Overview
- From 1 January 2026 the connected V‑16 emergency beacon is the only legal device to signal an immobilised vehicle, replacing triangles, with cars, vans, goods vehicles and buses required to carry it; motorcycles are exempt though use is recommended, the Guardia Civil says.
- Low‑Emission Zones mandated by the 2021 climate law move into enforcement, but timing varies by city, and violations in camera‑controlled areas carry €200 fines (€100 with prompt payment) as seen in Valladolid since July.
- Oviedo’s ZBE starts on 1 January, barring older petrol (pre‑2001) and diesel (pre‑2006) vehicles from the inner ring except under approved exemptions, with active plate‑reading and a one‑to‑two‑month period before fines begin.
- Municipal approaches diverge: Pontevedra designates the whole urban area as a ZBE without label‑based entry limits or sanctions, several Galician cities stagger sanctions into mid‑2026 or rely on pedestrianization, and Madrid has extended a local moratorium for residents without labels through 2026.
- An uneven vehicle fleet complicates compliance, with DGT data for Pontevedra showing fewer than 2,600 ECO or Zero‑label vehicles and about a third of registered vehicles lacking any DGT sticker, while broader DGT reforms for 2026 include proposals still in processing on alcohol limits and updated label criteria.