road with 2 or more lanes, drivers in the left lane move to the far left and everyone else to the far right, leaving a gap for emergency vehicles.
🍷 Drink-drive limit
0.5 g/l, lower than England, Wales and Northern Ireland (0.8).
📵 Hands-free phones only
Holding a phone while driving is banned.
Tolls and the planned vignette
In 2026, Belgian motorways are free for cars. The only toll most drivers meet is the Liefkenshoek tunnel under the river in Antwerp. The other routes around Antwerp are free.
From 1 May 2027, Belgium plans a digital motorway vignette for all cars, including UK cars, with passes from 1 day to a year. It isn't final yet, and we'll update this page when it is.
Winter driving
Winter tyres aren't compulsory in Belgium, but snow and ice are common in the hills of the Ardennes in the south. If you're driving on to Germany, you need winter tyres there whenever it's wintry: see driving in Germany.
Breakdowns and emergencies
- Call 112 for police, ambulance or fire.
- Put on your hi-vis vest before you get out on a motorway, and wait behind the crash barrier if you can.
- Place the warning triangle well behind the car, where drivers will see it in time, if it's safe to.
Hiring a car in Belgium instead
- Hire companies usually want you to be 21 or over with a year's driving experience.
- They may ask for a DVLA licence check code. Get one on GOV.UK shortly before you collect the car: it's only valid for 21 days.
- Belgian-registered hire cars don't need to register for the low-emission zones if they meet the rules, but check with the hire company.
FAQs
Do I need to register my car for Belgium's low-emission zones?
Yes, if you'll drive into Brussels, Antwerp or Ghent. UK cars must be registered online before you go. It's free. Brussels has its own registration, and one registration covers all the zones in Flanders, including Antwerp and Ghent. Without it you can be fined, even if your car meets the emission rules.
Are there tolls in Belgium?
Not on motorways in 2026. The Liefkenshoek tunnel in Antwerp charges a toll. Belgium plans to bring in a digital motorway vignette for all cars, including UK cars, from 1 May 2027.
What is the speed limit on Belgian motorways?
120 km/h (about 75 mph). Outside towns it's 70 km/h in Flanders and 90 km/h in Wallonia, unless signs say otherwise, and in most of Brussels it's 30 km/h.
Do I need winter tyres in Belgium?
No, Belgium doesn't require them. If you're driving on to Germany, you need winter tyres there whenever there's snow or ice on the road.
Do I need an international driving permit for Belgium?
No, not for a visit. A UK photocard driving licence is enough. You need a permit only if you still have an old paper licence.
What documents should I carry when driving in Belgium?
GOV.UK says to always carry your driving licence, the car's registration document (V5C), your insurance certificate, your MOT certificate, and passports for you and your passengers.
More for your trip
Sources
Checked on 8 November 2026. Rules change, so check the official sources before you travel.
- GOV.UK: Belgium travel advice, road travel · International driving permits · UK stickers · Taking your vehicle abroad (V5C, VE103) · Licence check codes
- Belgium: Brussels low-emission zone · Brussels registration · Ghent low-emission zone (Flemish rules) · Flemish entry conditions · Antwerp low-emission zone · Brussels 30 km/h
- EU: Your Europe: road rules in Belgium