Spain’s Directorate of Traffic, the DGT has begun implementing new environmental label classifications for cars, which will come into force in 2026.
This is part of the Sustainable Mobility Law and will have a direct impact on drivers, as well as car manufacturers.
The aim of the change is to respond to the environmental demands of the European Union, which aims to achieve a greener and more sustainable road traffic model.
It will also address a complaint that many drivers have had due to the fact that the current system favoured vehicles that polluted more than their emissions stickers stated.
New technological advances in recent years means that this change is now possible. The new model will allow a more precise understanding of the damage vehicles cause to our planet and therefore a better labelling system.
Previously emissions stickers were based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), but now the change will be accompanied by a new test designed for this purpose called the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). It will also integrate Euro regulations to redefine labels and classifications.
"It involves reorganising the vehicle fleet so that the sticker reflects the emissions reality," DGT traffic technicians explained.
The labels themselves and the categories they represent will remain the same, but the requirements for meeting each one will change.
Emission stickers are mandatory for vehicles in municipalities with low-emission zones (shortened to ZBEs in Spanish), which in 2025 include Madrid, Barcelona, Córdoba, Pontevedra, A Coruña, Seville, Badalona, Rivas-Vaciamadrid, San Cugat del Vallés, Valencia, and Sant Joan Despí.
There are dozens more towns and cities in the country that are legally obliged to introduce ZBEs as soon as possible, which will result in emission stickers becoming essential for tens of thousands more drivers soon.
GUIDE: How to get an emissions sticker for your car in Spain
The Euro regulations, which set limits on vehicle emissions in the European Union, will now be the basis for these new requirements.
The new labels will be:
Zero Emissions: 100 percent electric, hydrogen, and plug-in hybrid vehicles that achieve at least 90 kilometres of electric range.
ECO: Plug-in hybrids with less electric range and non-plug-in hybrids, as well as gas vehicles that comply with Euro 6d or higher regulations.
C: Petrol passenger cars and light vans that comply with Euro 6d, and diesel vehicles that comply with Euro 6d-TEMP or Euro 6d.
B: Petrol vehicles with Euro 4 and diesel vehicles with Euro 6 (as long as they cannot reach a higher category).
The stickers will continue to dictate which cars have access to Low Emission Zones, but with stricter rules.
As a result, some cars currently classified as 'C' could be downgraded to 'B', so their access to large cities like Madrid and Barcelona will be limited.
The new stickers will come into effect next year and the DGT will release the final classification during the first months of 2026. This will allow for an adaptation period as the current vehicle label may be subject to changes, requiring the vehicle to be downgraded to another label or even losing the option of having one altogether.
New labels can be picked up at the Post Office as well other designated DGT locations if and when you might need them.
READ ALSO: What changes for drivers in Spain in 2025
Comments