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Low emission zones in Denmark

About low emission zones

What are low emission zones?

Low emission zones are located in Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg and aim to ensure cleaner air for residents.

Stricter low emission zone requirements

In March 2022, the Danish Parliament decided that the five low emission zone municipalities could extend the particle filter requirement to apply to diesel passenger cars as well. The new stricter low emission zone requirements were adopted by the five municipalities and will come into force on 1^st October 2023.

Since 1^st July 2020, stricter low emission zone requirements have applied to vans, lorries and buses in Denmark.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for enforcing the low emission zones.

The control of the low emission zones is based on the automatic reading of license plates with cameras and are crosschecked with available data from the respective country's vehicle register. Sund & Bælt collects vehicle data on behalf of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency for use in control and enforcement of the low emission zone requirements. The police also controls and enforces the low emission zones.

Read about which rules apply to your vehicle

The rules apply to older diesel vehicles and apply to both Danish and Non-Danish vehicles

Cleaner air for residents

A low emission zone is defined as a large, cohesive urban area where there is significant traffic and where there are specific emission requirements for diesel-powered vehicles. The goal of the low emission zones is to ensure cleaner air for residents.

The low emission zones cover areas where many people live, work or participate in cultural and leisure activities. Less air pollution in these areas will mean improved health for many residents. Low emission zones restrict the freedom of movement in these areas, which is why there are only introduced in the urban areas that have the highest levels of pollution.

The low emission zone rules apply to older diesel-powered vehicles

The low emission zone rules in the larger cities apply to older diesel-powered vehicles. The vehicles gain access if a particulate filter is retrofitted.

This applies to both Danish and non-Danish vehicles.

It is your responsibility to check that your vehicle complies with the requirements for driving in the low emission zones.
If you are unsure whether your vehicle meets the low emission zone requirements, you can check it here. If not, a particulate filter can be retrofitted, afterwhich, the vehicle can be used legal in the low emission zones.

It is your responsibility to check that your vehicle complies with the requirements for driving in the low emission zones

If you are unsure whether your vehicle meets the requirements, you can check it here. If it does not, a diesel particulate filter can be retrofitted, and then the vehicle can drive in the low emission zones legally.

Check your vehicle

If your vehicle does not comply with the rules

If a vehicle that does not comply with the rules is seen at a checkpoint, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency issues an administrative fine.

Danish vehicle owners receive the administrative fines by digital post and owners of non-Danish vehicle receive them by regular paper post. Sund & Bælt collects vehicle data for determining whether an administrative fine is to be issued.