Be Cautious from January if Your Car Lacks a Label: Being a Resident Won't Save You

Automovilistas Europeos Asociados (AEA) warns that from January 1, 2026, residents of Madrid owning vehicles without a label will be prohibited from accessing and driving on urban public roads within the Madrid ZBE territorial area. Despite efforts by Madrid residents to upgrade their vehicles to more modern ones—resulting in the deregistration of 40,000 vehicles without labels last year, accounting for 14.5% of the census—there remain approximately 200,000 cars compliant with emission regulations and paying the Mechanical Traction Vehicle Tax to the Madrid City Council, but from January 1, they will not be allowed to drive or even park on any road in the capital, under a penalty of 200 euros.

Last year, AEA requested a moratorium on the implementation of the measure to ban label-less vehicles for Madrid residents, considering the severe economic and social impact it would have on hundreds of thousands of Madrid vehicle owners. The request was considered by the Madrid council, allowing these vehicles to circulate until December 31, 2025.

However, as the granted period nears its end, AEA has made a new appeal to the Mayor, noting that a significant number of residents are still affected and that granting the moratorium would have minimal impact on air quality in Madrid. This is because, even before the ban on these vehicles takes effect, significant reductions in nitrogen dioxide emissions have been recorded at all air quality monitoring stations in the capital (except three), with none exceeding the EU's 2030 limit values.

"Thus, while the EU's nitrogen dioxide emission limit for the end of 2026 is set at 40 ug/m3," AEA states in its request, "the average emission level recorded this year at the capital's highest pollution station, Urbanización Embajada, located near Barajas airport, has not exceeded 30 ug/m3." Regarding compliance with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, AEA reminds that "the EU has set a maximum period of five years to adapt to the new regulations and reduce nitrogen dioxide emission levels to a maximum of 20 ug/m3."

Therefore, AEA deems it necessary to approve a new moratorium, of at least one year, on the ban for vehicles without labels registered in the capital, to prevent severe economic and social issues for hundreds of thousands of Madrid motorists.

To avoid confusion among thousands of non-resident motorists—who unknowingly enter the ZBE without authorization and are unjustly fined 200 euros—AEA has also requested the Mayor to enhance and improve the signage for these zones, as repeatedly reminded to the Madrid City Council by numerous court rulings from Madrid courts, annulling these fines.