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Exemptions and dispensations
Commercial vehicles

Dispensations for commercial vehicles

Only in very special cases is it possible to obtain a dispensation for vehicles for commercial use.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency may, upon application, grant a dispensation if:

  • Retrofitting a particulate filter to a vehicle is technically impossible (requires documentation from a specialized particulate filter fitter)
    or
  • If special conditions relating to the vehicle so require and
  • other circumstances otherwise warrant, including that a dispensation will be of secondary importance for the environment and health.

It is possible to obtain a dispensation only in special cases. As a starting point, the possibility for obtaining a dispensation is divided into the categories described below. Note, that these categories are not exhaustive and do not necessarily represent all the scenarios that could form the basis of a commercial vehicle dispensation. There will always be a concrete assessment whether a dispensation can be granted and a dispensation will always be of limited duration.

 

Expropriation

As an owner or user of a vehicle, you can apply for dispensation from the requirement for a particulate filter if the requirement affects you atypically severely compared to the affected group as a whole. This is called expropriation. 

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency must, upon application from the owner or user of a vehicle, grant dispensation from the particulate filter requirement if the requirement affects the applicant in such a way that fulfilling the requirement would entail expropriation.

Dispensation categories:

Unique specialised vehicle

Dispensation can be granted if all of the following criteria are met. There will always be a thorough assessment.

  • The vehicle must be a unique specialised vehicle. A specialised vehicle is defined by the total price of the vehicle exceeding twice the price of the chassis
  • Limited driving in low emission zones
  • The price of the filter is significantly higher than the average price

Technical impossibility

A dispensation can be granted if all of the following criteria are met. There will always be a thorough assessment.

  • Fitting a filter is not technically possible due to the specific construction or use of the vehicle (requires documentation from a specialized particulate filter installer). Note that documentation of technical impossibility from the vehicle manufacturer is not sufficient documentation, as filter suppliers can often offer other filter solutions.
  • The vehicle is only used to a limited extent within the low emission zones.
  • There is a very specific errand in the low emission zone that can warrant a dispensation.

Public activity of societal interest

A dispensation can be granted if all of the following criteria are met. There will always be a thorough assessment.

  • A public activity of societal interest cannot be carried out because the applicant is unable to comply with the low emission zone requirements. For example, this can be due to the applicant’s current financial situation.
  • There will be limited driving within the low emission zone.
  • Broad public access to the event.

Scheduled public bus that is included in a conversion plan

A dispensation can be granted if the following criteria are met. There will always be a thorough assessment.

  • Scheduled public buses that, in the near future, will be part of a conversion plan, whereby buses are replaced by cleaner technology buses (primarily gas-powered buses) and zero-emission buses (primarily electric buses).

Special scheme for heavy specialised vehicles

Heavy specialised vehicles, where a filter supplier has documented that it is technically impossible to retrofit a particulate filter, or where the price of retrofitting the filter significantly exceeds the average price of filters for specialised vehicles, may be eligible for a dispensation in accordance with a so-called clip card dispensation.

The scheme provides access to the low emission zones to a limited extent.
Note that the scheme only applies to specialised vehicles.

Criteria:

  • The vehicle must be a heavy specialised vehicle (over 3,500 kg). A specialised vehicle is defined by the total price of the vehicle exceeding twice the price of the chassis.
  • The particulate filter price is significantly higher than the average price for filters for specialised vehicles (documented by a quote from a filter supplier/fitter).
  • It is technically impossible to retrofit a particulate filter (documented by a filter supplier or fitter). Note that documentation of technical impossibility from the vehicle manufacturer is not sufficient documentation, as filter suppliers can often offer other filter solutions. 

Conditions for obtaining a clip card if the conditions stated above are fulfilled and documented

  • The clip card consists of 25 low emission zone stamps, which can be used within five years from the date of issue. No further dispensation can be applied for until the five-year period has ended.
  • The clips can be used flexibly over the five-year period, depending on your driving needs.
  • The clips are assigned to a specific vehicle based on the registration number and chassis number of the vehicle.
  • A clip is valid for one day (00:00-23:59) as with the other types of dispensations. Please note that the low emission zone rules also apply to vehicles parked in the low emission zone.
  • You must contact the Danish Environmental Protection Agency four weeks before a clip is to be used or no later than 72 hours after an urgent need to enter a low emission zone.

Application

An application for the issuing of a clip card dispensation must be made by the owner/user of the vehicle submitting an application for dispensation and include the necessary documentation:

  • A solemn declaration by the applicant that the vehicle is a specialised vehicle and that the total price of the vehicle exceeds twice the price of the chassis.
  • In addition, one of the following two conditions must apply and must be documented:
      • Retrofitting a particulate filter is technically impossible (documentation must be obtained from a filter supplier and not from the vehicle manufacturer)
      • The particulate filter price exceeds the average price for filters for specialised vehicles (documentation must be submitted in the form of a quote from a filter supplier/fitter).

The application must be submitted to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency no later than three months before the first dispensation is to be used. Send the application to miljozoner@mst.dk and state “Application for dispensation - Stamp cards” in the subject field. 

Please note that a decision on the application will always depend on a concrete assessment of the documents submitted.

How to use the clip card

The owner or user of the vehicle who has already been granted a clip card dispensation must:

  • Contact the Danish Environmental Protection Agency four weeks before you plan to make use of a clip.
  • Contact the Danish Environmental Protection Agency no more than 72 hours after an urgent task in a low emission zone to make use of the clips.
  • State the j.nr. (case-ID) for the clip card dispensation and the vehicle’s registration number when contacting the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. You can find the j.nr. (case-ID) in the decision notice you received.
  • Send the above information to miljozoner@mst.dk. State “CLIP CARDS – use of clips” in the subject field.

Please note

Please, note that your application for dispensation does not automatically grant your vehicle access to the low emission zones. If you drive in a low emission zone while your application is being processed, you risk receiving a fixed-penalty notice.

You will receive a decision from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency in your digital mailbox. In case you do not have Digital Post or are exempt, the decision will be sent per paper post. It may take up to three months for the case to be processed, but the Danish Environmental Protection Agency will strive to process your application as soon as possible.

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