Low Emissions Zone Barcelona

Barcelona has a permanent low emissions zone (ZBE), but it's not always in effect. The zone operates from Monday to Friday, between 07:00 and 20:00. Only vehicles with a valid (Spanish) environmental sticker or a long-term or day permit are allowed to enter during these hours. Despite national regulations, vehicles with foreign environmental stickers are not truly permitted in Barcelona, as the city prioritises its own policies over national laws. Therefore, it may be wise to apply for a long-term or day permit if you need to drive into Barcelona. It's uncertain whether having a French environmental sticker will suffice.

Day permits are available for all types of vehicles with foreign registration that do not have a long-term permit. You can use these permits for a maximum of 10 days per year and must apply at least one day in advance (by 23:59). Applications can be made through the website of the Barcelona authorities.

If you plan to stay longer in Barcelona, you can obtain a long-term permit. Make sure to apply well in advance (at least 3 weeks ahead) via the following website. If you're in a hurry, it's advisable to apply for a day permit, as you can select multiple days.

A long-term permit is only available for the following types of vehicles:

• Electric and hydrogen vehicles.
• Motorcycles (category L) with Euro 2 or higher.
• Passenger cars (category M1) and vans (category N1) with petrol engines Euro 3 or higher.
• Passenger cars (category M1) and vans (category N1) with diesel engines Euro 4 or higher.
• Heavy vehicles in the Truck category (N2, N3) and buses (M2, M3) with Euro 4 or higher.

For additional information, visit the website of the Barcelona authorities regarding environmental zones.

Signage for emissions Zones in Barcelona

You can recognise the environmental zones in Barcelona by this signage.