LEZ requirements

Requirements

The first LEZ requirements will come into force on July 1, 2024, and the full version – two years later, i.e. on July 1, 2026. All vehicles that meet the requirements set out in the resolution will be able to enter the LEZ. They are both cars with petrol, diesel, hybrid and LPG installations. The condition for entry will be that the engine meets the appropriate emission standard. There will also be many exceptions.

Zone requirements:

  1. Until June 30, 2026, vehicles last registered before March 1, 2023 will be subject to very light restrictions:
    • in the case of vehicles powered by petrol (LGP) – minimum Euro 1/Euro I standard or corresponding manufacture dates,
    • for vehicles with diesel engines – minimum Euro 2/Euro II standard or corresponding manufacture dates.
  2. Until June 30, 2026, vehicles last registered after March 1, 2023 will be subject to the following restrictions:
    • in the case of vehicles powered by petrol (LGP) – minimum Euro 3/Euro III standard or corresponding manufacture dates,
    • for vehicles with diesel engines, minimum Euro 5/Euro V standard or corresponding manufacture dates.
  3. Since July 1, 2026, all vehicles, regardless of their last registration date, will be subject to the same requirements:
    • in the case of vehicles powered by petrol (LGP) – minimum Euro 3/Euro III standard or corresponding manufacture dates,
    • In the case of vehicles with diesel engines, minimum Euro 5/Euro V standard or corresponding manufacture dates.

The minimum requirements for vehicles authorized to enter the LEZ are presented in the tables below.

 

Minimum requirements for a passenger car, a truck with a maximum permissible weight of up to 3.5 t fuelled with petrol (also with an LPG installation) and with a diesel engine
Date of last registration Type of fuel Minimum requirements
Period of validity of the minimum requirements from 01/07/2024 to 30/06/2026
before March 1, 2023 Pb Petrol or LPG Euro 1 or manufacture year since 1992 for passenger cars, Euro 1 or manufacture year since 1994 for light-duty cars and trucks
ON Diesel Euro 2 or manufacture year since 1996 for passenger cars, Euro 2 or manufacture year since 1997 for light-duty cars and trucks
after March 1, 2023 Pb Petrol or LPG Euro 3 or manufacture year since 2000
ON Diesel Euro 5 or manufacture year since 2010
Date of validity of the minimum requirements since July 1, 2026
not applicable Pb Petrol or LPG Euro 3 or manufacture year since 2000
ON Diesel Euro 5 or manufacture year since 2010
Minimum requirements for a bus, truck or car tractor with a maximum permissible weight of over 3.5 t powered by petrol (also with LPG installation) and with a diesel engine
Date of last registration Type of fuel Minimum requirements
Period of validity of the minimum requirements from 01/07/2024 to 30/06/2026
before March 1, 2023 Pb Petrol or LPG Euro I or manufacture year since 1992
ON Diesel Euro II or manufacture year since 1995
after March 1, 2023 Pb Petrol or LPG Euro III or manufacture year since 2000
ON Diesel Euro V or manufacture year since 2008
Date of validity of the minimum requirements since July 1, 2026
not applicable Pb Petrol or LPG Euro III or manufacture year since 2000
ON Diesel Euro V or manufacture year since 2008
Validity periods of Euro standards
Euro emissions standard Manufacture year of the vehicle
Vehicle with a maximum permissible weight of up to 3.5 t Vehicle with a maximum permissible weight of more than 3.5 t
Euro 1 / Euro I 1992–1995 for passenger cars and 1994–1996 for passenger cars and trucks 1992–1994
Euro 2 / Euro II 1996–1999 for passenger cars and 1997–1999 for passenger cars and trucks 1995–1999
Euro 3 / Euro III 2000–2004 2000–2004
Euro 4 / Euro IV 2005–2009 2005–2007
Euro 5 / Euro V since 2010 since 2008

Exemptions

Pursuant to the resolution establishing the LEZ, the following vehicles are exempt from the requirements of the zone:

  • motorcycles,
  • historical vehicles,
  • special vehicles,
  • vehicles registered before March 1, 2023 at the latest, owned by persons who were at least 70 years old on January 1, 2023 at the latest, driven only by the owners when entering and moving around the LEZ.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Act on electromobility and alternative fuels, vehicles with appropriate markings used by disabled people are also exempt from the requirements.

 

LEZ area

The boundaries of the LEZ coincide with the administrative boundaries of the city of Krakow. Striving to cover such a large area with the LEZ results from the desire to ensure high efficiency of the solution – the larger the LEZ, the better the air quality improvement effect will be. Motorways and expressways will not be covered by the LEZ, as the zone covers only roads managed by the Mayor of the City of Krakow.

The exact location of the entry and exit from the LEZ will be regulated by a traffic organization design. The idea is to ensure the possibility of entering the ring road IV (A4 and S52) from roads outside the city boundaries and to ensure that drivers of vehicles crossing the city borders that do not meet the LEZ requirements can safely make a U-turn or change direction at the intersection.

 

LEZ sticker

Vehicles authorized to enter the LEZ must be marked with a special sticker. The stickers will be provided next year at the earliest, issued by correspondence. An application for a sticker can be submitted on-line via a special website or at the site, at designated points of the City of Krakow. The stickers will be sent to the correspondence address indicated in the sticker application.

Drivers will be notified of the possibility to apply for a sticker well in advance.

A sticker issued by another Polish municipality in which a low emission zone has been established will entitle you to enter the LEZ in Krakow, provided that the vehicle marked with it meets the requirements assumed in Krakow.

The sticker model is specified in the Regulation of the Minister of Climate and Environment.

pdf-icon Вимоги SCT – Український переклад (431.75 KB)