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How much is the fine?

How much is the fine, how can you contest a fine and do you qualify for late registration?

How much do I have to pay?

You will receive a fine when you enter the Ghent low emission zone (LEZ) with a vehicle not allowed to enter. The LEZ is enforced with smart cameras that register your number plate. The fine amounts to € 150 per violation. You will receive the fine and the corresponding report by registered letter.

Contesting a fine

You have the possibility to contest a fine in writing by registered mail. You must use the appeal form for this. This form is appended to the fine. You only have to pay when a decision has been reached regarding your appeal.
 
You send the appeal form, all your arguments and proof by registered mail to the address mentioned below. The appeal needs to be received within 30 days of the date of issue of the fine. If you fail to submit your appeal in time or by registered mail, your appeal will not be processed. Appeals submitted by email will not be accepted.
 
City of Ghent - Environment and Climate Department
Attn: the low-emission zone administration
Botermarkt 1
9000 Gent

You have contested a fine. What to do next?

A fines officer will check whether your objection is justified within 90 days. You do not have to pay the fine as long as you have not received a communication on the matter.

  • Your objection has been declared justified? You do not have to pay the administrative fine.
  • Your objection has been declared unjustified? You have to pay the fine within 30 days after being informed by the fines officer.

Do you qualify for a late registration?

You were unaware of the LEZ in Ghent, you've never registered your vehicle before and  your vehicle does meet the conditions listed below?

  • Vehicles with a foreign number plate that meets the standards.
  • Vehicles of people with disabilities that do not meet the standards but qualify for an exemption.
  • Agricultural vehicles with maximum capacity of 130 kW
  • Mobile crane
  • Abnormal load

In that case your vehicle qualifies for late registration. Please note that the late registration must be completed at the latest 30 calendar days following receipt of the fine. For the late registration you have to pay a fee of 75.00 euro, which also has to be paid in time. The fines officer can only drop the original LEZ fine if the registration is approved and the fee is paid in time.

Please note, if you received a warning letter before, if your vehicle was registered before or if you  didreceive a LEZ fine before regarding this vehicle, then you were aware of the LEZ in Ghent and you do not qualify for late registration.

If you qualify for late registration, you have to follow this procedure:

  • Register your vehicle at the latest 30 days after having received your LEZ fine. Registration in the LEZ data base is only valid if it has been approved. You should take into account the fact that it takes 14 days to process your registration.
  • File your objection at the latest 30 days after having received your LEZ fine, stating that you made a late registration, and add all relevant documents.
  • If your objection is accepted, the fines officer will inform you and ask you to pay a fee of 75.00 euro.
  • If you pay the fee in time, your fine will be dropped.  If you do not pay the fee in time, there will no further possibility to pay it  and the fine can no longer be dropped.

What if I don't pay my fine on time?

If you do not pay your fine on time, your file will be transferred to the judicial officer and we can no longer intervene. For more information about your file, please visit the judicial officer’s website. You can also send an email to lez@gdw-gent.be or call 0800 11 712. If you are calling from abroad, please contact the judicial officer on +32 (0)9 220 00 37.

No fine in case of diversions

If you are forced to follow a diversion that runs partly through the LEZ as a result of road works or after an accident (following signs or directions of a police officer), you will not be fined provided that you follow this diversion correctly. If you erroneously receive a fine in such a situation, please contact the LEZ team (lez@stad.gent) with the Environment and Climate Department of the City of Ghent.

Check your vehicle

You have to use the check tool first. Enter your vehicle's number plate and date of first registration. Depending on the result, you can then register your vehicle free of charge or buy a permit or day pass.

Do the online test