Under the Bucharest city hall proposal, from 1 November 2027 cars with no Euro standard will be banned from the city centre. Not yet approved.
In November 2032 the restriction in the centre will reach Euro 5 cars, and across the whole city Euro 3 cars and older.
Cars with no Euro standard, made before 1991: about 3% of the vehicles registered in Bucharest and Ilfov.
EU Directive 2024/2881 lowers the annual limit from 40 to 20. According to Ecopolis, 8 of 11 stations would exceed it.
Anyone living in Ilfov, driving to the city centre and buying a car for years should check it is at least Euro 6, or electric.
Bucharest's low emission zone: the short answer
In October 2026, Bucharest city hall proposed creating a low emission zone (LEZ) in which older cars will be restricted gradually. Under the proposal, from 1 November 2027 cars with no Euro standard will be banned from the city centre, and by November 2032 the restriction will reach Euro 5 cars in the centre and Euro 3 cars across the whole city. The proposal still needs the approval of the city council. For someone living in a suburb with a Euro 6 car, as of October 2026, it changes almost nothing.
When families ask me which car to buy after moving, my answer has changed in the past month. Not because of fuel prices, but because of this document.
What exactly was proposed
Mayor Ciprian Ciucu presented the proposal for a low emission zone (Zonă cu Emisii Scăzute) in early October 2026. According to HotNews, the proposal must be approved by the General Council of Bucharest (CGMB), and the details of enforcement and fines will be set in separate decisions.
The first zone will be the city centre. According to the map published by G4Media, it stretches roughly from Piața Victoriei in the north to the Tineretului area in the south, and to Cotroceni in the west. Later, the restrictions extend to the whole city.
The proposed phases, 2027 to 2032
According to Spotmedia, each phase takes effect on 1 November:
| Year | Banned in the city centre | Banned across the whole city |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | No Euro standard | No restriction |
| 2028 | Up to Euro 1 | No Euro standard |
| 2029 | Up to Euro 2 | Up to Euro 1 |
| 2030 | Up to Euro 3 | Up to Euro 2 |
| 2031 | Up to Euro 4 | Up to Euro 2 |
| 2032 | Up to Euro 5 | Up to Euro 3 |
The first phase concerns 80,507 cars with no Euro standard, made before 1991: about 3% of the roughly 2.87 million vehicles registered in Bucharest and Ilfov, according to HotNews.
Anyone buying a used car today and planning to drive it into central Bucharest should check its Euro standard before the price.
Why now
The main reason is the air, and above all nitrogen oxides from traffic. According to the Ecopolis report on air quality in 2025, no station in Bucharest exceeded the current annual limit of 40 micrograms of NO₂ per cubic metre, but Mihai Bravu reached 38.77 and Universitate 38.34, almost at the limit.
The real problem is 2030. EU Directive 2024/2881 lowers the annual limit to 20 micrograms, and according to Ecopolis, eight of the 11 stations examined would exceed it. For air quality in Bucharest and Ilfov by area, see our article on air quality.
Which car meets which standard
The Euro standard appears in the vehicle registration document, and is usually linked to the year of first registration. Under EU Regulation 715/2007, the Euro 5 standard applies to new cars registered from January 2011, and Euro 6 from September 2015. A car first registered from 2006 to 2010 is usually Euro 4.
Anyone buying a used car today and planning to drive it into central Bucharest should check its Euro standard before the price.
| First registration year (approximately) | Standard | When banned from the centre, under the proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1991 | No standard | November 2027 |
| 2006-2010 | Euro 4 | November 2031 |
| 2011-2015 | Euro 5 | November 2032 |
| From September 2015 | Euro 6 | Not included in the proposal up to 2032 |
The table is a rule of thumb. Always check the standard recorded in the car's own documents.
