Traffic rules: Belgium

Art. 12.3.1: priority to the right always applies, except when: you are already driving on a roundabout (rond-point); the driver on the right comes out of a one-way street against its direction (sens interdit); you are coming out of a road signed B1 (give way) or B5 (stop); you are coming out of a dirt road (chemin de terre) or path onto a road with a carriageway. Width, surface (asphalt vs cobbles), number of lanes or how important a road looks do not count. Separately, art. 12.4: a manoeuvre — leaving a parking space, coming out of private property (driveway, petrol station, car park), U-turn, reversing, changing lanes — means you give way to everyone, so the right-hand rule does not help you. Art. 17.2: at junctions where priority to the right applies, overtaking cars, motorcycles and other vehicles on the left is forbidden (bicycles excepted). So a car coming out of a small side street on your right onto your 'big' road has priority.

Art. 12.1: the duty to give way to trams is general; the right-hand rule does not apply against a tram. Art. 16.9: a tram running on the carriageway is overtaken on the right — whether moving or stopped at a stop; on the left only if a narrow passage, a parked vehicle or another obstacle prevents passing on the right (without hindering oncoming traffic), or on a one-way road when traffic requires it. Art. 40.3: pass a tram stopped at a stop slowly; if the stop has no passenger island, a driver on the boarding side must stop, let people board and alight, and move off only at a moderate speed.

Art. 2.39 defines a rond-point as a one-way road around a central island, signed D5, whose entries carry B1 or B5 signs. Art. 12.3.1 removes priority to the right for the driver on the ring. You do not signal when entering the ring; you must signal when leaving it (art. 19).

Art. 61.1: red means do not cross the stop line; a green arrow lit together with the red allows movement only in its direction, giving way. A B22 plate (bicycle with a right arrow) under a light lets only cyclists and speed-pedelec riders turn right on red — not cars; B23 does the same for going straight on.

Art. 40.4.2: the duty applies as soon as a pedestrian is about to step onto the crossing, not only once they are walking. Art. 40.4.1: at a controlled crossing, even on green, let pedestrians who started crossing lawfully finish. Art. 19.5: when turning, give way to pedestrians crossing the road you turn into. Art. 40.5: do not enter a crossing if a queue may leave you stopped on it. Art. 17.2.5°: you may not overtake a vehicle that is approaching or has stopped at an uncontrolled crossing.

Art. 11.1 has a separate version for each region. A C43 sign can set a different limit. Residential and meeting zones (sign F12a) are 20 km/h (art. 22bis); cycle zones are 30 km/h max (art. 22novies).

Why the base value is 70: it is the default in two of the three regions (Flanders and Brussels), and it is safer to assume the lower figure until you see a sign. In Flanders 90 is allowed only where a C43 '90' sign is posted. Roads with 4+ lanes whose directions are separated by more than road markings (barrier, verge) are 120 km/h in all regions. In Wallonia, roads with a central lane (chaussée à voie centrale) are 70 km/h. Lorries over 7.5 t and buses have lower limits (art. 11.3).

Art. 11.2 (all three regions): 120 km/h on motorways and on roads with 4+ lanes whose directions are separated by more than markings. Vehicles over 3.5 t and buses: 90 km/h. Art. 21.2: driving below 70 km/h on a motorway is forbidden, though you must still adapt your speed to conditions (art. 10.1). Vehicles that cannot reach 70 km/h on the level are not allowed on motorways (art. 21.1).

Art. 34 §1 of the Road Traffic Act: 0.5 to 0.8 g/l is an offence; from 0.8 g/l (0.35 mg/l) it is a more serious offence (art. 34 §2) with higher fines. Deliberately refusing the test is punished in the same way as that more serious case.

Art. 34 §3 of the Road Traffic Act: for these drivers the threshold is 0.2 g/l in blood or 0.09 mg/l in exhaled air.

Art. 8.4 covers any device with a screen (phone, tablet, satnav).

Art. 30: front fog lights only in fog, snowfall or heavy rain; the rear fog light only when visibility is below about 100 m or in heavy rain. Motorcycles have a separate rule (art. 30bis).

Art. 9.8 (couloir de secours / reddingsstrook) applies as soon as a queue forms, not only when you hear a siren. The corridor may be used by emergency vehicles, services called by the police or prosecutor, and tow trucks heading to an incident (art. 2.70). Only emergency vehicles may drive on the hard shoulder; called-in services and tow trucks only to reach an incident on a motorway when traffic is heavily slowed (art. 9.7).

