Local councils must designate zero-emission zones and low-emission zones within at most 12 months of the new Code on spatial planning, urbanism and construction entering into force. The deadline follows from Law no. 169/2026, applicable from 25 August 2026, which places the limit on 25 August 2027.
For drivers, this deadline does not mean that all older cars will automatically be banned in cities from 1 January 2027. The designation of the zones and the access rules must be set by local-council decisions. Until they are adopted, there is no single national list of streets, banned Euro standards, charges or fines applicable to every locality.
What the new Urban Planning Code provides
The Code was published in Official Gazette no. 661 of 10 August 2026 and entered into force on 25 August. Article 406 requires local authorities to designate zero-emission zones and low-emission zones through local-council decisions, on a proposal from the urban-planning and environment departments.
The measure is a transitional one, valid until the zones and the rules for improving air quality are introduced into general urban plans. The Code defines these perimeters as zones in which access restrictions may exist for vehicles with CO₂ emissions.
Law no. 155/2023 on sustainable urban mobility provides the broader framework for low-emission zones, abbreviated ZNSE. According to that law, restrictions and/or a charge for motor-vehicle access may be introduced inside a ZNSE, and the zone is approved by a decision of the competent local authority.
What may change for owners of older cars
A town hall may choose, within the legal framework and the applicable methodology, one or more access rules. These could include:
- banning access for certain categories of vehicles;
- paid access for cars that do not meet the locally set criteria;
- access allowed in certain time intervals;
- exceptions for residents, emergency vehicles, people with disabilities or other situations provided in the local regulation;
- checking the right of access through automatic number-plate recognition systems.
The list above describes the instruments the legal framework allows, not rules already approved uniformly in Romania. Each local decision will have to be read separately to find the perimeter, the vehicles concerned, the tariff, the exceptions, the adjustment period and the penalties.
There is still no nationally banned Euro standard
A car’s age is not, on its own, an emissions standard. Two cars registered in the same year can have different engines and Euro standards, and CO₂ emissions do not fully describe local pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulates.
In its current form, the Urban Planning Code does not say that all Euro 3, Euro 4 or diesel vehicles will be excluded, nor does it set a national tariff. Concrete criteria are due to appear in local decisions. A headline that already announces a general ban on “older cars” therefore goes further than the text of the law.
Bucharest and the large agglomerations already had obligations from 2023
The 2023 sustainable urban mobility law required ZNSE to be established in the agglomerations listed by air-quality legislation. The new Code now introduces a distinct deadline for designation through local decisions, until general urban plans are updated.
For Bucharest and the other cities concerned, the important decision is no longer whether a zone exists in principle, but its form: how large the perimeter will be, by what criterion cars will be divided, and whether the authority will opt for charging, restriction or a combination of the two.
What drivers should watch until August 2027
Owners do not need to buy another car immediately just because the Code has entered into force. Before a restriction produces practical effects, the local authority must adopt and publish the related decision.
The local document should be checked for five pieces of information: the exact limits of the zone, the date of application, the technical criterion used for vehicles, the cost of access and the exceptions. The Euro standard can be found in the registration certificate or in the car’s technical documents, but its relevance will depend on the regulation adopted in that locality.
Frequently asked questions
Are older cars banned in Romania from 2027?
There is no automatic national ban on all older cars. Local councils must designate zones and set their own rules through decisions.
What is the deadline for designating the zones?
The Code entered into force on 25 August 2026 and provides a maximum term of 12 months. The resulting limit is 25 August 2027.
Will access be banned or charged?
Both options are possible under Law no. 155/2023. The choice, tariffs and exceptions will be set locally.
Are only diesel cars targeted?
The Code does not introduce a general ban only for diesel. The categories of vehicles affected will follow from each local regulation.
