BelgiumvsGermany
Belgium and Germany share a land border — here's how their driving rules differ, side by side.
VERIFIED 2026-07-29 & 2026-07-29 · METHODOLOGY| RULE | Belgium | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Driving side | Drives on the right | Drives on the right |
| Urban speed limit | 50 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Rural speed limit | 90 km/h | 100 km/h |
| Motorway speed limit | 120 km/h | No general limit |
| Alcohol limit (general) | 0.5‰ | 0.5‰ |
| Alcohol limit (novice) | Same as general | 0.0‰ |
| Mandatory equipment | Warning triangle, Hi-vis vest | Warning triangle, Hi-vis vest, First aid kit |
| Tolls | No general toll | No general toll |
| Headlights | Not generally mandatory in daylight outside tunnels; recommended in poor visibility. | Not generally mandatory for cars in daylight, but recommended in poor visibility and required in tunnels; motorcycles must run headlights at all times. |
| Winter tires / chains | No legal requirement for winter tires or chains, though recommended given variable winter conditions. | Winter tires (marked with the Alpine/3PMSF symbol) are required whenever roads have snow, ice, slush, or frost — there's no fixed calendar season, the requirement is condition-based ("situative Winterreifenpflicht"). Driving on summer tires in wintry conditions can bring a fine and points. |
| Low-emission / restricted zones | Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent all operate low-emission zones (LEZ) requiring vehicle registration and meeting emissions criteria — check each city before driving in, since non-compliant vehicles can be fined even for a single entry. | Many cities have an "Umweltzone" (environmental zone) requiring a green Umweltplakette sticker; some cities add separate diesel restrictions. |
| Child seats | Children under 135 cm must use an approved child restraint suited to their height and weight. | Children under 12 and shorter than 150 cm must use an approved child restraint system. |
| Mobile phone use | Hands-free only; holding a phone while driving is prohibited. | Holding a phone while driving is prohibited; hands-free use is permitted. |
| Currency | EUR | EUR |
| Emergency number | 112 | 112 |