Major License Plate Change Starts in Belgium in 2027
Starting January 1, 2027, people registering a new or used car in Belgium will face an important change in how they pay for their license plate and registration certificate.
The federal government is ending the current system that allows drivers to pay the 30-euro fee when the license plate is delivered to their home. From 2027, the payment will have to be completed during the vehicle registration process.
What Will Change in 2027?
Starting in 2027, drivers will pay the required 30-euro license plate fee when they register their vehicle.
In most cases, vehicle registration is handled through an insurance agent or car dealer using the WebDIV online system. The 30-euro charge will be included in the digital registration process and paid electronically at that time.
Once the payment has been processed, the order for the license plate will automatically be sent to the company responsible for producing it.
The license plate and registration certificate will then be delivered by post to the address provided during registration. Drivers will no longer need to make a payment when the package arrives.
If the vehicle owner is not home when the delivery is made, the postal worker will be able to leave the package in the mailbox or another safe location because the shipment will already have been paid for.
Current System: Payment at Delivery
The new system is different from the procedure that will remain in place until the end of 2026.
Under the current system, drivers can request a license plate online or through one of the DIV offices. Belgian postal company bpost then handles the production and delivery of the plate.
The 30-euro fee is currently collected when the package is delivered. Drivers can pay in cash or use a QR code with the postal worker’s device.
Although this system has been used for years, it can create practical problems. If the person who ordered the plate is not home, the postal worker cannot simply leave the package.
The driver must then collect the license plate later and complete the payment, creating additional delays and administrative work for both the customer and the postal service.
Why Is Belgium Changing the System?
The federal Council of Ministers officially approved the change as part of a new government agreement involving the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport (FOD Mobiliteit en Vervoer).
A five-year contract for the production and delivery of Belgian license plates has also been awarded to Speos.
The government expects the new payment system to provide several operational and financial benefits.
First, paying in advance should make deliveries more efficient because postal workers will no longer have to spend time collecting payments at people’s homes.
The change is also expected to improve the safety of postal workers by eliminating the need to carry cash or handle payments during deliveries.
The new system will also allow government revenue to be processed more directly and quickly.
What Does This Mean for Drivers?
For Belgian drivers, the amount of the license plate fee and the quality of the plate will not change.
The main difference is when the payment is made.
Instead of paying the 30-euro fee when the license plate arrives, drivers will pay it electronically while completing the vehicle registration process.
The change should mainly make deliveries easier. If nobody is home, the license plate package can still be left in the mailbox or another safe place because the payment will already have been completed.