What it means for people living in Ilfov
The low emission zone belongs to Bucharest city hall, not to Ilfov. In Balotești, Otopeni or Corbeanca you can keep driving as normal. The only question is where you drive to:
- Driving to Pipera or the airport? Under the proposal, the city-wide restrictions stop at Euro 3 in 2032. A reasonable car from the past decade is not affected.
- Driving to the city centre? From 2031 Euro 4 cars will be banned from the centre, and from 2032 Euro 5 as well. A car bought today for 8 years should be at least Euro 6.
- An old second car for errands? Fine for the suburb, but not for the centre, and later not for the rest of the city either.
According to Spotmedia, the restriction will apply to every car driving in the city, not only to cars registered in Bucharest. A car registered in Ilfov will not be exempt just because of its address.
Another cost that depends on the Euro standard
The logic of "a clean car costs less" has already arrived in Romania. From 1 October 2026, under Ministry of Transport Order 888/2026, the annual road vignette (rovinietă) costs 254 lei for a Euro 6 car and 330 lei for a Euro 3 car or older. The gap is small, but the direction is clear. For licensing, cars and the vignette for people coming from Israel, see our guide to an Israeli driving licence in Romania.
Buying a car after the move: four questions
If you are moving to a suburb and buying a car in Romania, this is the order in which I would check:
- Where will you drive most of the time? The city centre, the north of the city or within Ilfov. The answer determines how relevant the proposal is to you.
- What standard is recorded in the documents? Not what the seller says, but what is written.
- How many years will you keep the car? A Euro 5 car bought today and kept for about six years will hit the restriction in the centre right at the end of that period, in November 2032, under the proposal.
- What will the resale value be in a few years? If the proposal is approved, demand for older cars in Bucharest may fall, and that will affect the price you get too.
What is not yet known
- Enforcement. According to G4Media, the mayor mentioned number plate recognition cameras as an option, but this has not been decided.
- Exemptions. No exemptions have been published yet, for example for central residents or for vehicles of people with disabilities.
- The final text. The proposal goes through public consultation and council approval, and the timetable may change.
Frequently asked questions
When does Bucharest's low emission zone start?
Under the Bucharest city hall proposal, on 1 November 2027, with a ban on cars with no Euro standard in the city centre. As of October 2026, the proposal has not yet been approved by the city council.
Will a Euro 6 car be affected?
Under the proposed timetable, not before 2032. The strictest restriction in the proposal is a ban on Euro 5 cars and older in the city centre from November 2032.
Do the restrictions also apply to cars from Ilfov?
According to reports, the restriction will apply to every car driving within the zone, regardless of where it is registered. Within Ilfov itself, the Bucharest proposal does not apply.
How do you find out a car's Euro standard?
The standard appears in the car's documents. Rule of thumb: a car first registered from January 2011 is at least Euro 5, and from September 2015 at least Euro 6. Always check the document itself.
How many cars will be affected in the first phase?
80,507 cars with no Euro standard, made before 1991, about 3% of the vehicles registered in Bucharest and Ilfov, according to the figures presented by city hall.
The bottom line
The low emission zone will not change life in the suburbs, but it will change which car is worth buying. Anyone living in Ilfov and driving to the city centre should think about a Euro 6 car or newer, or an electric one. Anyone driving to the north of the city gains time until the restrictions widen.
If you are planning a move to north Bucharest and want to go through daily journeys, the car and the costs, book a 30-minute call with me. For travel times from the suburbs, see our article on the drive from Balotești to Bucharest.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: HotNews: the mayor's proposal to restrict polluting cars · Spotmedia: the timetable to 2032 · G4Media: map of the proposed zone · Ecopolis: air pollution in Bucharest and Ilfov, 2025 · EU Directive 2024/2881 on ambient air quality · Regulation 715/2007, Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards · MonitorLegal: Order 888/2026, rovinietă prices.
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. The low emission zone is a proposal that has not yet been approved, and the timetable, boundaries and exemptions may change. Check the city council's final decision before relying on it.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
