Low-emission zones 2026: which diesels can still enter Dutch cities, and what it does to their value

Which Dutch cities have a low-emission zone for diesel cars in 2026?

In 2026 four cities have a milieuzone (low-emission zone) for diesel passenger cars: Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague (Den Haag) and Utrecht. Amsterdam, Utrecht and Arnhem ban diesels rated Euro 4 or lower; The Hague bans Euro 3 or lower. Eindhoven adds a zone on 1 January 2027. Petrol, LPG, hybrid and electric cars can enter everywhere.

That is according to the national overview at Milieuzones.nl. There are two kinds of zone for cars. In a green zone a diesel needs at least Euro 4; in a blue zone it needs at least Euro 5.

Cities can grant exemptions, for example on medical grounds. The national checker on Milieuzones.nl does not take local exemptions into account, so check the city's own website if you are unsure. If you live in one of these cities, this matters more than any other spec when you choose a used car.

How much is the fine in 2026?

Driving into a low-emission zone with a diesel that is not allowed costs €130. That amount has applied since 26 November 2025. Since 1 January 2026 a new road sign marks the edge of each zone.

Cities had the first half of 2026 to put up the new signs. The fine goes to whoever is the registered keeper of the kenteken (licence plate) at the moment of the offence. If you sell an older diesel, make sure the ownership transfer is done at handover and keep the vrijwaringsbewijs (the RDW proof that the car is no longer yours). That stops the new driver's fines from landing on your doormat.

How do I find out my diesel's Euro class?

Your car's emissieklasse (Euro emission class) is recorded in the RDW vehicle data for your licence plate. The low-emission zone checker shows straight away which zones your car may enter. The year of manufacture is only a first hint, because many cars met a stricter standard before it became mandatory.

The Euro emission class is the European exhaust standard, from Euro 1 up to Euro 6. Each standard became mandatory for new cars on a fixed date: Euro 4 from 2006, Euro 5 from 1 January 2011 and Euro 6 from 1 September 2015 (EU rules, see sources). That gives this rule of thumb:

A diesel from 2009 can already be Euro 5. When in doubt, the licence plate decides, not the build year. Foreign Euro norms work the same way, but a car you imported yourself is judged on the class recorded by the RDW after registration.

What do zero-emission zones mean for vans?

Zero-emissiezones (ZE-zones) apply only to vans and trucks, not to passenger cars. There are more than twenty, growing to around 29 cities by 2030. Euro 5 diesel vans may enter until 31 December 2026. Vans rated Euro 4 or lower are already barred.

For Euro 6 vans first registered before 2025, the transition period currently runs until 1 January 2028. In summer 2026 the government proposed extending that by one year, to 1 January 2029, according to SRA (July 2026). That is a proposal, not a decision yet. Read more about how a zero-emission zone works.

Exemptions for a ZE-zone are requested through the official RDW website. Milieuzones.nl warns about unofficial sites that charge a fee for the same application.

How does a low-emission zone affect the value of an older diesel?

A low-emission zone shrinks the pool of buyers, especially in and around the cities that have one. That lowers demand for Euro 4 and older diesels, and from 2027 for Euro 5 vans used by businesses inside ZE-zones. There are no hard figures on the price effect; condition, mileage and region matter a lot.

Diesel is already a niche on the Dutch used market. According to BOVAG and RDC, only 5.5% of used cars sold in 2025 were diesels. Diesels also carry a surcharge in motorrijtuigenbelasting (MRB, road tax). An older diesel therefore appeals mostly to high-mileage drivers outside the big cities and to traders who export cars.

If you are selling

• State the Euro class in your ad. Buyers from the Randstad will ask anyway, and a clear ad saves you messages.
• Target buyers outside the zones. A nationwide listing or a trader auction reaches more of them. Compare the ways to sell before you choose.
• Own a Euro 5 van and your likely buyers are city tradespeople? Then 2026 is the last year it can still enter ZE-zones.
• Check a realistic price first with the car valuation tool, so you can judge offers properly. This is especially useful if you are leaving the Netherlands and need to sell within a fixed window.

If you are buying

An older diesel can look cheap. Think about where you actually drive and what your city is planning. Eindhoven joins in 2027, and a car you want to resell later will find fewer buyers in those regions. Add the road tax, including the diesel surcharge, to your budget and compare it with a petrol car or hybrid of the same age.