Malaga city fines 5,000 drivers in first month of sanctions for low emissions zone breaches

Malaga city fined almost 5,000 drivers who breached the low emissions zone restrictions in just the first month of sanctions (December 2025).

The low emissions zone (ZBE) in Malaga entered its second year on 30 November 2025, which means that the city has now started to sanction vehicles that cross the zone's perimeter without meeting environmental requirements.

It's important to note, however, that the traffic authorities currently only impose fines on the most polluting vehicles (cars and motorcycles) - those without an environmental sticker. In addition, the breach only has financial repercussions for vehicles that pay road tax (IVTM) outside Malaga city.

This makes 4,894 too high a number given the small number of vehicles that the city can sanction at this stage.

Municipal tax collection agency Gestrisam provided this information to SUR, after the newspaper had requested it from the city council on multiple occasions, without success. The tax collection agency said that "the fines for the month of January 2026 are pending processing".

The traffic authorities (DGT) have set the fine at 200 euros, with a 50 per cent reduction for prompt payments.

The current restrictions on access to the ZBE will remain unchanged until 30 November this year. From that day onwards, the traffic authorities will start fining vehicles with environmental label B from outside the city of Malaga.

The physically visible sticker is not compulsory, as the system includes the reading of registration numbers by camera and their automatic matching with the DGT database.

The ZBE is not the same as the traffic-restricted zones in semi-pedestrian areas in the historic centre, Soho and the Álamos-Carretería axis. These zones can only be accessed by specifically authorised vehicles. This is not merely an environmental issue.

The philosophy adopted by Malaga city council is that those who pay vehicle tax in the city can use the full lifespan of their current vehicle without having to buy a more environmentally friendly one. However, vehicles with a B sticker or lower cannot be transferred, because the buyer would lose that right.

The range of cases is somewhat broader, but in short, petrol vehicles registered before 1 January 2000 and diesel vehicles registered before January 2006 do not have a sticker.

It's very easy to check a vehicle's sticker. Simply go to the website of the DGT and enter the registration number. The system is automatic and free.

The delimitation of the ZBE in Malaga includes the following streets: Paseo Marítimo Antonio Machado, Avenida Ingeniero José María Garnica, Calle Explanada de la Estación, Plaza de la Solidaridad, Avenida de las Américas, Avenida de la Aurora, Jardines de Picasso, Avenida de Andalucía, Calle Compositor Lehmberg Ruiz, Calle Hilera, Calle Santa Elena, Calle Honduras, Calle Arango, Calle Martínez Maldonado, Avenida de Barcelona, Plaza del Hospital Civil, Avenida Doctor Gálvez Ginachero, Calle Mazarredo, Avenida del Arroyo de los Ángeles, Paseo de Martiricos, Calle Huerto de los Claveles, Calle Marqués de Cádiz, Calle Juan del Encina, Calle Empecinado, Plaza Capuchinos, Alameda de Capuchinos, Plaza Olletas, Calle Toquero, Calle Obispo González García, Calle Amargura, Calle Ferrándiz, Paseo Salvador Rueda, Calle Rafael Pérez Estrada and Paseo Marítimo Pablo Ruiz Picasso.

All the information on the ZBE is available on the website of the city council's transport department. There, drivers can also consult how the restrictions will be increasing year by year.

However, public passenger transport services, taxis and ride-hailing services, vehicles classified as historic under royal decree 1247/1995, and trucks have free access through the ZBE.

Similarly, but subject to prior notification and verification, healthcare services, state security forces, municipal services, and essential private services (private security, drain cleaning, funeral services, cash transport, etc.) also have free access.