Owners of non-Danish diesel-powered vehicles, which are registered the first time before the current date limits, must register the vehicle with documentation for the vehicle being fitted with a diesel particulate filter or the Euro standard in order for it to be used legally in the low emission zones.
You must register your vehicle no later than on the same day that you enter the low emission zone.
If you fail to register your lorry or bus with particulate filter, along with the required documentation mentioned below, you will be charged a fixed-penalty notice of 12.500 DKK.
It is possible to get the fixed-penalty reduced to 1.000 DKK if you subsequently forward documentation that the vehicle applies with the low emission zone rules.
Lorries and buses that do not meet the date requirements and do not have a particulate filter or meet the Euro standard requirements do not have access to the low emission zones, and can be charged a penalty of DKK 12,500.
Older diesel-powered lorries and buses are not allowed in the low emission zones unless they are fitted with a particulate filter. The new low emission zone rules for lorries and buses came into force on 1st July 2020.
Older diesel-powered vehicles (lorries and buses) weighing over 3.5 tons must be fitted with a particulate filter to be used legally in the low emission zones. A bus is classified as a vehicle designed to be used by more than nine people including the driver. A diesel-powered motorhome weighing over 3.5 tons with more than nine seats including the driver's seat is defined as a bus, and the same rules apply.
If your vehicle does not comply with the low emission zone rules, the vehicle must have a particulate filter retrofitted in order to be used legally in the Danish low emission zones.
Danish lorries and buses
The detailed rules for retrofitting particulate filters for lorries and buses are laid down in:
Statutory Order no. 315 of 25/03/2025 on requirements for diesel-powered lorries, buses, vans and passenger cars in municipally determined low emission zones, etc. Pursuant to section 5, the installation of an efficient particulate filter must be documented by a declaration signed by the filter supplier, cf. appendix 1.
Applies solely to Danish lorries and buses: Before the declaration from the filter supplier is presented at the inspection centre, the declaration must be submitted to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency at miljozoner@mst.dk.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency then assigns an identification number, which the owner or user must affix to the declaration.
Vehicles registered in Denmark as vintage. This must be stated in the Danish Register of Motor Vehicles (DMR).
Vehicles registered abroad, which are more than 30 years old.
Vehicles used by the military, police, emergency services or similar emergency services, if these vehicles do not usually drive in a low emission zone and there is an extraordinary need to use the vehicle in a low emission zone, or the vehicle is used for training activities.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency must be contacted as soon as possible after an extraordinary need for use of a vehicle in a low emission zone or use of a vehicle for training activities. For further guidance the Danish Environmental Protection Agency must also be contacted.
If your lorry or bus cannot get a particulate filter retrofitted, you can in special cases apply for a dispensation.
In the low emission zones, there will be a higher road toll for trucks of 12 tons and above from 1 January, 2025.
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