Art. 40ter: the same distances apply to riders of two-wheel mopeds; approach cycle crossings slowly and stop if needed. Art. 22novies: in a cycle zone a cyclist may use the whole carriageway width on a one-way road (on two-way roads the right half); cars may enter but must not overtake. Under B22/B23 plates cyclists may turn right or go straight on red — expect them. Art. 12.4bis: when crossing a cycle track (e.g. turning or leaving a property) give way to those riding on it.

Art. 81.4 of the Code sets the tyre requirements (minimum tread depth 1.6 mm) and contains no winter-tyre obligation. Studs are banned in principle, but the ministerial order of 28.09.1976 allows them from 1 November to 31 March: studs on all wheels, max 90 km/h on motorways and 2+2-lane roads and 60 km/h on other roads, with a '60 km' plate on the rear.

Art. 81.2: triangle, extinguisher and first-aid kit — as specified by the technical regulation. Art. 51.2: place the triangle at least 30 m behind on ordinary roads and 100 m on motorways. Art. 51.4: vest on motorways and motor roads.

Art. 35.1.1: children under 3 may not travel in seats without a seat belt; children under 135 cm may not travel in front seats without a belt. Art. 35.1.2: if a third seat cannot physically fit after two child seats, a third child aged 3+ may ride in the back with a belt. For occasional short trips without a seat available, children aged 3+ may ride in the back with a belt — but not when their own parent is driving.

Art. 62bis of the Road Traffic Act. The device is seized on the spot (even if it does not belong to the offender), confiscated and destroyed (art. 29bis).

Brussels (lez.brussels): the zone is active 24/7 across all 19 municipalities (the R0 ring is excluded). Registration is free and valid 5 years; do it before entering or within 5 days after. Since 1 January 2026 Euro 5 diesels and Euro 2 petrol cars are not admitted (diesel needs at least Euro 6, petrol Euro 3); a non-compliant car can enter with a day pass. Flanders (Antwerp and Ghent): foreign vehicles are admitted after registration; one free registration is valid in all Flemish LEZs. Ghent: register no later than 1 day after entering; the rules were not tightened in 2026 — diesel Euro 5 and newer and petrol Euro 2 and newer enter freely; foreign-registered electric cars must also register; a non-compliant car can enter with a day pass up to 12 times a year. Check Antwerp's conditions on slimnaarantwerpen.be. Enforcement is by number-plate cameras.

Fine: Brussels: €350 (for vehicles that lost access on 1 January 2026, a first offence gets a warning letter, with a fine possible from 3 months later; since 1 July 2026 the fine is issued for a 12-month period — the amount equals the price of a planned annual pass). Ghent: €185, at most once per day; late registration after a fine costs €75.

Liefkenshoek Tunnel (2026, vehicles under 3 m): €6.20 by card, €8 cash, €4.40 with a badge. Lorries over 3.5 t pay a kilometre charge via an on-board unit (Viapass). Vignette from 1 May 2027 (on sale from 2 April 2027): digital, tied to the number plate, required on regional roads and motorways; prices announced by Flanders range from €9 per day to €100 per year for Euro 4 and newer. Details still need final approval by the Flemish Parliament, so check before travelling after April 2027.

Art. 3 §2 of the Royal Decree of 23.03.1998: carry the licence; it must be valid for the vehicle category, and the driver must have reached the Belgian minimum age for that category. People registered in a Belgian municipality with their normal residence there may drive only with a Belgian or European licence. Regulation (EU) 2022/1280, art. 3: a valid licence issued by Ukraine is recognised throughout the EU for holders of temporary protection until that protection ceases; you may be asked for a passport or temporary-protection document to verify identity. EUR-Lex lists the regulation as in force. Temporary protection was extended to 4 March 2028 by Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912; new applicants must show, where applicable, that they meet their military obligations in Ukraine.

Royal Decree of 13.02.1991, art. 2: foreign vehicles without a Belgian policy are admitted if their liability is covered by an international insurance certificate; the countries exempt from this are listed by name — Ukraine is not among them. A vehicle's home country is determined by its number plate (art. 1). Act of 21.11.1989, art. 2: third-party liability insurance is compulsory.

Art. 65 §3 of the Road Traffic Act: the car is held at the driver's cost and risk until the deposit is paid — for up to 96 hours; after that the prosecutor may order it seized. A deposit is also required if earlier unpaid fines are on record in your name. Paying on the spot normally ends the prosecution; an administrative fee is added to the amount.