The Flemish vehicle tax is being reformed; passenger cars, dual-use vehicles, or minibusses that are (re)registered on or after January 1, 2027, will automatically be included in the new system, which primarily takes into account the vehicle’s weight and CO2 emissions.

Owners of vehicles that were previously registered can voluntarily switch by visiting the website www.vlaanderen.be/vergelijker. They can then choose to keep the old calculation or opt for the new one if it is more advantageous.

82% will pay less under the new system

The reform of the Flemish vehicle tax is linked to the introduction of a road vignette. The tax reform takes effect on January 1, and the road vignette on May 1. The tax reform applies only to passenger cars, dual-use vehicles, and minibusses. Motorcycles, priority vehicles, and trucks subject to the kilometer charge are excluded from the system.

According to Flemish Minister of Finance Ben Weyts (N-VA), the reformed vehicle tax – the previous tax system was complex and outdated, in part because it was based on fiscal horsepower – and the road vignette will offset each other overall. Still, individually there will be winners and losers.

About half of car owners will ultimately have to pay less or roughly the same amount, according to Weyts. If we look solely at the road tax, 82% will pay less under the new system. For the owner of a Citroën C3, for example, this would amount to a savings of €11.56 per year.

EVs registered before January 1, 2026, are exempt from road tax. After that date, a rate of €107.16 will apply. Owners of light trucks and leased vehicles also do not have to make a choice. The flat rate for classic cars would drop from €109.73 to €67.01 (about 30% lower).

In general, owners of heavier cars, including SUVs and sports cars, will pay more, precisely because the new formula places greater emphasis on a car’s weight and emissions.

Not automatically implemented

However, the Flemish government will not automatically implement the reform or apply the lower rate. Car owners should check the government website www.vlaanderen.be/vergelijker to see whether the new vehicle tax is more advantageous for them. After logging in, enter your license plate number and the date of registration.

Next, with just a few clicks, you can indicate that you want to switch to the new system. Anyone who does nothing will therefore remain in the old system, even if the new one is cheaper.

“Legal proceedings against the road vignette are to be expected”

There is a legal reason Flemish residents must visit the Flemish Tax Administration’s website to choose whether to switch to the new system, says Wets.

After all, European regulations do not allow the local population to be automatically compensated on a one-to-one basis through the vehicle tax when a road vignette is introduced, even though foreigners also pay for road infrastructure.

“Germany has led the way and granted automatic compensation. It has been overturned twice,” says Weyts. “We have been in contact at the European level and have been gauging how far we can go.” According to the minister, legal proceedings against the road vignette are to be expected. “We need to be prepared.”

Vignette will cost €90 or €100

The Flemish government will notify citizens of the changes via a message in their e-box, and the changes will also be noted on the road tax bill.

The road vignette rates have also been announced.  They vary depending on the vehicle’s emissions and the selected usage period. For a car that meets Euro 4 standards or higher, a one-year vignette costs €100. For a zero-emission car, the cost is €90 per year. For Euro 0 through 3, the vignette costs € 125 per year.

Anyone driving a passenger car weighing up to 3,5 metric tons on Belgian roads as of May 1, 2027, will be required to pay for that vignette. Anyone caught without a vignette will have to pay €70 for a first offense. If you’re caught a second time, that amount doubles to €140. Recidivists will pay €210 each time, starting with the third offense.

The vignette, which is mandatory on highways and certain regional roads and is also being introduced by Brussels and Wallonia, will be automatically checked via the network of smart ANPR cameras installed on Belgian roads and by mobile teams.