Gasoline cars that comply with Euro 3 and diesel cars that comply with Euro 4 or Euro 5. That is the definition made by the DGT of the vehicles that They carry the bchatin B in cars. Although, really, what traffic has done has been discriminating for years of enrollment.
Thus, cars with stickers B are enrolled between 2000 and 2006 for gasoline cars and Between 2006 and 2014 for diesel. This decision has generated some inconveniences since there are vehicles enrolled before 2000 (gasoline) or 2006 (diesel) that comply with the aforementioned emission regulations. But, except those exceptions that can be reviewedcars with stickers B are at least ten years behind them if we talk about diesel vehicles.
Discrimination has raised some controversies since the owners of these cars face more hard restrictions than gasoline cars. To sticker equality, his car is many less years old.
And that opens the door to be prohibited to diesel cars more modern than gasoline in our cities. Restrictions that, as you have been able to read, are already applied or will arrive very soon.
But they do not exist.
An exception (very exceptional)
In recent days, social networks have been filled with messages that point to alleged prohibitions to cars with sticatin B. that is, gasoline with more than 19 years behind them but diesel with just over 10 years.
But the truth is that when one goes to detail, those prohibitions They do not exist or, at most, they will be very soft restrictions that do not limit the use of the car.
First, you have to understand that Since 2023 All cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants had to launch low emissions (ZBE) areas to improve air quality. But in the regulations It was not established how they should be These, who had to affect nor a punishment was established for not doing so.
This has caused many municipalities to choose not to apply the measure, claiming that they needed clear orders from the government (aware that it is a measure that can negatively affect the electoral level). But it has also caused Paradoxes like Ciudad Realwhere you aspire to establish a ZBE … where all cars can access (even those who have no environmental labeling of the DGT).
If we use the map that the government itself has active and select Restrictions by B labelwe will see that only the city of Segovia, Madrid and Barcelona remain active.
In Madridcars with b label can circulate without problem but in the area of low emissions of special protection center center (ZBEDEP CENTER DISTRICT)they are obliged to park in a parking lot, whether public or private. It is the same restriction as when the area was called Madrid and there are no firm plans to change it.
The case of Barcelona is a bit more special. Right now, all cars with stickers can circulate within the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) without restrictions. Of course, cars with stickers B are included. The point is that The Generalitat of Catalonia has given green light to a plan to put obstacles to its use.
That plan puts on the table restrictions on cars with B label from January 1, 2026 in all cities of More than 50,000 inhabitants within Catalonia as long as the anti -antamination scenarios are activated. That is, when the pollution is so high that it forces to prohibit circulation to some vehicles. It is something that It is also contemplated in Madrid In some scenarios.
The protocol does contemplate the restriction of cars with B label B but as of January 1, 2028. By then, those cars will be over 14 years in the case of diesel and more than 22 years if we talk about gasoline. In Catalonia, cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants are Barcelona (and all the municipalities that already enter the AMB), Lleida, Tarragona or Girona, among others. You can consult here on this link.
However, in the plan it is only specified that they will have to have a ZBE and that it must restrict the circulation to the cars with environmental label B but the size of it is not specified. That, just as it happens in the rest of the territory, has proliferated cities where Zbe barely affects a handful of streets, without substantial impact for the vast majority of drivers.
That is what happens in Salamanca, the only city that Restrictions to cars with sticatin B already applies throughout Spain. However, the size is just 0.37 km2, the historical bud. Inside can access the aforementioned vehicles if they are registered in that area or if they do it outside the schedule established for the application of the ZBE:
- Monday to Thursday: from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Fridays, Saturdays and Vespers of festive: from 7 to 23 hours.
- Sundays and holidays: 10 to 20 hours.
Much Runrún and few prohibitions
In spite of everything, in some media we continue to read that there are already prohibitions raised to cars with almost immediate application B label, as inferred in the holders. Then we leave a list of the most commented cities and what will be applied or not.
- Bilbao: This zbe It has a size of 2 km2 and is active from Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. In that time section, from June 15, 2025 cars with B label B of the DGT are forced to enter a parking lot (as in Madrid) but can enter with that condition until January 1, 2030. By then, these diesel cars will have at least 16 years.
- Estepona: This zbe It has a size of 0.49 km2 and is also located in the historic center. Here, cars with stickers B are obliged to park in a parking lot or in a hotel, as in the previous case of Bilbao. There are no more restrictions.
- Getafe: This zbe It has a size of 1.18 km2. Since 2025 it has the same restrictions as the previous cities. Cars with sticatin B can access as long as they are in a parking lot or have as its destination some businesses such as workshops, health centers, veterinary services or hotels, among others. In 2026 the same restrictions will apply to vehicles with stickers C.
- Malaga: This zbe It has 4.04 km2. It will be active since November 2025 but cars with sticker B cars will not apply until the third year in operation. Despite this, access (as in the previous cases) will be allowed if it is parked in a parking lot, various businesses are used to a hotel.
- San Sebastián: This zbe It has 1.2 km2. It is the city with the hardest restrictions. Although there are some exceptions for the transfer of people with reduced mobility or access to very specific businesses, access to cars with B stickers will not be allowed from 2028 (neither do they go to a parking lot). By then, diesel cars will be 14 years and older.
Photo | David Vives and DGT
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