Low Emission Zone Malaga – Everything you need to know

• Posted on January 31, 2023
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• Posted in Travel Tips
• Reading time: 8 minutes

What is the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and how does it affect you?

Starting this year, the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law will be implemented in Spanish cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, the so-called Low Emission Zone.

Basically, it consists of controlling the access of vehicles to urban areas, according to the pollution they produce.

How does this new regulation affect you when moving around your municipality? Find out everything you need to know in our article!

When does the Malaga LEZ come into force?

All LEZs must be activated during 2023. When the LEZ in Malaga will start is still unknown, although it is most likely to be launched by the end of the year.

Everything you need to know about the LEZ in Malaga

We tell you all about the LEZs in Malaga city, as well as the other municipalities in the province with more than 50,000 inhabitants that are affected by this new regulation.

It consists of a perimeter of access limited only to certain vehicles that meet the criteria specified below, to protect their centres from high pollution.

This means quite a lot of changes for many people who are used to driving to the city centre, as many of them will not be able to enter at all or only to a limited extent.

Interactive Map Low Emission Zone Malaga

On this map you can see that the LEZs in Malaga are divided into three areas. We have also added all the car parks in the area.

The entire historic centre, very restricted. Only authorised vehicles can access, with exceptions for loading and unloading. Access to public car parks will also be allowed depending on the emission label of the vehicle (DGT sticker), explained below.

Soho. This area is also highly restricted and access by car will depend on your emissions.

General perimeter. Finally, there is a large general perimeter that covers virtually the entire city centre, with less tough restrictions.

Municipalities with Low Emission Zones in Malaga

The affected municipalities where the new law comes into force are Malaga city, Marbella, Velez-Malaga, Estepona, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola and Mijas. It should be noted that each municipality will apply its own restrictions.

Municipalities with Low Emission Zones in Andalusia

If you are going to discover Andalusia with your MalagaCar, you should also be aware of other cities that will apply the same restrictions.

Almeria: Almeria city, Roquetas de Mar, El Ejido.
Cadiz: Cadiz city, Jerez de la Frontera, Algeciras, San Fernando, El Puerto de Santa María, Chiclana de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barrameda, La Línea de la Concepcion.
Cordoba: Cordoba city.
Granada: Granada city, Motril.
Huelva: Huelva city.
Jaen: Jaen city, Linares.
Seville: Seville city, Dos Hermanas, Alcala de Guadaira, Utrera.
* Each municipality will apply its own restrictions.

How is access to Low Emission Zones controlled?

Each access to each specific perimeter will be signposted. In Malaga city alone there will be 104 cameras spread over 53 control points (17 entry, 19 exit and 17 double) which will read the number plate of the cars that want to enter the centre.

How do I know if I am entering a Low Emission Zone in Malaga?

The LEZs in Malaga are clearly marked with this sign, which specifies the proximity of a restricted zone, as well as which vehicles may enter.

Remember that there are cameras at these points that record the number plates of vehicles passing through the perimeter.

Which vehicles can access the Malaga LEZs and which cannot?

Only vehicles identified by the DGT with environmental stickers B, C, Eco and 0 Emissions can enter a LEZ.

Vehicles without a sticker, those with environmental sticker A, petrol vehicles registered before 2001 and diesel vehicles registered before 2006, are not allowed to enter any Low Emission Zone in Malaga.
Below, we specify it for you:

Which cars can enter?

Label 0. With this label you can enter all zones without any problem and park for free in regulated parking areas.
Eco label. You can enter all zones, but you will have to pay for regulated parking.
Label C. You can enter the LEZ, but only park in car parks, not on the street.

Label B. It depends. With label B it depends on the restrictions of each municipality. In Malaga city, for now you can enter, but only park in car parks, which are also more expensive than those in group C (they have a 20% penalty).

Which cars cannot enter?

Label A. They cannot enter any LEZ in Malaga.
No label. They are prohibited from entering Malaga’s LEZs.

Can I drive a rental car in the Malaga LEZ?

The restriction affects residents and tourists alike. Although we cannot guarantee you a specific car, you can leave your request in the “additional information” field and we will do our best to provide you with a vehicle that can access these areas.

If your accommodation is located within an LEZ, we recommend that you check the following point.

What rental car will I need to access the centre?

A rental car going to a paid car park may drive in the LEZ for this purpose.

If your accommodation is located within an LEZ, we recommend that you rent a car in the “electric / plug-in hybrid” category. This way you will have no problems getting in and out of the designated zone.

Can I access the low emission zones in Malaga by motorbike?

If the motorbike has the appropriate environmental sticker allowing it to do so, you can drive it in the LEZ. By the way, if you are looking for motorbike rental in Malaga, we surely have something interesting for you!

Special authorisations for LEZs Malaga

Of course, there are exceptions to the above for residents and people with reduced mobility, see below.

Registered residents

Residents registered in low-emission areas of Malaga can access freely with their vehicle.

They will also be able to send invitations via an app to receive visits.

Persons with reduced mobility

The permit will depend on each municipality. Where it is already in place (Madrid and Barcelona), vehicles in LEZs for people with reduced mobility can enter, even if they do not meet the requirements, as long as they have the relevant authorisation from the corresponding local council.

In order to do so, a Disability Parking Card is required.

You may also find interesting our comprehensive article on Accessible Tourism in Malaga and the Costa del Sol with everything you need to know.

What is the fine for entering a LEZ without a permit?

Accessing a Low Emission Zone is a serious penalty which is punishable by a fine of €200, which you can reduce to €100 if you pay within 20 days of notification.

Where can I park outside the LEZ in Malaga?

Obviously, this new law will be a headache for thousands of tourists and locals who want to access Malaga, but may not have the corresponding authorisation.

The city council proposes several alternative spaces where you can park outside the perimeter and move to the centre or by public transport or walking.

You can find car parks on our interactive map of LEZs Malaga.

How do I get my environmental sticker?

To check whether your vehicle meets the requirements for the environmental sticker, simply enter the vehicle registration number in this DGT search engine.

Enter your license plate and check your vehicle

You can order it on this page and it is sent to your home, which is the most convenient option. It costs about €5 plus shipping and handling.

Where do I have to place the environmental sticker?

The DGT (General Directorate of Traffic) recommends placing the sticker on the lower right-hand side of the front windscreen.

Apps that inform of the Low Emission Zones in a city

If you are not familiar with the low emission zones of a city in Malaga, these two apps may be useful:
Green Zones is a free app with European coverage, marking restricted areas. Available for iOS and Android.

Bip&Drive is a free app for driver services such as tolls, petrol stations etc. It also includes a map of areas with limited traffic and their access conditions. Available for iOS and Android.