Car Hire in Belgium: What to Know Before You Drive

Drive on the right

Traffic drives on the right in Belgium. Visitors accustomed to left-hand driving should take extra care after turns, at roundabouts and when leaving car parks or fuel stations.

• Overtaking: normally overtake on the left.
• Motorways: keep right when you are not overtaking.
• After turning: consciously return to the right-hand side if you normally drive on the left.
• Roundabouts: follow the signs and road markings at the particular junction.
• Priority: do not assume every junction works the same way; Belgium uses priority signs extensively.

Speed limits depend on the region

One of the most important things for visitors to understand is that general speed limits are not identical throughout Belgium.

• Motorways: generally up to 120 km/h for ordinary passenger cars.
• Flanders outside built-up areas: generally 70 km/h unless another limit is signed.
• Wallonia outside built-up areas: generally 90 km/h unless another limit is signed.
• Built-up areas: 50 km/h remains common where a lower local limit does not apply.
• Brussels-Capital Region: the default is generally 30 km/h, with some major roads signed at 50 or 70 km/h.

Always follow the posted sign. Local 30 km/h zones, school zones, roadworks and other lower limits are common.

Brussels low-emission zone

The Brussels LEZ operates every day, 24 hours a day, throughout the Brussels-Capital Region except for specified excluded roads.

• Access depends on the vehicle category, fuel type and Euro emissions standard.
• Since 2026, passenger cars generally need at least Euro 6 if diesel or Euro 3 if petrol, LPG or CNG to enter normally.
• Foreign-registered vehicles must normally be registered before entering, except vehicles registered in the Netherlands.
• Registration of an eligible foreign vehicle is free and is currently valid for five years.
• Some vehicles that do not qualify normally can use a paid day pass, subject to the current rules.

Antwerp and Ghent low-emission zones

Antwerp and Ghent operate under Flemish low-emission-zone rules, which are not identical to the Brussels system.

• Check the vehicle before entering either city.
• Eligible vehicles with foreign number plates generally need registration.
• Dutch-registered vehicles are treated differently because number-plate data can be checked automatically.
• Registration made for qualifying Flemish LEZ purposes can apply across Antwerp and Ghent under the current system.
• Do not use unofficial commercial LEZ registration websites when the official city service is available.

Belgium's motorway network is dense

Belgium has a large motorway network for its size, making journeys between Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Liège and other cities relatively direct.

• Keep right: use the right-hand lane when you are not overtaking.
• Junctions: some motorway interchanges have several lanes and closely spaced exits, so choose the correct lane early.
• Congestion: expect heavy commuter traffic around Brussels and Antwerp.
• Variable limits: electronic signs can impose lower limits because of congestion, incidents or roadworks.
• Following distance: leave enough room for sudden slowing in dense motorway traffic.

If you break down on a motorway

Moving traffic on Belgian motorways can be fast and dense, so personal safety is more important than staying beside the car.

• If possible, continue to a parking area, service station or safer stopping place.
• If you cannot continue, move as far to the right as possible.
• Switch on the hazard warning lights.
• Put on a high-visibility vest before leaving the vehicle.
• Leave the vehicle on the side away from moving traffic where possible and move behind a safety barrier.
• Follow police and rental-provider instructions concerning recovery.

Driving in Antwerp

Antwerp combines motorway traffic, port traffic, trams, cyclists and an extensive low-emission zone.

• Check LEZ access before entering the city centre or Linkeroever.
• Allow extra time around the Antwerp Ring during busy periods.
• Watch for cyclists and trams when turning in urban areas.
• Some central streets are low-traffic or pedestrian zones.
• Use recognised parking or Park & Ride where practical.

Driving in Ghent

Ghent has a low-emission zone and a city-centre circulation plan designed to reduce through traffic.

• Check LEZ access before entering the inner city.
• Do not rely on the most direct-looking road if signs direct through traffic elsewhere.
• Expect large numbers of cyclists.
• Several car parks can be reached without entering restricted parts of the LEZ.
• Park & Ride can be convenient for central sightseeing.

Alcohol and driving

For most drivers, the Belgian legal threshold is 0.5‰ blood alcohol. Lower thresholds apply to certain professional drivers.

• Police carry out roadside alcohol testing.
• Penalties increase as the alcohol level rises.
• The legal threshold is not a safe drinking target.
• For a visitor driving an unfamiliar rental car, the simplest approach is not to drink alcohol before driving.

Mobile phones and distractions

• Do not hold a mobile phone while driving.
• Set navigation before you leave.
• Use a proper mount if the phone is being used for navigation.
• Pull over legally and safely if you need to make changes that cannot be made without distraction.

Driving licence requirements for visitors

• EU and EEA licences: a valid national driving licence issued by an EU or EEA country is recognised in Belgium.
• Carry the original: keep your actual driving licence with you while driving.
• Non-European licences: qualifying recognised foreign licences may be used subject to Belgian rules.
• International Driving Permit: visitors from some countries may need an IDP or recognised translation in addition to the national licence.
• Rental provider: the rental company can impose additional age, licence-duration or documentation requirements.

Belgium is well suited to cross-border trips

Belgium borders France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands, making cross-border driving common.

• Confirm that the rental provider permits travel into every country on your itinerary.
• Check whether a cross-border fee applies.
• Road toll, vignette and environmental-zone rules change once you cross the border.
• Do not assume Belgian LEZ registration applies in another country.
• Confirm that roadside assistance and insurance remain valid in every country you plan to visit.

If you are involved in an accident

• Stop safely and switch on the hazard warning lights.
• Check whether anyone requires medical assistance.
• Call the emergency services where necessary.
• Contact the rental provider promptly and follow the procedure in the rental agreement.
• Record the vehicle, driver and insurance details where appropriate.
• Take photographs of the vehicles and scene where it is safe to do so.

Emergency numbers in Belgium

• Ambulance or fire: 112
• Urgent police assistance: 101

The European emergency number 112 can also connect you to police, but Belgian Federal Police advises calling 101 directly for an urgent police emergency because a 112 police call has to be transferred.