The most polluting vehicles, that is, those that do not have an environmental label, whose owners are registered in the capital, although the prohibition is maintained for those vehicles that are not registered in Madrid. “We have decided to give a notice period, to extend it up to 12 months, that is, those vehicles registered in the city of Madrid that do not have an environmental label,” reported the City Council’s Urban Planning, Environment and Mobility delegate on December 12, Borja Carabante.
However, this moratorium, as clarified this Tuesday by the vice mayor of Madrid, Inma Sanz, who explained that the measure applies to the “general zone” and not to the special zones, which will cause registered vehicles without a label to be fined. in the Special Protection Low Emission Zones (ZBE) of Centro and Plaza Elíptica by driving or parking in their own neighborhood. This problem, according to Sanz, “affects a very small number of vehicles” which, however, he did not quantify. Improper access to any ZBE in the national territory is a serious traffic offense and carries a fine of 200 euros, which can be reduced to 100 for prompt payment.
However, in Madrid ZBE, that is, in the rest of the municipality, they will be able to circulate without being fined. Thus, all vehicle owners who violate current regulations, the one for Madrid ZBE from 00:00 on January 1, 2025 to 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2026 and who are caught by the cameras will receive a communication by letter to their home address. informative in nature.
These are the exceptions
The complete implementation of Madrid ZBE begins this January 1, 2025. As of this date, traffic restrictions come into force throughout the municipal area that were not yet applied to vehicles with environmental classification A. These are the owners of A vehicles registered in the capital or registered with the Mechanical Traction Vehicle Tax (IVTM) of Madrid, motorcycles and A goods vehicles from any part of Spain, including those in the municipality of Madrid.
Three types of access authorization are established, which are added to the exemptions for vehicles that transport People with Reduced Mobility (PMR) and historic vehicles already in force. This is the case of self-employed workers (or sole proprietorships) aged 59 and older in 2025 with A vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons; as well as to holders of A vehicles or family members who need it for transportation to medical and hospital centers to undergo hospital treatments – not those who go to consultations. A procedure will be established to request access by registration, since it will not be done ex officio. Temporary access to vehicles A will also be allowed for those people who have purchased a new low-emission vehicle, but who have not yet received it due to manufacturing reasons.
