In Germany you need no sticker for your motorcycle. On a tour through Europe it looks different: France requires the Crit’Air sticker in many cities, Italy closes old town centres with the ZTL, Spain and Belgium have their own zones, and London charges a daily fee. If you enter a low emission zone on a motorcycle without knowing the rules, it gets expensive quickly. Here you can see where motorcycles are affected, what you need and what a violation costs, as of November 2026.
In short
- Germany: Motorcycles are exempt from the sticker requirement.
- France: Crit’Air also covers two-wheelers. You can order it only on the official website.
- Italy: In the ZTL a driving ban applies to anyone not authorised. Milan's Area C exempts motorcycles.
- Spain, Brussels, London: Motorcycles are affected, but only from certain Euro standards downwards.
- Netherlands, Ghent: No zone for motorcycles documented, and Ghent explicitly exempts them.
| Country and zone | Applies to motorcycles? | What do you need? | Violation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | Nothing | Not applicable |
| France, ZFE | Yes, depending on the zone | Crit’Air sticker | €68 for light vehicles |
| Italy, ZTL | Driving ban for the unauthorised | Permit or exemption | About €100 per entry |
| Milan, Area C | No | Nothing | Not applicable |
| Spain, ZBE | Yes, depending on city and Euro standard | Proof of the standard, sometimes registration | From €200 |
| Brussels, LEZ | Yes, older motorcycles | Euro standard, registration, otherwise day pass | €350 |
| Ghent, LEZ | No | Nothing | Not applicable |
| Netherlands | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
| London, ULEZ | Yes, below Euro 3 | Euro 3 or £12.50 per day | £180 |
Germany: no sticker for motorcycles
The 35th Ordinance implementing the Federal Immission Control Act regulates the stickers for environmental zones. According to its section 1, it applies to motor vehicles of classes M and N, that is cars, buses and lorries. Motorcycles belong to vehicle class L and are not covered. The Austrian club ÖAMTC lists them explicitly as exempt under the German environmental zones.
Crit’Air and ZFE in France
Does it apply to motorcycles?
Yes. The Crit’Air sticker ("certificat qualité de l’air") comes in six classes, and the classification depends on vehicle type, drive and Euro standard. Two-wheelers are included. It is compulsory in the low emission zones (ZFE-m) and during alternating traffic, which the prefect can order during air pollution episodes, and also for foreign vehicles (ÖAMTC).
Each city decides which zones cover motorcycles. According to the government overview, Grenoble's ZFE applies to cars and motorised two-wheelers, and Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 and unclassified vehicles have been banned since 1 January 2025, Monday to Friday between 7 am and 7 pm. In the Métropole du Grand Paris the zone applies daily from 8 am to 8 pm, two-wheelers are covered and Crit’Air 3 is restricted. Marseille and Strasbourg also name two-wheelers, while Clermont-Ferrand exempts motorcycles.
The Constitutional Council struck down the statutory article that would have abolished the ZFE, in decision 2026-903 DC of 21 May 2026, on procedural grounds. The zones remain.
Ordering the sticker, price and fine
Order the sticker only at certificat-air.gouv.fr, the only official source. The ministry warns about websites that put themselves in between and charge more. The fee is €3.11 including tax plus postage, which is higher abroad. You need the data from your registration document. After ordering, you receive an email confirming the class, and the sticker follows by post. It stays valid as long as it is legible.
Anyone driving in an active ZFE without a sticker risks a class 3 fine: €68 for light vehicles, €135 for heavy vehicles. More on the country: Riding a motorcycle in France.
ZTL and Area B in Italy
The ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) is a restricted zone: according to the ADAC, a general or time-limited driving ban applies to vehicles without authorisation. Residents, suppliers and vehicles with a permit from the city can usually enter. ZTLs exist in almost all larger cities, often in the historic centre. Signs at the access roads mark them, additional signs name exceptions, and cameras record number plates. If in doubt, do not enter.
The ADAC gives about €100 for unauthorised entry (€87 fine plus procedural costs) and at least €42 for parking. Each entry is penalised separately. Italian fines can also be enforced in Germany.
In Milan two zones matter. According to ÖAMTC, the Area C congestion charge exempts motorcycles and electric vehicles. Area B covers the whole city and applies Monday to Friday from 7.30 am to 7.30 pm, where, according to the ADAC, mopeds and two-stroke motorcycles of classes Euro 0 and 1 are among those excluded. The automobile club ACI reported on 30 September 2025 that two-wheelers remained exempt from the new restrictions and that a stop for older four-stroke motorcycles (Euro 0) and two-stroke mopeds (Euro 2 and 3) had been postponed to 1 October 2026. We could not check what has applied since then on an official city page. More on the country: Riding a motorcycle in Italy.
