Valencia has approved this Tuesday, at the meeting of the Municipal Heritage Commission, the ordinance of Low Emission Zone (ZBE), which will be activated from 2028 for the neighbors of the city, but will begin to fine some drivers from December 1 this year.
The application will be progressive and will start on December 1 with fines for vehicles entering the ZBE from outside the province of Valencia with label A (gasoline registered before 2000 and diesel registered before 2006).
“Until 2028, residents living in the city of Valencia will be able to continue circulating in the Low Emission Zone,” explained the Councilor for Mobility and Citizen Safety, Jesús Carbonell.
In addition, more than 40 information panels and 278 cameras will be installed to control accesses and discriminate license plates and tags.
What will happen in 2027 and 2028 with the ZBE in Valencia?
From January 2027, the limitation will be already for any vehicle without a label from outside the city, and in 2028 this restriction will be activated for residents of the city, who will not be able to circulate with label A or without it.
At that date, those who have not been able to change their car, the City Council will provide them with an EMT ticket to use free urban transport all year round, and they will have 48 days a year of permission to circulate in the ZBE.
Vehicles with label A linked to any economic activity of self-employed or companies “so as not to harm their economic activity”, emergency vehicles, reduced mobility, upon request of authorization, or those in which large families or those with children under three years old in charge, or pregnant women travel,will be exempted.
In some cases, 96 days of access to the ZBE will be provided, which can be used throughout the year depending on the needs of each driver.
A soft ZBE compared to Barcelona and Madrid
Unlike other Spanish and European cities, the Valencia City Council recognizes that it has opted for a “soft” application of the regulation.
In Barcelona, for example, from 2026, B-label diesel vehicles will not be allowed to circulate during high pollution episodes, and from 2028, the ban will be total and permanent for all B-label cars.
Bilbao, Malaga, San Sebastian, or Palma de Mallorca also have announced plans to ban the circulation of B-label cars between 2025 and 2028.
What is the ZBE and what area does it cover in Valencia?
The area affected by the Low Emission Zone covers an area of 27.8 square kilometers, that is, almost the entire city, and is bounded by the Ronda Nord ring road, the Tarongers and Serradora avenues and the Bulevard Sud.
According to data from the Valencia City Council, only 8% of the vehicles registered in the city will be affected in practice by the ZBE.