Low emission zones Spain: New rules for classic cars from 2023

Under the so-called "Ley General de Cambio Climático", Spain's climate protection law, all Spanish cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants will have to have their own low emission zones from next January. A major undertaking for the country. Because in order to implement the regulations in time with all the necessary measures, the authorities of many municipalities must move quickly - and introduce traffic restrictions to the full extent for all vehicles without DGT eco-labels. Driving restrictions that will also affect historic vehicles - which were registered long before the current emission standards.  

However, the Madrid-360-Environmental Sustainability Strategy provides for an exception to this. The Spanish National Transport Authority (DGT) recently announced that major exemptions will be granted to vintage vehicles as of next year. And not only with regard to the environmental zones. Not only will all vehicles classified as historic generally have unlimited access to the environmental zones in Spanish cities, but the MOT deadlines will also be updated. Vehicles registered before 1 January 1950, for example, will no longer be obliged to undergo a technical inspection. More flexibility, on the other hand, will apply to cars registered after that date. Every four years, those over 45 years old will have to go to the MOT - every two years for cars over 30 years old. Similarly, the procedures for granting historic vehicle class will be simplified in the future and will no longer require an overly complex procedure.  

All in all, this is good news for classic car owners - but at the same time it gives rise to worried rumours. Does Spain thus run the risk of allowing excessively polluting vehicles to pass through its cities? After all, it is only logical that older cars emit more pollutants than newer engines - which also have to meet stricter emission standards. According to data from the "Spanish Classic Car Association" and the government, however, such consequences are not to be feared. According to official statistics, 61 % of historic vehicles are in fact on the road less than 20 days a year and for short distances. Their influence on pollutant emissions on the roads is therefore said to be practically zero.

Only then can critics compare the data on emissions and find out whether the advantages granted to historic vehicles have had a negative impact on the environment. In this sense, the introduction of an inspection obligation, whereby the emission situation and the air quality can be analysed in connection with new classic car laws at regular intervals, would not be a bad idea for Spain. Their environmental zone privileges could otherwise be revoked in the interest of environmental protection.