Everything you need to know about the DGT environmental stickers

Spain’s DGT environmental labels are taking on a growing role with the anti-pollution measures being applied in cities.

Since April of last year, the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico, Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic) has begun issuing the well-known environmental badges everyone is talking about, stickers that classify our cars according to their level of consumption and pollution. With this measure, the traffic authority aims to positively discriminate against the greenest vehicles, allowing them to circulate freely in the event of traffic restrictions for environmental reasons, and to penalise the most polluting vehicles in the car fleet. And you may be wondering what types of stickers exist? Which one corresponds to my vehicle? What advantages and disadvantages does each label have? How do I get the sticker? Below, we explain everything you need to know about these environmental stickers.

This is how vehicles are classified according to their environmental label

1. ZERO EMISSIONS category (blue sticker)

This group includes all mopeds, tricycles, quadricycles and motorcycles; passenger cars; light vans, vehicles with more than 8 seats and goods transport vehicles registered with the DGT as 100% electric vehicles, extended-range electric vehicles, hydrogen cars (fuel cell) and those plug-in hybrid vehicles whose electric range is at least 40 km.

2. ECO category (blue and green sticker)

This group includes all passenger cars, light vans, vehicles with more than 8 seats and goods transport vehicles classified in the vehicle register as plug-in hybrid vehicles with a range of less than 40 km, non-plug-in hybrid vehicles (HEV), natural gas-powered vehicles (CNG and LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas vehicles (whether new or thanks to installing an LPG kit in a car). ECO category vehicles must also meet the criteria of the C label (see the next point).

3. C category (green sticker)

This group includes passenger cars and light vans with petrol engines registered from January 2006 and diesel from 2014, as well as vehicles with more than 8 seats and goods transport vehicles, both petrol and diesel, registered from 2014. Petrol-engined cars must meet the Euro 4, 5 and 6 standards, while diesels must meet the Euro 6 standard.

4. B category (yellow sticker)

This group includes all passenger cars and light vans with petrol engines registered after January 2000 and those diesel vehicles registered from January 2006. Vehicles with more than 8 seats and goods transport vehicles (both petrol and diesel) registered from 2005 also belong to this group. Petrol vehicles in this category must meet the Euro 3 standard, and diesels the Euro 4 and 5 standards.

If you are still not completely sure, you can check the environmental category your vehicle belongs to in the box below.

Advantages and disadvantages of the different environmental categories

As we said at the beginning, the DGT’s aim with this sticker system is to “positively discriminate in favour of the most environmentally friendly vehicles and to be an effective instrument in municipal policies, both restricting traffic during high-pollution episodes and promoting new technologies through tax benefits or measures relating to mobility and the environment”, the traffic authority says.

Does this mean that vehicles with a label that is not very environmentally friendly (such as categories C and especially B) will be penalised by the DGT? Not directly. For the time being, the owners of these vehicles will not suffer any kind of penalty, but nor will they be able to enjoy the following advantages:

• Free access to the BUS-VAO lane with a single occupant, an advantage that cars in the “Zero Emissions” category can enjoy.
• Free or discounted parking in some areas of Madrid. An advantage for “Zero Emissions” vehicles
• Free circulation during traffic restrictions under anti-pollution protocols. All category B vehicles would not be able to benefit from this advantage; the others can.

Is it mandatory to display the badge on our car?

Displaying the environmental badge is not mandatory for the time being, although the DGT recommends sticking it in the lower right corner of the front windscreen or in any other place on the vehicle where it does not obstruct the driver’s visibility.

If I don’t have the label yet, how do I get it?

A fairly quick option for obtaining the environmental label for your vehicle if you have not yet received it is to buy it through Correos (Spain’s postal service). To apply for the Environmental Badge you must present the vehicle’s registration document and pay €5 (VAT included).