DGT Environmental Labels: what they mean, how they are assigned, and what they imply in 2026

Why do environmental labels exist?

In recent years, air quality in cities has become a political and public health priority. Air pollution is one of the main areas of focus within the European climate agenda.

In this context, Spain introduced an environmental vehicle classification system, managed by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT).

What is the DGT and what is its role?

The DGT is the public authority under the Ministry of the Interior responsible for:

• Traffic regulation and enforcement.
• Issuing driving licences.
• Vehicle registration.
• Managing penalties and fines.
• Implementing mobility and road safety policies.

Within its remit, in 2016 it introduced the environmental badge system as a tool to:

1. Classify vehicles according to their emission levels.
2. Support municipal traffic restriction policies.
3. Encourage fleet renewal.
4. Align with European emission reduction commitments.

Today, the environmental label is not merely informative: it directly affects where you are allowed to drive or park.

What exactly is the environmental label?

It is an official classification indicating a vehicle’s pollutant emission level, based on:

• Its technology (combustion, hybrid, electric).
• The European emission standard it complies with (Euro 2, to 7).
• Its registration date.

Label classification

There are four environmental badges, created according to a vehicle’s environmental impact. From highest to lowest efficiency:

ZERO Label (Blue):

Identifies the most efficient vehicles. It includes:

• Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV).
• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) with more than 40 km of approved electric range.
• Range-Extended Electric Vehicles (REEV).

Typical advantages:

• General access to Low Emission Zones (LEZ).
• Municipal tax incentives.
• Free or discounted regulated parking (depending on the city).

ECO Label:

The next level of efficiency includes mainly hybrid and gas-powered vehicles. It includes:

• Non-plug-in hybrids (HEV).
• Plug-in hybrids with less than 40 km electric range.
• LPG vehicles (Liquefied Petroleum Gas).
• CNG vehicles (Compressed Natural Gas).

Advantages:

• Limited restrictions in LEZs (although progressive limitations may apply).
• Tax benefits in certain municipalities.

C Label (Green):

Internal combustion vehicles that comply with recent Euro emission standards. It includes:

• Petrol vehicles registered from 2006 (Euro 4, 5 and 6).
• Diesel vehicles registered from September 2015 (Euro 6).
• Vehicles with more than 8 seats (excluding the driver) and heavy vehicles, both petrol and diesel, registered from 2014.

Characteristics:

• Generally permitted use.
• Temporary restrictions during pollution episodes.
• Limited access to certain LEZs depending on local regulations.

B Label (Yellow):

Internal combustion vehicles that do not meet the latest Euro emission standards but comply with earlier ones. It includes:

• Petrol vehicles registered from 2001 (Euro 3).
• Diesel vehicles registered from 2006 (Euro 4 and 5).
• Vehicles with more than 8 seats and heavy vehicles registered from 2006.

Current situation:

• Increasingly restricted in major cities.
• First category affected by progressive restrictions.

All other vehicles (older and more polluting) are not eligible for any environmental badge.

How is a vehicle’s emission level measured?

Labels are not assigned through individual post-sale testing. They are based on the European homologation standard the vehicle complied with at the time of registration.

Euro emission standards

Since the 1990s, the European Union has imposed maximum emission limits through the Euro standards. These standards set limits for:

• Nitrogen oxides (NOx).
• Particulate matter (PM).
• Carbon monoxide (CO).
• Hydrocarbons (HC).

In summary: the higher the Euro standard, the lower the permitted emission limit.

1. Euro 1 (1992): Introduction of mandatory catalytic converters for petrol vehicles.
2. Euro 2 (1996): Progressive reduction of CO and NOx.
3. Euro 3 (2000): Stricter NOx limits; separation of petrol and diesel limits.
4. Euro 4 (2005): Significant reduction of diesel particulate emissions.
5. Euro 5 (2009): Mandatory Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) for new diesel vehicles.
6. Euro 6 (2014): Major reduction of NOx emissions in diesel engines. Sub-phases: 6b, 6c, 6d-Temp and 6d (current).
7. Euro 7 (expected in the second half of the 2020s): Expanded controls, including brake and tyre emissions.

What tests are performed?

1. Laboratory Test (WLTP)

The current procedure is the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure), which involves:

• Placing the vehicle on a rolling road dynamometer.
• Simulating urban and extra-urban driving conditions.
• Measuring fuel consumption and emissions under controlled conditions.

It replaced the previous NEDC cycle, which was considered less realistic.

2. Real driving emissions (RDE)

Following the “Dieselgate” scandal (in which the Volkswagen Group installed software to manipulate laboratory test results), the EU introduced the RDE (Real Driving Emissions) test:

• The vehicle is driven on public roads.
• A portable emissions measurement system is installed.
• Results are compared with legal limits.

This system aims to reduce the gap between laboratory testing and real-world performance.

Low emission zones (LEZ)

LEZs were introduced as a tool to reduce urban pollution. In Spain, they are mandatory under the 2021 Climate Change and Energy Transition Law in:

• Municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants.
• Municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants experiencing air quality issues.

Spain follows an international model and is not an exception. Similar systems exist in:

• France (Crit’Air).
• Germany (Umweltplakette).
• Italy (ZTL).
• United Kingdom (ULEZ in London).

There is no single European environmental label, but all systems are based on Euro standards, which are harmonised across the EU.

The legal framework is national, but each municipality defines its own local regulations. Therefore, restrictions may vary between cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, or Seville.

How will restrictions evolve?

The clear trend is:

1. First, vehicles without a label are restricted.
2. Then, vehicles with a B label.
3. Gradually, C label vehicles in central urban areas.

In the medium term, ECO and ZERO labels offer the highest level of regulatory protection.

Is displaying the sticker mandatory?

At the national level, it is not mandatory to physically display the sticker on the vehicle. However:

• Many municipal regulations require it to be visibly displayed.
• In practice, it facilitates police checks.
• It may prevent fines due to administrative errors.

Entering a LEZ without a valid badge or failing to comply with regulations may result in fines of approximately €200.

Professional recommendation: if your vehicle qualifies for a label, it is advisable to place it on the lower right corner of the windshield.

How to obtain it?

You can obtain it at:

• Post offices.
• Authorised workshops.
• Administrative agencies.
• Official DGT channels.

The approximate cost is €5. To apply, you need:

• Vehicle registration certificate.
• National ID of the owner.
• Vehicle registration number (license plate).

Conclusion

Environmental labels are a public policy tool aligned with:

• European decarbonisation objectives.
• Air quality improvement.
• Transformation of the vehicle fleet.

Understanding which label your vehicle has and how its regulatory framework may evolve is as important as knowing its fuel consumption or purchase price.