ZBE in Spain: Barcelona and Madrid
Numerous Spanish cities have low emission zones (ZBE). According to ÖAMTC, the DGT sticker is only available for vehicles registered in Spain, while foreign vehicles prove their emission standard. For motorcycles the DGT classifies as follows: B for Euro 2, C for Euro 3 and 4, and Euro 1 gets no sticker.
Barcelona: The zone applies Monday to Friday from 7 am to 8 pm. Motorcycles and mopeds below Euro 2 are affected. Vehicles with foreign plates may enter from Euro 2 but must register in advance, otherwise a fine from €200 applies.
Madrid: The city's own page was not accessible to us. The automobile club RACE wrote on 16 March 2026 that motorcycles without a sticker may drive in the ZBE only if they are registered in Madrid and pay tax there. In the zones Distrito Centro and Plaza Elíptica they are barred, and for Plaza Elíptica RACE gives €200 (€100 if paid quickly). The article suggests rules may still change. The ADAC counts Madrid among the cities with a registration requirement for foreign vehicles. More in Spain: new rules since October 2026.
LEZ in Belgium: Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent
In Brussels, motorcycles are affected. According to Bruxelles Environnement, since 1 January 2026 diesel vehicles of Euro 5 and petrol vehicles of Euro 2 may no longer enter the zone, motorcycles included. The ADAC names motorcycles up to Euro 2. Alternatives are a day pass (at most 24 per year and vehicle) or an exemption. For vehicles affected since 2026, the first detection is followed by a warning letter, and a €350 fine can come three months later at the earliest. For vehicles already affected before 2025, it is €350 straight after the first detection.
According to ÖAMTC, Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent require online registration, also for foreign vehicles. The lez.brussels site, however, lists motorcycles (category L) as part of the next stage on 1 January 2027. That does not quite match the Bruxelles Environnement report. So check in the simulator on lez.brussels before you travel which standard your motorcycle needs. Ghent exempts mopeds and motorcycles. For Antwerp we could not open an official statement on motorcycles. More on the country: Riding a motorcycle in Belgium.
Netherlands: no zone for motorcycles documented
According to milieuzones.nl, the national rules apply only to diesel vehicles. Zones exist in Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague and Utrecht, and the ADAC names diesel cars up to Euro 4. The page does not mention motorcycles. For mopeds (brom- and snorfietsen) the municipalities decide, and Amsterdam and The Hague have a zone for them. More on the country: Riding a motorcycle in the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
ULEZ in London
The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers all of London excluding the M25, around the clock except on 25 December. Motorcycles must meet the Euro 3 standard for nitrogen oxides, otherwise £12.50 per day is due. TfL says vehicles must be registered with the partner EPC even if they meet the standard, and the ADAC names advance registration for German vehicles. Without payment, a penalty notice of £180 follows, £90 if paid within 14 days, also for foreign plates. A TfL subpage still gives £160 and £80, we follow the page on penalty charges. According to the ADAC, motorcycles do not pay the Congestion Charge.
For an overview of speed limits, alcohol limits and tolls, see the Europe comparison of motorcycle rules. Zones change often because cities postpone or tighten stages.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an environmental sticker for my motorcycle in Germany?
No. The 35th Ordinance applies to vehicles of classes M and N, and motorcycles are exempt.
Where do I order the Crit’Air sticker for my motorcycle?
Only at certificat-air.gouv.fr. The fee is €3.11 plus postage. The ministry warns about sites that put themselves in between and charge more.
Does Area C in Milan apply to motorcycles?
No, according to ÖAMTC motorcycles are exempt from the Area C congestion charge. The ZTL and Area B are separate rules that you check separately.
What does the ULEZ cost for a motorcycle?
Motorcycles below Euro 3 pay £12.50 per day. Without payment a penalty notice of £180 follows, £90 if paid within 14 days.
Sources
- Section 1 of the 35th BImSchV (Gesetze im Internet, in German)
- Certificats qualité de l’air : Crit’Air (Ministère de la Transition écologique), Commander une vignette Crit’Air, Les ZFE françaises
- Décision n° 2026-903 DC du 21 mai 2026 (Conseil constitutionnel)
- Umweltzonen und Fahrverbote in Europa (ÖAMTC, in German), Umweltzonen im Ausland (ADAC, in German)
- Bußgeld wegen Befahrens einer ZTL (ADAC, in German), Area B Milano (ACI, in Italian)
- Vehículos afectados (Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona), El distintivo ambiental de la DGT (Ajuntament de Barcelona), Moto sin distintivo ambiental (RACE)
- LEZ : ce qui change depuis le 1er janvier 2026 (Bruxelles Environnement), lez.brussels, Stad Gent, milieuzones.nl
- Ultra Low Emission Zone, Motorcycles, mopeds and more, Penalty charges for ULEZ (Transport for London)
As of November 2026. Zones, stages and fines change often, so check them with the city before you travel.
